The Savoy Foundation's 19th Annual Savoy History Series on
November 12, 2024 will feature author
and historian Caroline Weber, who
will discuss Pope Pius IX and the Kingdom of Italy. The longest-reigning pontiff after
Saint Peter, Pius IX (1792-1878; r. 1846-1878) was the last pope to
rule as temporal king of the Papal States, losing that position
when Rome fell to the Piedmontese
in September 1870. Drawing on
original research from the Vatican archives, Professor Caroline Weber will discuss Pope Pius IX's life
and reign—a volatile negotiation between the traditions of the
Church and the forces of modernity—and will pay particular
attention to his fraught relationship with the Royal House of
Savoy.
NEW
YORK, Aug. 10, 2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/
-- On the evening of November 12,
2024, the American Foundation of Savoy Orders (Savoy
Foundation) will host its 19th Annual Savoy History Series
Presentation, Reception and Dinner. The event will be held at The
Metropolitan Club in New York City
and will benefit the educational programs of the Savoy
Foundation.
Pope Pius IX's life and reign—a volatile
negotiation between the traditions of the Church and the forces of
modernity
Author and historian Caroline
Weber will focus on the longest-reigning pontiff after Saint
Peter, Pius IX (1792-1878; r. 1846-1878), who was the last pope to
rule as temporal king of the Papal States, losing that position
when Rome fell to the Piedmontese
in September 1870. As a result of
significant changes in the European balance of power after
France's defeat at the Battle of
Sèdan, King Victor Emmanuel II of
Italy seized the opportunity to
finally occupy Rome and declare it
the new nation's capital. Pope Pius IX, the indomitable and
long-serving pontiff, refused to surrender the keys to his city.
Within the walls of Rome, the
Papal Curia as well as a majority of Rome's citizens, deplored the event as an act
of illegal aggression against a sovereign state. Drawing on
original research from the Vatican archives, Professor Caroline Weber will discuss Pope Pius IX's life
and reign—a volatile negotiation between the traditions of the
Church and the forces of modernity—and will pay particular
attention to his fraught relationship with the Royal House of
Savoy.
Caroline Weber is a Professor of
French and Comparative Literature at Barnard
College and Columbia University.
Her most recent book, Proust's Duchess (2018), won the French
Heritage Society Book Prize and was a finalist for the Pulitzer
Prize in Biography. She has been a Guggenheim Fellow, a Cullman
Fellow at the New York Public Library, and a writer-in-residence at
Edith Wharton's estate and library in the Berkshires. Her work on
Pius IX is drawn from her forthcoming group biography of
nineteenth-century royals who lost their thrones.
H.R.H. Prince Dimitri of
Yugoslavia, U.S. Delegate of the
American Delegation of Savoy Orders and member of the Board of
Directors of the Savoy Foundation, will host the event.
Prince Dimitri comments: "On this
very special occasion, the American Foundation of Savoy Orders will
be offered very unique insights into the tumultuous history of the
Risorgimento and the Papal States, which covered much of what is
now Italy. There was no separation
of church and state until a rebellion by Italian nationalists
forced Pope Pius IX into exile, which led to the creation of modern
Italy."
ABOUT THE SAVOY HISTORY SERIES
In keeping with the noble traditions of honor and service that
distinguish the centuries-old Dynastic Orders of the Royal House of
Savoy and the significant role that the Savoy dynasty played in
European history, particularly its role in the unification of the
nation of Italy, the American
Foundation of Savoy Orders supports cultural activities and
educational programs. The Savoy Foundation sponsors the Savoy
History Series, an annual lecture given by distinguished scholars
and masters in their respective fields and sometimes by members of
the Italian Royal Family on a topic related to the House of Savoy,
and the history of Italy, Italian
literature, history, art, music, science and impact on other
countries. Marco Grassi is Chairman
Emeritus of the Savoy History Series.
For more information about the Savoy History Series, please
click here.
To purchase tickets, please click here.
ABOUT THE ROYAL HOUSE OF SAVOY
The Dynastic Orders of the Royal House of Savoy are among the
oldest orders of Knighthood and Merit in the world. The Savoy
Orders are headquartered in Geneva,
Switzerland and have 35 Delegations worldwide that support
the Orders' ongoing charitable works. Their origins and their
principles, traditions and humanitarian goals date back a thousand
years. H.R.H Prince Emmanuel
Philibert of Savoy, Duke of
Savoy, Prince of Piedmont and of Venice is Head of the House of Savoy and Grand
Master of the Savoy Orders.
In 1946, when the Kingdom of Italy came to an end, the House of Savoy was
the Europe's oldest reigning
dynasty. The heads of the House of Savoy had ruled, first as
counts, then as dukes and finally as kings, for almost a thousand
years. Descended in the direct male line from a tenth-century
vassal of the Holy Roman Emperor, the Savoys ruled Savoy, where
they established their capital at Chambery. Their dominion was
eventually extended to include Piedmont, Aosta and other
territories in what are now Italy,
France and Switzerland. By the eighteenth century, the
Savoys were kings of Sardinia, and
it was under the aegis of the House of Savoy that the Italian
states were united by 1871 as the Kingdom of Italy.
The Royal Family's heritage can be seen in castles and palaces,
and in the beauty of the northwestern Italian city of Turin, the Savoys' magnificent capital in the
heart of Piedmont in the 16th into the 19th centuries. The dynastic
chivalric traditions of the Royal House of Savoy continue. The
Order of the Annunciation and the Order of Saints Maurice and
Lazarus, two of the world's oldest knightly institutions, are still
alive today, epitomizing the dynasty's medieval spirit while
supporting very modern charitable works in Italy, Switzerland, France, Japan, the Americas and elsewhere. Chivalry
lives. Today, the House of Savoy remains one of the oldest royal
dynasties.
ABOUT THE AMERICAN FOUNDATION AND DELEGATION OF SAVOY ORDERS
Headquartered in New York City,
the American Delegation of Savoy Orders, which includes
the United States of America, is
among the 35 delegations of the Savoy Orders located throughout
Europe, the Americas and
Japan.
The American Foundation of Savoy Orders, Incorporated, a
tax-exempt 501(c)(3) charitable organization, supports local,
national, and international charities focusing on medical,
educational, and humanitarian fields, including philanthropy for
U.S. veterans, hospitals and relief agencies for children, the
poor, sick and elderly. In 2005, the Foundation became a
Non-Governmental Organization in Roster Consultative Statues with
the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations. In 2019, the
Savoy Foundation launched a new charitable initiative - Chivalry
for Children's Causes™ - a multi-year program assisting
institutions and charitable organizations that provide aid to
children and families in need, building stable, healthy families,
whether enrichment spaces or basic meals for improved health and
stable living conditions in poor economic environments. The program
is made possible thanks to generous support from the members and
friends of the American Delegation of Savoy Orders.
Media Contact
Larissa Van Duser, The American
Foundation of Savoy Orders, Incorporated, 212-972-0495,
amsavoy@aol.com, www.savoia.org
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SOURCE The American Foundation of Savoy Orders, Incorporated