The Pope's Army: 500 Years of the Papal Swiss Guard [Hardcover]

Robert Royal (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 1, 2006

With the election of Pope Benedict XVI, the world witnessed the pomp and honor of the Swiss Guard, the "Pope’s Army." Now best-selling author and Crisis columnist Robert Royal takes us through the colorful 500-year history of the military guard that has witnessed every major Vatican event for half a millennium. Topics include: origins; five hundred years of fortitude; the Medici Popes; the sack of Rome; siege, dissolution, rebirth and the Napoleonic war; the unification of Italy; the Pope’s imprisonment; two World Wars; the Nazi occupation of Rome.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: The Crossroad Publishing Company; First Edition edition (February 1, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0824523954
• ISBN-13: 978-0824523954
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.7 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #740,048 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #89 in Books > History > Europe > Switzerland

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars THEY LOOK MEDIEVAL BUT BETTER NOT MESS WITH THEM, August 6, 2006

By 

John P. Bertolucci - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Pope's Army: 500 Years of the Papal Swiss Guard (Hardcover)

Yes the Swiss Guard around the Pope seem rather medieval in their uniforms, but their history and their training is far from uninteresting. This short but fascinating book gives the highlights of their foundation, their history and their present place in the life of the most influential religious leader in the world. Well worth reading and well worth gaining respect for an elite group of young men.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent history of a colourful and very special bodyguard, July 11, 2006

By 

Dimitrios (Greece) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Pope's Army: 500 Years of the Papal Swiss Guard (Hardcover)

This book is a small treasure for anyone who wants to have a glimpse into the long history of the Papal Swiss Guard. This bodyguard of mercenaries was created in 1506 and 19 years later suffered its greatest challenge, when it defended the Pope against the imperial troops of Charles V and lost 147 of its 189 members. The dreadfull sack of Rome was not enough though for the Papal Swiss Guard to eclipse from history and a few years later it was again on duty. Robert Royal presents this long journey through time in an eloquent way, embellishing it with many little known episodes and painting unforgettable portraits of the various commanders of that small but dedicated mercenary group (it has traditionally the status of a regiment despite its company size). Also useful, is the description of the present day Swiss Guard, the criteria for anyone wishing to become a member and the many changes that modern times have bring to its training, armament and duties. The book includes a section of 12 color photographs. Highly recommended to anyone interested in this colourful subject!

13 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Could have been better, July 17, 2006

By 

Amy (Falls Church, VA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Pope's Army: 500 Years of the Papal Swiss Guard (Hardcover)

How I wish I could write a positive review of this book. Unfortuately, I cannot. This book starts out great and then becomes so bogged down with names, battles, and other details that it loses sight of its topic--the Papal Swiss Guard. There are no pictures, maps, timelines or other visual aids that would help the struggling reader, other than a small color spread of photos in the center of the book. I enjoy reading non-fiction books and I love studying the history of the Catholic Church, but this is the kind of book that causes people to hate reading history. Dry, boring with no sense of narrative. It was a struggle to get through it and I only did because I am very interested in the subject. The only section worth reading was the period about the Vatican during World War II. Maybe one of these days a writer will write a book about the Swiss Guard that is enjoyable as well as informative. This one "ain't it."