Prisoner of the Vatican : The Popes' Secret Plot to Capture Rome from the New Italian State
by David I. Kertzer
- Used
- Acceptable
- Hardcover
- Condition
- Acceptable
- ISBN 10
- 0618224424
- ISBN 13
- 9780618224425
- Seller
-
Seattle, Washington, United States
2 Copies Available from This Seller
Payment Methods Accepted
About This Item
Synopsis
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.
Reviews
(Log in or Create an Account first!)
Details
- Bookseller
- ThriftBooks (US)
- Bookseller's Inventory #
- G0618224424I5N00
- Title
- Prisoner of the Vatican : The Popes' Secret Plot to Capture Rome from the New Italian State
- Author
- David I. Kertzer
- Format/Binding
- Hardcover
- Book Condition
- Used - Acceptable
- Quantity Available
- 2
- ISBN 10
- 0618224424
- ISBN 13
- 9780618224425
- Publisher
- Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company
- Place of Publication
- Boston
- Date Published
- 2004
Terms of Sale
ThriftBooks
About the Seller
ThriftBooks
About ThriftBooks
Glossary
Some terminology that may be used in this description includes:
- Acceptable
- A non-traditional book condition description that generally refers to a book in readable condition, although no standard exists...