<P> Pope Boniface VIII, born Caetani, was the last pope to fight for the church's universal domain: he proclaimed a crusade against the Colonna and in 1300, called for the first Jubilee of Christianity, which brought to Rome millions of pilgrims . However, his hopes were crushed by the French king Philip the Fair, who took him prisoner and slashed him in Anagni, causing his death . Afterwards, a new pope faithful to the French was elected, and the papacy was briefly relocated to Avignon (1309--1377). During this period the city was neglected, until the power fell in the hand of a plebeian man, Cola di Rienzo . An idealist and a lover of ancient Rome, Cola dreamed about a rebirth of the Roman Empire: after assuming the power with the title of Tribuno, his reforms were rejected by the populace . Forced to flee, Cola could come back among the suite of cardinal Albornoz, in charge of restoring the church power in Italy . Back in power for a short time, he was lynched by the populace, and Albornoz could take possession of the city, that in 1377 under Gregory XI became again the seat of the papacy . The return of the pope to Rome in that year unleashed the western Schism (1377--1418), and during the next forty years, the city was prey of the fights which shattered the church . </P> <P> In 1418, the Council of Constance settled the Western Schism, and a Roman pope, Martin V, was elected . This brought to Rome a century of internal peace, which marked the beginning of the Renaissance . The ruling popes until the first half of the 16th century, from Nicholas V, founder of the Vatican Library, to Pius II, humanist and literate, from Sixtus IV, a warrior pope, to Alexander VI, immoral and nepotist, from Julius II, soldier and patron, to Leo X, who gave his name to this period ("the century of Leo X"), all devoted their energy to the greatness and the beauty of the Eternal City, to the power of their stock, and to the patronage of the arts . </P> <P> During those years the centre of the Italian Renaissance moved to Rome from Florence . Majestic works, as the new Saint Peter's Basilica, the Sistine Chapel and Ponte Sisto (the first bridge to be built across the Tiber since antiquity, although on Roman foundation) were created . To accomplish that, the Popes engaged the best artists of the time, including Michelangelo, Perugino, Raphael, Ghirlandaio, Luca Signorelli, Botticelli, and Cosimo Rosselli . </P> <P> The period was also infamous for papal corruption, with many Popes fathering children, and engaging in nepotism and simony . The corruption of the Popes and the huge expenses for their building projects led, in part, to the Reformation and, in turn, the Counter-Reformation . Alexander VI, for example, was well known for his decadence, extravagance and immoral life . Under extravagant and rich popes, Rome was transformed into a centre of art, poetry, music, literature, education and culture . Rome became able to compete with other major European cities of the time in terms of wealth, grandeur, the arts, learning and architecture . </P>

The city of rome is situated on the river