Giovanni Battista Caprara
Encyclopedia
Giovanni Battista Caprara (May 29, 1733 – July 21, 1810) was an Italian
statesman and cardinal, legate of Pius VII in France,
concluded the Concordat
of 1801.
to Count Francesco Raimondo Montecuccoli and Countess Maria Vittoria Caprara. He took his name from the latter. Having entered the ecclesiastical state, he was appointed in 1758 vice-legate of Ravenna
, in 1767 nuncio at Cologne
, in 1775 at Lucerne
, and in 1785 at Vienna,
During the summer of 1792 he was made Cardinal-Priest of the Title of Sant' Onofrio, and in August, 1800, Bishop of Jesi in the Mark of Ancona. When the Concordat between Pope Pius VII
(1800–23) and the French Republic was concluded (July, 1801), Napoleon Bonaparte, then First Consul, asked for the appointment of a papal legate with residence in Paris. His choice fell upon Cardinal Caprara; he may have expected in this way little or no opposition to his plans. Caprara was appointed legate a latere for France in August, 1801; he departed at once for his destination and arrived in Paris on the 4th of October.
During the negotiations which followed concerning the execution of the Concordat of 1801
he displayed a conciliatory spirit in dealing with the ten constitutional bishop
s who were to be appointed to as many of the newly-established dioceses; in fact, he went contrary to specific instructions from Rome, under persistent pressure exerted by Napoleon Cardinal Caprara officiated at the Solemn restoration of public worship in the cathedral of Notre-Dame on Easter Day (18 April 1802), at which function the First Consul, the high officers of state, and the new ecclesiastical dignitaries assisted. In a letter written 18 August 1803, he protested against the Organic Articles added to the Concordat by the French Government.
In May, 1802, he was appointed Archbishop of Milan, and as such he blessed, on the 26th of May, 1805, the Iron Crown
, which Napoleon placed on his own head in his new dignity of King of Italy. Otherwise Caprara retained his position as papal legate in France until his death, or rather until the imprisonment of Pope Pius VII in July, 1809. Declining health saved him from the embarrassment connected with the divorce and second marriage of Napoleon (April, 1810).
He died at Paris
in 1810. In his last will his entire fortune was left to the hospital of Milan.
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
statesman and cardinal, legate of Pius VII in France,
concluded the Concordat
Concordat of 1801
The Concordat of 1801 was an agreement between Napoleon and Pope Pius VII, signed on 15 July 1801. It solidified the Roman Catholic Church as the majority church of France and brought back most of its civil status....
of 1801.
Life
Caprara was born at BolognaBologna
Bologna is the capital city of Emilia-Romagna, in the Po Valley of Northern Italy. The city lies between the Po River and the Apennine Mountains, more specifically, between the Reno River and the Savena River. Bologna is a lively and cosmopolitan Italian college city, with spectacular history,...
to Count Francesco Raimondo Montecuccoli and Countess Maria Vittoria Caprara. He took his name from the latter. Having entered the ecclesiastical state, he was appointed in 1758 vice-legate of Ravenna
Ravenna
Ravenna is the capital city of the Province of Ravenna in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy and the second largest comune in Italy by land area, although, at , it is little more than half the size of the largest comune, Rome...
, in 1767 nuncio at Cologne
Apostolic Nuncio to Cologne
The Apostolic Nunciature to Cologne was an ecclesiastical office of the Roman Catholic Church established in 1584. The nuncios were accredited to the Achbishop-Electorates of Cologne, Mainz and Trier...
, in 1775 at Lucerne
Lucerne
Lucerne is a city in north-central Switzerland, in the German-speaking portion of that country. Lucerne is the capital of the Canton of Lucerne and the capital of the district of the same name. With a population of about 76,200 people, Lucerne is the most populous city in Central Switzerland, and...
, and in 1785 at Vienna,
During the summer of 1792 he was made Cardinal-Priest of the Title of Sant' Onofrio, and in August, 1800, Bishop of Jesi in the Mark of Ancona. When the Concordat between Pope Pius VII
Pope Pius VII
Pope Pius VII , born Barnaba Niccolò Maria Luigi Chiaramonti, was a monk, theologian and bishop, who reigned as Pope from 14 March 1800 to 20 August 1823.-Early life:...
(1800–23) and the French Republic was concluded (July, 1801), Napoleon Bonaparte, then First Consul, asked for the appointment of a papal legate with residence in Paris. His choice fell upon Cardinal Caprara; he may have expected in this way little or no opposition to his plans. Caprara was appointed legate a latere for France in August, 1801; he departed at once for his destination and arrived in Paris on the 4th of October.
During the negotiations which followed concerning the execution of the Concordat of 1801
Concordat of 1801
The Concordat of 1801 was an agreement between Napoleon and Pope Pius VII, signed on 15 July 1801. It solidified the Roman Catholic Church as the majority church of France and brought back most of its civil status....
he displayed a conciliatory spirit in dealing with the ten constitutional bishop
Constitutional bishop
During the French Revolution, a constitutional bishop was a Roman Catholic bishop elected from among the clergy who had sworn to uphold the Civil Constitution of the Clergy between 1791 and 1801. Constitutional bishops were often priests with less or more moderate Gallican and partisan ideas, of a...
s who were to be appointed to as many of the newly-established dioceses; in fact, he went contrary to specific instructions from Rome, under persistent pressure exerted by Napoleon Cardinal Caprara officiated at the Solemn restoration of public worship in the cathedral of Notre-Dame on Easter Day (18 April 1802), at which function the First Consul, the high officers of state, and the new ecclesiastical dignitaries assisted. In a letter written 18 August 1803, he protested against the Organic Articles added to the Concordat by the French Government.
In May, 1802, he was appointed Archbishop of Milan, and as such he blessed, on the 26th of May, 1805, the Iron Crown
Iron Crown
Iron Crown can refer to:*Iron Crown Enterprises, a roleplaying game publisher*Iron Crown of Lombardy, also used for the Napoleonic kingdom of Italy*Order of the Iron Crown, an order associated with the Iron Crown of Lombardy...
, which Napoleon placed on his own head in his new dignity of King of Italy. Otherwise Caprara retained his position as papal legate in France until his death, or rather until the imprisonment of Pope Pius VII in July, 1809. Declining health saved him from the embarrassment connected with the divorce and second marriage of Napoleon (April, 1810).
He died at Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
in 1810. In his last will his entire fortune was left to the hospital of Milan.
Works
- Concordat et recueil des bulles et brefs de N. S. Pie VII. sur les affaires de l'Eglise de France (1802).