Abstract
Why were so many more sixteenth-century French aristocrats willing to envisage and champion the overthrow of the Roman church than their counterparts in the Italian peninsula? To date historians of the two countries have explored such different aspects of the response of the political elites to the spread of evangelical ideas that this question remains difficult to answer. This comment examines why the two historiographies are so different. It also seeks to identify the aspects of the problem that require further investigation before historians can declare with confidence whether this was due to the greater strength of individualistic and mystical ideas of reform in Italy, to the close ties between peninsular elites and the Roman church, or to a regional and international political context that made a rupture with Rome too dangerous to attempt there.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
