Pope Pius IX refuses to support Piedmont-Sardinia against Austria
- When
- 1848
- Where
- Papal States
- Episodes
- 1
Pope Pius IX, initially expected to champion reform, refused to support Piedmont-Sardinia against Austria in an April 1848 allocution. This refusal contradicted King Charles Albert's hopes for Italian unification with papal endorsement, impacting the broader revolutionary movements in the Italian states.
Episodes
Background and detail
Background. Pius IX entered the papacy in 1846 with expectations of being a champion of reform in the Papal States. King Charles Albert of Piedmont-Sardinia aspired to unite Italy with the Pope's endorsement. The 1848 revolutions involved organized revolts by intellectuals and agitators desiring liberal government across the Italian peninsula.
The Allocution. In April 1848 Pius IX issued an allocution refusing to support Piedmont-Sardinia against Austria. The refusal meant that Charles Albert's aspiration to unite Italy with papal endorsement went unfulfilled, and it affected the Italian unification movement, standing in tension with the reformist expectations that had greeted the pope's election.
Impact on Unification. The refusal affected the Italian unification movement. Charles Albert's aspiration to unite Italy with papal endorsement was thwarted. The broader context included the 1848 revolutions, which were organized revolts led by intellectuals and agitators who desired a liberal government in the Italian states.
People involved
- Pope Pius IX · Head of the Catholic Church and sovereign ruler of the Papal States
- King Charles Albert · Ruler of Piedmont-Sardinia aspiring to unite Italy
Sources
- Pope Pius IX Wikipedia, revision of 2026-09-20
- Revolutions of 1848 in the Italian states Wikipedia
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