The Popes of Rome, Vol. 2: Their Church and State in the Sixteenth and Seventeenth Centuries (Classic Reprint) - Hardcover

Leopold Ranke

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0265187567 ISBN 13: 9780265187562

Publisher: Forgotten Books, 2018

Synopsis

Power, politics, and faith collide in the papal world.

This is a concise, panoramic study of how the Roman Catholic Church and its leaders shaped politics across the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, with a focus on the Counter-Reformation and the restoration of papal authority.

The book traces the bold, sometimes turbulent efforts to renew Catholic influence in Europe, including the role of papal diplomacy, nuncios, and bishops. It surveys key moments where church and state intertwined, from courtly maneuvering in Poland to the broader dynamics of Rome’s relations with monarchies and reform movements. Drawing on critical sources, it presents a disciplined, readable account of how papal power sought unity, yet often confronted internal tensions and external challenges.

• A clear arc of events from 1590 to 1630, showing how Catholic restoration advanced amid political and religious conflicts.
• Details on diplomatic channels, such as papal nuncios and inter-church negotiations, that shaped policy.
• How religious orders, like Jesuits, and canonical reforms influenced statecraft and governance.
• Profiles of leaders and institutions that steered the era’s church-state interactions.

Ideal for readers who want a focused, accessible history of papal influence during the Counter-Reformation and early modern Europe.

Edition details

• Publisher: Forgotten Books
• Publication date: 2018
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0265187567
• ISBN 13: 9780265187562
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 614