"The Republic of St. Peter" seeks to reclaim for central Italy an important part of its own history. Noble's thesis is at once original and controversial: that the Republic, an independent political entity, was in existence by the 730s and was not a creation of the Franks in the 750s. <P>Noble examines the political, economic, and religious problems that impelled the central Italians--and a succes...

The Republic of St. Peter seeks to reclaim for central Italy an important part of its own history. Nobles thesis is at once original and controversial: that the Republic, an independent political entity, was in existence by the 730s and was not a creation of the Franks in the 750s. Noble examines the political, economic, and religious problems that impelled the central Italians--and a succession o...

The Republic of St. Peter seeks to reclaim for central Italy an important part of its own history. Nobles thesis is at once original and controversial: that the Republic, an independent political entity, was in existence by the 730s and was not a creation of the Franks in the 750s. Noble examines the political, economic, and religious problems that impelled the central Italians--and a succession o...

The Republic of St. Peter seeks to reclaim for central Italy an important part of its own history. Nobles thesis is at once original and controversial: that the Republic, an independent political entity, was in existence by the 730s and was not a creation of the Franks in the 750s. Noble examines the political, economic, and religious problems that impelled the central Italians--and a succession o...

The Republic of St. Peter seeks to reclaim for central Italy an important part of its own history. Nobles thesis is at once original and controversial: that the Republic, an independent political entity, was in existence by the 730s and was not a creation of the Franks in the 750s. Noble examines the political, economic, and religious problems that impelled the central Italians--and a succession o...

The Republic of St. Peter seeks to reclaim for central Italy an important part of its own history. Nobles thesis is at once original and controversial: that the Republic, an independent political entity, was in existence by the 730s and was not a creation of the Franks in the 750s. Noble examines the political, economic, and religious problems that impelled the central Italians--and a succession o...

The Republic of St. Peter seeks to reclaim for central Italy an important part of its own history. Nobles thesis is at once original and controversial: that the Republic, an independent political entity, was in existence by the 730s and was not a creation of the Franks in the 750s. Noble examines the political, economic, and religious problems that impelled the central Italians--and a succession o...

The Republic of St. Peter seeks to reclaim for central Italy an important part of its own history. Nobles thesis is at once original and controversial: that the Republic, an independent political entity, was in existence by the 730s and was not a creation of the Franks in the 750s. Noble examines the political, economic, and religious problems that impelled the central Italians--and a succession o...

The Republic of St. Peter seeks to reclaim for central Italy an important part of its own history. Nobles thesis is at once original and controversial: that the Republic, an independent political entity, was in existence by the 730s and was not a creation of the Franks in the 750s. Noble examines the political, economic, and religious problems that impelled the central Italians--and a succession o...

The Republic of St. Peter seeks to reclaim for central Italy an important part of its own history. Nobles thesis is at once original and controversial: that the Republic, an independent political entity, was in existence by the 730s and was not a creation of the Franks in the 750s. Noble examines the political, economic, and religious problems that impelled the central Italians--and a succession o...