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Prisoner of the Vatican: The Popes' Secret Plot to Capture Rome from the New Italian State

David I. Kertzer

Hardcover | Pages: 368 pages

Rating: 3.6 | 127 Users | 29 Reviews

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Original Title:	Prisoner of the Vatican: The Popes, the Kings, and Garibaldi's Rebels in the Struggle to Rule Modern Italy
ISBN:	0618224424 (ISBN13: 9780618224425)
Edition Language:	English

Relation As Books Prisoner of the Vatican: The Popes' Secret Plot to Capture Rome from the New Italian State

We think of Italy as an ancient nation, but in fact the unified Italian state was born only in the nineteenth century — and only against the adamant refusal of the pope to relinquish his rule of Rome. In this riveting chronicle of international intrigue, the renowned historian David Kertzer delves into secret Vatican archives to reveal a venomous conflict that kept the pope a self-imposed prisoner of the Vatican for more than fifty years.
King Victor Emmanuel, his nemesis Garibaldi, the French emperor Napoleon III, England, Spain, Germany, Austria, and even America play a part in this astonishing drama. On September 20, 1870, the king's battle to unite the disparate Italian states came to a head when his troops broke through the walls of Rome, which the pope had ruled for centuries. Pope Pius IX, ensconced with the Vatican Council, denounced the usurpers and plotted with his advisers to regain power or else flee Italy altogether. A dramatic struggle unfolded over the next two decades, pitting church against state and the nations of Europe against one another. This is a story of outrageous accusations, mutual denunciations, raucous demonstrations, frenetic diplomacy, and secret dealings. Rocks were hurled along with epithets, and war across Europe seemed inevitable.
The antagonists were as explosive as the events. Pius IX, the most important pontiff in modern history, engineered the doctrine of papal infallibility but ended his days reviled and denounced. The blustering Victor Emmanuel schemed behind the backs of his own ministers. Garibaldi, Italy's dashing national hero, committed naive and dangerous mistakes. Beyond Italy, the pope’s main protector, Napoleon III, was himself being taken prisoner.
This devastating conflict, almost entirely unknown until now, still leaves a deep mark on the Italian soul. No one who reads David Kertzer's revelatory account will ever think of Italy or the Vatican in quite the same way again.

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Title	:	Prisoner of the Vatican: The Popes' Secret Plot to Capture Rome from the New Italian State
Author	:	David I. Kertzer
Book Format	:	Hardcover
Book Edition	:	Anniversary Edition
Pages	:	Pages: 368 pages
Published	:	November 15th 2004 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (first published January 1st 2004)
Categories	:	History. Religion. Cultural. Italy. Nonfiction. European History. Audiobook

Rating Regarding Books Prisoner of the Vatican: The Popes' Secret Plot to Capture Rome from the New Italian State

Ratings: 3.6 From 127 Users | 29 Reviews

Write Up Regarding Books Prisoner of the Vatican: The Popes' Secret Plot to Capture Rome from the New Italian State

First, let me say that unless you are totally enthralled by history (like I am!), you may not want to read this. This is not an historical novel, it is not a folksy history; it is definitely an intense historical look at the papal reigns of Pius IX and Leo XIII as well as the unification of Italy. So don't go into the book looking for a novel -- this isn't it! Having said that, if you DO like a very well-written history, then you will enjoy this one. I liked it so much I bought two other books

I enjoyed this book because it was not like reading a text book, it was interesting! Non-fiction can be tedious to read (dry) at times, so generally I take what I can from them and dont worry about the parts my brain doesn't want to absorb no matter how interesting it may be. In this case, I feel like I absorbed much more than I discarded.I've been to Italy quite a few times, so I really enjoyed putting Umberto Emmanuelle Cavour Garibaldi XX September into context. I've seen the names and dates

Kertzer's narrative has a melodramatic title, but it is a good read. The story concerns the obstinate refusal of a series of Popes to accept a new political reality on the ground in Italy in the late 19th Century. The characters are given real depth and we are left with little questions about Italian politics of the time. I wish the book had given more credence to the strengths of some of these Popes as leaders of the church instead of merely political actors.

A very detailed history, it explains a lot I never knew about my Italian Catholic heritage, and why I never knew it.

I found this book very interesting and informative about the creation of the Italian State, and its struggle with the Popes who still wanted temporal power over Rome and the Papal States. The book primarily deals with the long reigns of Pius IX and Leo XIII. At the end I wanted more, and expected more on the Papacy leading up to the Lateran Pacts (discussed in an Epilogue). Kertzer's subsequent book on the Popes and Mussolini will I hope cover the rest of the story.I must say, however, that the

Nationalism, democracy, liberalism, even freedom (except for his own) were ideas that Pope Pius IX despised, at least after 1870 when the Italian Kingdom was substantially completed by the conquest of Rome. From that time he proclaimed himself to be a prisoner who could not leave the confines of a tiny region a bit larger than what is now known as Vatican City. In fact, he was a prisoner only in his own mind. The Italian government, if not the Roman people, would have loved to have him visit

A great read. I could not stop reading from the first page to the very last page. Fascinating, absorbing and outstandingly informative. I now know something about the popes and the Italians and the world they collectively shaped. The book is almost everything I have always thought of the Roman Catholic Church.and its power. Not exactly positive.I wish I could give it ten stars.