Title: The pope who would be king
Description: Documents the story of the violent revolution that signaled the end of the political power of the popes and resulted in the emergence of modern Europe.

Days after his prime minister was assassinated in the middle of Rome in November 1848, Pope Pius IX found himself a virtual prisoner in his own palace. Only two years earlier Pius's election had triggered a wave of optimism across Italy: he was seen as a youthful, benevolent new pope who would at last bring the Papal States into modern times and help create a new, unified Italian nation. Kertzer documents the story of the violent revolution that signaled the end of the political power of the popes and resulted in the emergence of modern Europe.
Subjects: Politics and government, Church history, Pius ix, pope, 1792-1878, Europe, church history, Europe, politics and government, 1848-1871, Popes, Temporal power, History, Papacy
Places: Europe
People: Pius IX Pope (1792-1878)
Time periods: 1848-1871, 19th century