In the early 16th century, Florence was a beacon of art, culture, and new ideas, but it also became a hotbed for religious reform that didn't sit well with the Catholic Church. The city's growing support for reformers seeking to change the church from within drew the ire of Pope Clement VII. Born Giulio de' Medici, the Pope was particularly sensitive to the religious and political currents in Florence, his native city. The tension reached a boiling point when the Pope took the drastic step of ex