The Ottoman Threat

Discord between the princes heightened the sense of threat to Italy by the Ottomans. Accordingly, Paul III increased his efforts to broker peace between Charles and Francis. In 1538 he was finally successful when he brought the two monarchs together in Nice where they agreed on a ten-year truce. At the same time, the Ottoman advance towards Italy continued and Paul needed to spend more and more on defensive strategies. The most effective way of increasing income for troops and defences was the sale of Church offices. Thus the reform proposals, if accepted, would have undermined the pope’s entire effort for peace and concord and hence they gained no traction with Paul or other key actors.