Rienzi, the Last of the Roman Tribunes

In Short

Set in fourteenth-century Rome, this historical novel follows Cola di Rienzi, an eloquent plebeian who rises to power as Tribune after his younger brother is murdered during a feud between noble families. Supported by the common people and guided by dreams of ancient Roman glory, Rienzi overthrows the lawless patrician houses—most notably the Colonna and Orsini—and restores civic order to the city. Yet his reign is constantly threatened by noble conspiracies, military threats from ruthless foreign mercenaries, and the fickle nature of the Roman populace. As economic strains and political alliances shift, Rienzi's idealism clashes with the brutal realities of power, leading to a tragic second bid for governance as Senator and an inevitable down-fall.

The Story

The narrative opens in a lawless Rome fractured by the violent feuds of aristocratic families like the Colonna and Orsini. Cola di Rienzi, a brilliant and deeply learned plebeian, suffers a life-altering tragedy when his innocent younger brother is slain in a skirmish between rival noble factions. Denied genuine justice by the arrogant Lord Stephen Colonna, Rienzi swears to avenge his brother and liberate Rome from noble tyranny.

Rienzi begins orchestrating a revolution by rallying the common people, securing the support of influential artisans like the blacksmith Cecco del Vecchio, and earning the cautious backing of the Papal Vicar, Bishop Raimond. His personal life becomes intertwined with the nobility when his sister, Irene, falls in love with Adrian di Castello, a noble Colonna who possesses a rare conscience and supports civic reform. Concurrently, Rienzi negotiates with foreign power brokers, including the formidable and ambitious mercenary leader Walter de Montreal, balancing the threat of hired swords against his populist vision.

Rienzi's popular movement succeeds in establishing the Buono Stato (Good State). He assumes the title of Tribune, enforcing strict laws, clearing the roads of brigands, and restoring commerce and public safety to Rome. The proud barons are forced to submit to his authority, and even Adrian publically swears allegiance to the new order. However, Rienzi's position remains fragile. Driven by romantic ideals, he pardons the noble conspirators who plot his assassination, bestowing gifts upon them instead of executing them—a act of mercy that the bitter barons perceive as weak ostentation.

Cracks quickly appear in the new republic. When Rienzi attempts to raise taxes to pay for defensive troops, the populace—led by figures like Cecco del Vecchio—turns resentful, valuing immediate material comfort over the long-term preservation of their liberties. Under pressure from noble uprisings and public discontent, Rienzi is eventually forced into exile. During this upheaval, disaster sweeps Italy in the form of the Great Plague. Adrian wanders through a horror-stricken Florence in search of Irene, navigating abandoned, plague-ravaged streets and encounters with depraved survivors who mock the dying city.

During his exile, Rienzi is imprisoned but ultimately regains papal favor through his intellect and political skill, securing the support of Cardinal Albornoz. Accompanied by his devoted wife, Nina, who has stood by him in disguise, Rienzi returns to Rome with the title of Senator. To secure the financial means needed to maintain his government, Rienzi orders the execution of the mercenary leader Walter de Montreal and seizes his vast wealth.

This decisive execution alienates both the nobility and the commoners. Disillusioned former supporters, including Cecco del Vecchio and the ambitious young Angelo Villani, whip the desperate crowd into a frenzy, raising the cry against the taxes Rienzi imposed. A furious mob storms the Capitol. Arrayed in his old armor and bearing the great Gonfalon of Rome, Rienzi steps onto the balcony to address his citizens one last time, but his voice is drowned out by shouts of "Death to the tyrant!" He is brutally murdered, bringing a tragic end to Rome's last Tribune and its dream of restored republican greatness.

How It Unfolds

A brother's blood spilled During a chaotic clash between rival noble factions, Rienzi's harmless younger brother is struck down. When the old Stephen Colonna offers a mere purse of gold instead of legal justice, Rienzi vows to overthrow the patrician order.

A secret compact sealed Rienzi meets with the Papal Vicar to secure official authority to purge the city of lawless brigands. He secures a promise of absolute discretion to enforce the law, even if it requires striking down high-born offenders.

The Tribune takes the oath Before a massive crowd at the Capitol, Rienzi establishes the Buono Stato, compelling the proud nobility to submit to new civic laws. The noble Adrian di Castello steps forward to swear allegiance, cementing the revolution's immediate success.

Mercy misspent on traitors After discovering a treasonous plot among the barons, Rienzi publicly pardons the conspirators and showers them with honors. The nobility views his generosity as an insult and immediately begins plotting his downfall.

The plague strikes Florence As political order disintegrates, the Black Death ravages Italy. Adrian journeys through a desolate, plague-stricken Florence, witnessing horrific abandonment and desperate debauchery as he searches for his lost love, Irene.

A prisoner's pact in exile Imprisoned following his initial fall from power, Rienzi is visited by his wife Nina in disguise. Through sheer intellect and strategic alliances, he secures the backing of Cardinal Albornoz to return to Rome.

