Relations with the Papacy remained strained, despite the fact that as co-leaders of the Reformation, Philip and the Papacy should have been natural allies. Nevertheless, the interests of the papacy, Italy, and the Spanish did not align despite the assumption that this would be the case, thus threatening the stability of power. The document further highlights the arrogance of those in power, including manipulation and corruption to swing elections in the country's favor. This is seen through Philip's attempt to manipulate the papal elections before the death of Paul IV to prevent the peace won in Italy from being compromised. Furthermore, Levin points out that Spanish power was not concrete and that there were credible threats of "novedades" and that the Spanish presence can therefore be somewhat understood. However, the equally constant insistence on tailoring demands to Spanish interests resulted in a lack of consensus and, consequently, an absence of real ties between allies, as evidenced by the equal fear of the Spanish and Venetians than of others abandon the League. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay. In addition, the link between religion and the popes holding significant power in the empire and whose disruption can have dramatic consequences on the stability of power is strongly argued. It is important to note that the papal system remained independent while continuing to be a source of vast financial support (risking withdrawal if offended). The sources analyzed came from ambassadors who are therefore in close relations with all political and papal figures and thus give a credible assessment of their relations. This is especially true since the ambassadors were employed to criticize both parties and their stories are therefore more truthful. Their role allows them to shed more light on the negotiations of popes and political leaders, especially since they were the means by which the manipulations occurred (e.g. using Vargas). The vast majority of primary sources evaluated support the argument of strained relations between the papacy and Philip. Additionally, the sources detail not only the ambassadors' views, but also the communications between Philip and them. These discuss above all the papacy and, more critically, "remaining in the good graces of His Holiness". That being said, this highlights Philips' recognition of the power of the papacy, even if it somewhat contradicts his outward behavior. Although the sources as a whole are valuable, as are the documents written in confidence, the primary sources, particularly in the case of Vargas, do not complement each other and their value is therefore undermined. Vargas's letters to Philip presented himself as a peacemaker, stating that the unity of the conclave was threatened to the greatest extent by Guido Ascanio Sforza. While other documents called Vargas' actions "hateful and almost indefensible", thus limiting the true value of some sources to the extent that there is a self-preservation goal. Spanish Rome, 1500-1700 by Thomas James Dandelet (Yale University Press) would be a useful read because he describes the relationship between the Spanish Empire and Palal Rome much more positively than Levin. He further argues that the papacy was successfully brought under Spanish control, which strongly contradicts Levin's conclusion that it remained independent. Therefore, the text presents an alternative theory on the extent of Spanish influence..