Apocalypse in Rome, Cola di Rienzo and the politics of the New Age

     In Rome on May 20, 1347, Cola di Rienzo, overthrew the rule of the corrupt and lawless barons, and in the name of the pope and the people of Rome reestablished the Roman republic. Cola’s new government was soon to restore peace, prosperity,and justice to the city and its countryside, revive the reputation of Rome’s ancient grandeur, and briefly make Rome the new center of diplomacy and political life.
    This book is the story of Cola di Rienzo, of his rise to power, his coronation as tribune, his startling victories over the barons, his unexpected fall and then his return to power in Rome. It is also is a history of Rome in the fourteenth century, and of the life and hopes of its people for the dawning of a new age of peace, liberty, and enlightenment.