''The Scarlet City'' is a 1952 historical fiction novel written by Hella S. Haasse and originally published as ''De scharlaken stad''. The novel was translated into English in 1990.

Summary

The novel is set primarily in sixteenth century Italy, when

Francis I Francis I or Francis the First may refer to: * Francesco I Gonzaga (1366–1407) * Francis I, Duke of Brittany (1414–1450), reigned 1442–1450 * Francis I of France (1494–1547), King of France, reigned 1515–1547 * Francis I, Duke of Saxe-Lau ...

attempted to establish the French in the country, just like his predecessors Charles VIII and

Louis XII Louis XII (27 June 14621 January 1515), was King of France from 1498 to 1515 and King of Naples from 1501 to 1504. The son of Charles, Duke of Orléans, and Maria of Cleves, he succeeded his 2nd cousin once removed and brother in law at the tim ...

Clement VII Pope Clement VII ( la, Clemens VII; it, Clemente VII; born Giulio de' Medici; 26 May 1478 – 25 September 1534) was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 19 November 1523 to his death on 25 September 1534. Deemed "the ...

is Pope at the time that most of the events take place. It features Giovanni Borgia, the ''Infans Romanus'' of the

House of Borgia The House of Borgia ( , ; Spanish and an, Borja ; ca-valencia, Borja ) was an Italian-Aragonese Spanish noble family, which rose to prominence during the Italian Renaissance. They were from Valencia, the surname being a toponymic from the town ...

. He has no clue who his true father is, and is determined to make a name of himself in order to overcome his unknown paternity.

Vittoria Colonna Vittoria Colonna (April 149225 February 1547), marchioness of Pescara, was an Italian noblewoman and poet. As an educated, married noblewoman whose husband was in captivity, Colonna was able to develop relationships within the intellectual circl ...

is also another prominent character featured in the story. In an unhappy marriage to the Marquis of Pescara, she finds solace in the teachings of

Gian Matteo Giberti Gian Matteo Giberti (20 September 1495 – 30 December 1543) was an Italian diplomat, Bishop of Verona. Biography Born at Palermo, he was the natural son of Francesco Giberti, a Genoese naval captain. In 1513 he was admitted to the household of C ...

and Caterina Cibo, wife of

Giovanni Maria Varano Giovanni Maria da Varano (1481–1527) was an Italian statesman, and the duke of Camerino starting in 1515. He was the son of Giulio Cesare da Varano. He was married in 1520 to Caterina Cybo (1501-1557), granddaughter of Lorenzo de Medici. Togethe ...

. Other historical figures that appear throughout the story include

Niccolò Machiavelli Niccolò di Bernardo dei Machiavelli ( , , ; 3 May 1469 – 21 June 1527), occasionally rendered in English as Nicholas Machiavel ( , ; see below), was an Italian diplomat, author, philosopher and historian who lived during the Renaissance. ...

and Michelangelo Buonarotti. 20th-century Dutch novels 1952 novels Novels set in the 16th century Novels set in Italy Cultural depictions of Niccolò Machiavelli Cultural depictions of Michelangelo {{1950s-hist-novel-stub