Portal de Turismo de Castilla y León

Dates

January 23, 2026

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On Friday, January 23rd at 6:30 pm , in the Auditorium of the Palencia Public Library, the book "Popes of the Renaissance " by Carlos González Martínez will be presented.

Men of faith or of power? Shepherds of souls or strategists of empires? The story of the Renaissance popes is a journey into a land of dazzling brilliance and moral quagmires, where faith and power were inseparable. This book delves into that duality to understand these men for what they truly were: top-tier political leaders in an unrepeatable era.
The book recounts the astonishing metamorphosis of Rome, from the half-ruined and nearly deserted city that Martin V found at the end of the Western Schism, to its transformation into the resplendent capital of Europe. The narrative concludes, after nineteen pontificates, with the closing of the Council of Trent. The focus is on two key aspects: the popes as patrons of the arts and as first-rate political actors.
Prepare to discover a cast of characters that defy any stereotype: from the controversial Borgias, to the temperamental warrior pope Julius II, to the sophisticated Medici, who applied to the Church the same financial expertise that made them the bankers of Europe.
Written in an agile, approachable style sprinkled with irony, this is not a dense academic manual, but a popular science book that combines guaranteed historical rigor with an entertaining narrative.