Ercole Consalvi facts for kids
Quick facts for kids His Eminence Ercole Consalvi |
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| Prefect of the Congregation for Propagation of the Faith | |
Portrait by Thomas Lawrence, 1819
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| Appointed | 23 March 1822 (Pro-Prefect) |
| Reign ended | 24 January 1824 |
| Predecessor | Giovanni Battista Quarantotti |
| Successor | Giulio Maria della Somaglia |
| Other posts | Cardinal-Deacon of Santa Maria ad Martyres |
| Orders | |
| Consecration | 21 December 1782 |
| Created Cardinal | 11 August 1800 |
| Rank | Cardinal-Deacon |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 8 June 1757 Rome, Italy |
| Died | 24 January 1824 (aged 66) |
| Buried | San Marcello al Corso |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| Previous post |
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Ercole Consalvi (born June 8, 1757 – died January 24, 1824) was an important cardinal and diplomat in the Catholic Church. He served twice as the Cardinal Secretary of State for the Papal States. This role was like being the prime minister for the Pope. Consalvi played a key part in bringing back the power of kings after Napoleon's time. He always supported the idea that kings had a divine right to rule.
Biography
Early Life and Education
Ercole Consalvi was born in Rome, Italy. His family was from an old noble family from Pisa. When his grandfather inherited a large fortune, he took the name Consalvi.
Ercole's father was Mario Giuseppe Consalvi, and his mother was Countess Claudia Carandini. After his father died in 1763, Ercole was cared for by Cardinal Andrea Negroni. He went to school with the Piarists from 1771 to 1776.
Later, he attended a special seminary in Frascati. This seminary was founded by an English cardinal named Henry Benedict Stuart. This cardinal was also known as "Cardinal York" and was a claimant to the throne of Great Britain. Ercole became a favorite of Cardinal York, which helped him get important jobs in the Church's government, called the Roman Curia, when he was still young.
After finishing seminary in 1776, Consalvi began studying law and Church history. He attended the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy in Rome. This academy trained students to become diplomats for the Pope. He also studied civil and canon law at La Sapienza University. He earned his doctorates in both fields in 1789.
From 1784, he worked in various administrative roles for the Pope's court. He was known as Monsignore Ubique, which means "Monsignor Everywhere." This nickname came from his love for travel and meeting interesting people.
A Diplomat for the Pope
When the French army invaded Italy in 1798, Consalvi was briefly jailed. His property was taken away. However, he was soon released and joined Pope Pius VI in exile. Consalvi was a very skilled diplomat. After Pope Pius VI died, Consalvi was chosen to be the secretary for the meeting that would elect the next Pope. This meeting, called a conclave, took place in Venice from November 1799 to March 1800. It resulted in the election of Pope Pius VII.
The new Pope, Pius VII, made Consalvi a Cardinal-Deacon on August 11, 1800. He also named him Cardinal Secretary of State. In this important role, Consalvi worked to improve the Papal States. He encouraged free trade and brought in new money. He also allowed more ordinary people, not just clergy, to work in government offices.
In June 1801, Consalvi traveled to Paris. His mission was to negotiate an agreement with Napoleon for the Catholic Church. This agreement was called the Concordat of 1801. It didn't bring back the old ways completely, but it did give the Church certain protections. It recognized the Catholic religion as that of most French citizens. In Paris, Consalvi was very popular because of his friendly personality, and even Napoleon liked him.
Consalvi loved art, music, and history. He did a lot to make Rome beautiful. He created public walkways along the Tiber River and restored ancient monuments. He also filled museums with statues found during excavations he oversaw.
Consalvi became a deacon in December 1801. He was never ordained as a priest or bishop. However, he acted like the ruler of Rome when Pope Pius VII was away in Paris for Napoleon's coronation.
Consalvi was very firm against Napoleon's government. He did not want the Papal States to join France's trade blockade. Because of this, he had to resign as Cardinal Secretary of State in June 1806. He then served in other Church roles.
When the French took over Rome in 1808 and ended the Pope's political power, Consalvi stopped all contact with the French. In 1809, France took over the Papal States and sent the Pope into exile. Cardinal Consalvi was also forced to go to Paris. Napoleon offered him a large yearly payment, but Consalvi refused it.
In 1810, Consalvi and twelve other cardinals refused to attend Napoleon's marriage to Princess Marie Louise. Because of this, they lost their property and Church status. They became known as the black cardinals. Consalvi and the others were forced to live in different cities in France, with Consalvi sent to Reims.
This situation changed when Pope Pius VII signed a new agreement with Napoleon in January 1813. Consalvi was then allowed to leave his forced residence and join the Pope. Consalvi then convinced the Pope to take back the promises he had made to Napoleon.
Because of his role in changing the Pope's mind, the French authorities stopped Consalvi from seeing the Pope. In January 1814, they sent him into exile again, this time to Béziers. However, this exile only lasted a few weeks. He was freed by the French government in April 1814, just before Napoleon stepped down from power. Consalvi was then able to rejoin the Pope in Italy and was reappointed as Secretary of State.
After Napoleon
After Napoleon's defeat, Consalvi represented the Pope at the Congress of Vienna. This was a big meeting where European powers decided how to reorganize Europe. Consalvi successfully convinced the winning countries to give back almost all of the Papal States to the Pope.
Pope Pius VII and Consalvi understood that the Pope needed to stay neutral in the new European political system. Consalvi believed that being neutral would help the Pope's state remain important. He wrote that the Pope, as the head of the Church and a peaceful ruler, would "maintain a perfect neutrality toward all nations."
For the rest of Pope Pius VII's time, Consalvi was almost like the actual ruler of Rome. He reformed the way Rome was governed and helped modernize the city. He made another agreement with France in 1817 and helped re-establish the English College in 1818.
Consalvi retired when Pope Pius VII died in 1823. When Consalvi himself died the next year, he was leading the Sacred Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith. Even though he was a skilled diplomat, Consalvi is remembered as a very honorable figure in the Church.
He made sure that the Protestant artist Thorwaldsen could create the burial monument for Pope Pius VII in St. Peter's Basilica in Rome.
Consalvi died in 1824 and is buried in the Church of San Marcello al Corso.
See also
In Spanish: Ercole Consalvi para niños
