For centuries, the life-story of Giulia Gonzaga was treated as the fable of a damsel in distress. Truly, the Countess of Fondi was a key figure in the Italian Protestant Movement. The profound devoutness of a young and well-educated woman; the intrigues of the Italian aristocracy of the day; and the relentless witch-hunt of the Roman and Spanish Inquisition are among the pieces that form the extraordinary mosaic of Giulia Gonzaga's true story.