Background
Giacomo Antonelli was born at Sonnino near Terracina on April 2, 1806
Giacomo Antonelli was born at Sonnino near Terracina on April 2, 1806
Giacomo Antonelli was educated for the priesthood, but, after taking minor orders, gave up the idea of becoming a priest, and chose an administrative career. He began his ecclesiastical studies at Rome, later changing to law.
Created cardinal (June 1847), Giacomo Antonelli was chosen by Pius IX to preside over the council of state entrusted with the drafting of the constitution. After the assassination of Pellegrino Rossi (15th November 1848) he arranged the flight of Pius IX to Gaeta, where he was appointed secretary of state. In 1855 he narrowly escaped assassination. As ally of the Bourbons of Naples, from whom he had received an annual subsidy, he attempted, after 1860, to facilitate their restoration by fomenting brigandage on the Neapolitan frontier.
To the overtures of Ricasoli in 1861, Pius IX, at Antonelli's suggestion, replied with the famous " Non possumus, " but subsequently (1867) accepted, too late, Ricasoli's proposal concerning ecclesiastical property.
After the September Convention (1864) Antonelli organized the Legion of Antibes to replace French troops in Rome, and in 1867 secured French aid against Garibaldi's invasion of papal territory.
He wrote, with papal approval, the letter requesting the Italians to occupy the Leonine city, and obtained from the Italians payment of the Peter's pence (5, 000, 000 lire) remaining in the papal exchequer, as well as 50, 000 scudi-the first and only instalment of the Italian allowance (subsequently fixed by the Law of Guarantees, March 21, 1871) ever accepted by the Holy See. To the Church he left little and to the pope only a trifling souvenir. His activity was devoted almost exclusively to the struggle between the papacy and the Italian Risorgimento. He died on 6 November 1876.
Giacomo Antonelli was the Cardinal Secretary of State from 1848 until his death; he played a key role in Italian politics, resisting the unification of Italy and affecting Roman Catholic interests in European affairs. He was often called the "Italian Richelieu".
By the nature of the post he occupied, from 1850 until his death Antonelli had little to do with questions of dogma and Church discipline, although his was the signature on circulars addressed to the Powers transmitting the Syllabus of Errors (1864) and the acts of the First Vatican Council (1870).
Created secular prelate, he was sent as apostolic delegate to Viterbo, where he early manifested his reactionary tendencies in an attempt to stamp out Liberalism.
