Showing posts with label Napoleon Bonaparte. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Napoleon Bonaparte. Show all posts

Saturday, February 15, 2025

Wednesday, February 15, 1775. Crowning of Pope Pius VI.

Count Angelo Onofrio Melchiorre Natale Giovanni Antonio was crowned Pope Pius VI.

He clashed with Napoleon, whose troops had invaded Italy, over his temporal power and was imprisoned by the French in France, where he died in 1799.  His body was effectively held hostage and he was not given a funeral, in Rome, until 1802.

The temporal powers of popes is something we don't think about much anymore, certainly Catholics don't.  About the only ones who do are Protestant cranks who are bothered by the fact that there were Papal States.  Pope Pius VI does provide an example to the modern world, however, of somebody who refused to go along with and is well remembered for it.  Napoleon, of course, is well remembered by some as well, but more accurately remembered as a bloody megalomaniac by most.

Last edition:

Thursday, February 9, 1775. Privileged shortsightedness, then and now.

Monday, September 16, 2024

Thursday, September 16, 1824. Death of King Louis XVIII.

 


Louis XVIII, King of France, died.

He reigned from 3 May 1814 until 20 March 1815, and then again from 8 July 1815 – 16 September 1824, following the defeat of Napoleon.  He was succeeded by Charles X.

He introduced a parliamentary form of government, payed off French indemnity imposed by the Napoleonic Wars, modernized the French Army.

Last edition:

Sunday, August 29, 1824. Battle of Gerontas (Ναυμαχία του Γέροντα).