WI: Vatican massacred in 1527?

During the Sack of Rome by Charles V's mercenaries, what would happen if the rampaging mercenaries had managed to take the Castel Sant'Angelo where the Vatican, including the Pope, was hiding from the mercenaries and proceeded to slaughter everyone inside?
 
First, how do they managed to enter? They lacked artillery, and the lack of real command prevented to make such an action easily (without talking about how it was more profitable to plunder easily the city rather than go trough a military action).

Assuming they did, Charles V is going to be in a really bad position. His troops outright killing the pope is going to send a message such as "The emperor doesn't control his own troops and he's ready to launch these for pure chaos purpose".

Either it means he would have to retain himself in his foreign policy, in order to look as compromising (and certainly have to punish, as in decimate, his own troops).
It would be a clear boost for France foreign policy along the lines "Hey, even Turks are more civilized" and maybe out of fear from neighbouring states. Francis would have it easy, just pointing this.

He could try to create a pope of his own, but it would look barely legitim : an antipope would likely appear (supported by France, maybe by England as well), and it would look more legit. I think Charles would refrain to do that (but it may cost him a quick recovering of the imperial crown).
Religiously, it would be as well a boost for german Protestants.

The main beneficiers would be both Protestants and France, and Charles would have a lot of issues not only on its italian policies (while it may likely force a more peaceful status quo, out of fear. But frankly, that an army disobeyed his orders to kill everyone up to the pope isn't going to tell much on the strength of his authority) but as well in Germany itself.
 
Easy, they go through the same tunnels that Pope Clement used. Let's say that during the stand of the Swiss Guard, things go a little better for the mercenaries and they are able to follow him into the secret tunnels that led to Castel before catching up to him. They guess that the tunnel leads to somewhere important and follow it into the Castel. They penetrate it and proceed to kill everyone inside.
 
I'm speaking under correction here, but AFAIK Clement VII bribed the Imperial troops so that he could escape. I know a bunch of the wealthier Roman families managed to pay off the troops to avoid their palazzi being sacked.

That said, perhaps it's just Showtime's imagination, but didn't Wolsey prepare for an extra-territorial conclave in the event that the pope didn't make it out of Sant'Angelo alive, what with Rome still being occupied by the emperor.
 
Easy, they go through the same tunnels that Pope Clement used.
The issue is that the Passagion, being narrow (and concieved as such) doesn't really allow for a mass attack to the Castle. They could kill the pope, but rather than take the place, he would be rather killed around the basilica.

They guess that the tunnel leads to somewhere important and follow it into the Castel.
"Guessing" that the elevated passage, hidden in plain sight, leads to somewhere important?
If mercenaries are this thick, I'm not sure they'd be smart enough to follow anyone.
 
No witnesses? People could say the Pope fell on a sword, or something?

Definitely not, and it's very unlikely during the Sack of Rome that people would think it was anything less than unintentional. Having the Swiss Guard fail to buy the Pope enough to enter the tunnels is good enough.
 
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What difference would it make if the entire Vatican was killed instead of just the Pope?

Killing the pope would have formed the bulk of the issues described above, but with a pontifical bastion, you have still people you can try to work out the things more or less officially.

"Erm...Sorry we killed the pope. Now, could we talk to the responsible, and show him our good will and work this trough?"

Killing everyone in sight let little room but for creating a new pope out of nowhere, with the really limited legitimacy it could give.
 
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