This work investigates the complex political and military conflicts that defined the control of Rome during the Renaissance period. Susanna De Beer utilizes historical records and contemporary accounts to analyze the power dynamics between the Papacy, foreign monarchs, and local factions. The text argues that the struggle for Rome was not merely a territorial dispute but a fundamental contest over the cultural and religious legitimacy of the Italian peninsula.

Scholars recognize this text as a specialized contribution to the study of Renaissance power structures. Readers frequently note the academic density of the prose and the reliance on primary source documentation.