The execution of Montreal Now ruling as Senator, Rienzi arrests and executes the formidable mercenary chief Walter de Montreal to seize his funds for the state. This stern act shocks the populace and drives his enemies to desperate measures.

The fall at the Capitol Faced with rising taxes, an enraged mob incited by former allies surrounds the Capitol. Rienzi steps onto the balcony carrying the banner of Rome, but the crowd refuses to hear his speech and slays him.

The People

• Rienzi (Cola di Rienzi): A brilliant, romantic, and deeply eloquent plebeian who seeks to restore the ancient majesty and justice of Rome. Driven initially by revenge for his slain brother, he rises to become Tribune and later Senator, but his high-minded idealism is ultimately undone by economic realities and the fickleness of the crowd.
• Adrian di Castello: A high-minded young noble of the Colonna family who loves Rienzi's sister, Irene. Caught between his aristocratic lineage and his desire for genuine civic reform, he chooses to support Rienzi's law and order over his family's lawless tyranny.
• Stephen Colonna: The elder leader of the powerful Colonna family, known for his pride, political cunning, and belief that power belongs exclusively to the nobility. He treats plebeian lives as cheap and resists every attempt to curb patrician privilege.
• Walter de Montreal: An ambition-driven, highly formidable French mercenary leader and Knight of St. John who views military force and gold as the ultimate tools of power. He offers hired swords to the highest bidder before being executed by Rienzi.
• Nina: Rienzi's devoted, fiercely proud wife who shares his grand ambitions and supports him through every reversal of fortune, even infiltrating his prison in disguise.
• Cecco del Vecchio: A sturdy Roman blacksmith who initially serves as Rienzi's key working-class ally, but eventually turns against him when popular government requires paying taxes.
• Angelo Villani: A young, ambitious protégé who initially seeks advancement under Rienzi's administration, but later joins the mob in demanding the ruler's death.

In Its Own Voice

“You slew him!” cried Rienzi, in a voice of thunder, starting from the ground. “Justice! then, my Lord Stephen, justice! you promised me justice, and I will have it!”

Rienzi demands retribution after his innocent younger brother is struck down in a street clash by a high-born noble.

“Never, perhaps,”—to use the translation adapted from the Italian authorities, by a modern and by no means a partial historian (Gibbon.)—“Never, perhaps, has the energy and effect of a single mind been more remarkably felt than in the sudden reformation of Rome by the Tribune Rienzi.”

The text reflects on the dramatic transformation of a lawless city into a safe, orderly society through Rienzi's early governance.

“Only one man in ten goes to law--only one man in twenty is butchered by a Baron’s brigand; but every man eats, and drinks, and feels a tax.”

The blacksmith Cecco del Vecchio explains to Rienzi why the working citizens care far more about personal taxation than grand democratic ideals.

What It's Really About

Beneath its historical pageantry, the novel is a rigorous examination of political power, popular revolution, and the tragic gap between elite idealism and working-class reality. It questions whether a society conditioned by long servitude can sustain true democratic freedom without reverting to tyranny or mob rule.

Rienzi represents the tragedy of the visionary who attempts to impose classical ideals of civic duty upon a population driven primarily by immediate self-interest. The narrative demonstrates how quickly public adoration evaporates when liberty requires financial sacrifice, as illustrated by the citizens' furious reaction to taxation. It also explores the corrupting nature of political necessity: to maintain state order, even the most high-minded ruler is eventually forced to adopt the harsh, pragmatic methods of the very tyrants he overthrew. Ultimately, the book argues that true political transformation requires more than an extraordinary leader; it demands a populace capable of understanding and enduring the responsibilities of governance.

Why Read It Today

Rienzi, the Last of the Roman Tribunes offers a compelling, highly atmospheric portrait of medieval Italy, capturing both the lofty rhetoric of republican ambition and the grim realities of medieval life. Readers who enjoy sweeping historical fiction filled with political intrigue, romantic devotion, and dramatic reversals of fortune will find much to admire. Bulwer-Lytton constructs an intricate world where high-stakes parliamentary diplomacy, intense family rivalries, and sweeping social upheavals clash head-on.

The narrative excels in its vivid set-pieces—from the tense private negotiations between ambitious leaders to a chilling, apocalyptic sequence depicting Florence during the Black Death, where ruined streets and lawless gangs contrast sharply with civic order. The novel's psychological portrait of Rienzi remains strikingly relevant, presenting a complex figure who is neither a simple hero nor a mere demagogue, but a flawed visionary caught in the machinery of statecraft.

Potential readers should be prepared for a dense, Victorian style that reflects its period of composition. The prose is expansive and formal, filled with lengthy philosophical soliloquies, Latinate phrasing, and historical digressions. However, for those willing to engage with its measured pace and rich language, the book provides an unforgettable exploration of how revolutions are born, how governments fall, and how easily a crowd's cheers can turn into a demand for blood.