Legion of Antibes
Encyclopedia
The Legion of Antibes was recruited under direction of Pope Pius IX
's secretary of state, Giacomo Antonelli
, following the September Convention
of 1864, to replace French troops garrisoned in Rome, during the closing phase of Italian unification, the Risorgimento. The September Convention permitted the Pope to keep an army, but it did not give Napoleon III the right to continue to maintain forces in Rome, supporting papal temporal power in the rump Papal States
. Nevertheless, at the battle of Mentana
, fought 3 November 1867 between French-Papal troops and the Italian volunteers led by Giuseppe Garibaldi
, it became public knowledge that the "Legion" was composed of French Imperial recruits, Antibes
lying on the Mediterranean coast close to the border with Piedmont
: their "services to the Pope were rendered as services to the French Empire," the former Prime Minister of Italy, Francesco Crispi
recalled in 1891. "It is singular that on the dead bodies were found livrets French regiments, to which every one of these men belonged, with the number of his matriculation, and with formula of the oath of fidelity to the Emperor."
No formal denunciation of French intervention so contrary to the spirit of the September convention was lodged, however. A frank remark of the French minister Jules Favre
with the Italian ambassador Costantino, count Nigra
, 6 September 1874, allowed the obvious: "The convention of September 15th is very dead".
Cardinal Antonelli continued to call for the Catholic powers of Europe to come to the aid of the Pope, but there was no response.
Pope Pius IX
Blessed Pope Pius IX , born Giovanni Maria Mastai-Ferretti, was the longest-reigning elected Pope in the history of the Catholic Church, serving from 16 June 1846 until his death, a period of nearly 32 years. During his pontificate, he convened the First Vatican Council in 1869, which decreed papal...
's secretary of state, Giacomo Antonelli
Giacomo Antonelli
Giacomo Antonelli was an Italian cardinal deacon. He was the Cardinal Secretary of State from 1848 until his death; he played a key role in Italian politics, resisting the unification of Italy and affecting Roman Catholic interests in European affairs...
, following the September Convention
September Convention
The September Convention was a treaty, signed on 15 September 1864, between the Italian government and Napoleon III, under which:* Napoleon III agreed to withdraw all French troops from Rome within two years....
of 1864, to replace French troops garrisoned in Rome, during the closing phase of Italian unification, the Risorgimento. The September Convention permitted the Pope to keep an army, but it did not give Napoleon III the right to continue to maintain forces in Rome, supporting papal temporal power in the rump Papal States
Papal States
The Papal State, State of the Church, or Pontifical States were among the major historical states of Italy from roughly the 6th century until the Italian peninsula was unified in 1861 by the Kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia .The Papal States comprised territories under...
. Nevertheless, at the battle of Mentana
Battle of Mentana
The Battle of Mentana was fought on November 3, 1867 between French-Papal troops and the Italian volunteers led by Giuseppe Garibaldi, who were attempting to capture Rome, then the main centre of the peninsula still outside of the newly unified Kingdom of Italy....
, fought 3 November 1867 between French-Papal troops and the Italian volunteers led by Giuseppe Garibaldi
Giuseppe Garibaldi
Giuseppe Garibaldi was an Italian military and political figure. In his twenties, he joined the Carbonari Italian patriot revolutionaries, and fled Italy after a failed insurrection. Garibaldi took part in the War of the Farrapos and the Uruguayan Civil War leading the Italian Legion, and...
, it became public knowledge that the "Legion" was composed of French Imperial recruits, Antibes
Antibes
Antibes is a resort town in the Alpes-Maritimes department in southeastern France.It lies on the Mediterranean in the Côte d'Azur, located between Cannes and Nice. The town of Juan-les-Pins is within the commune of Antibes...
lying on the Mediterranean coast close to the border with Piedmont
Piedmont
Piedmont is one of the 20 regions of Italy. It has an area of 25,402 square kilometres and a population of about 4.4 million. The capital of Piedmont is Turin. The main local language is Piedmontese. Occitan is also spoken by a minority in the Occitan Valleys situated in the Provinces of...
: their "services to the Pope were rendered as services to the French Empire," the former Prime Minister of Italy, Francesco Crispi
Francesco Crispi
Francesco Crispi was a 19th-century Italian politician of Arbëreshë ancestry. He was instrumental in the unification of Italy and was its 17th and 20th Prime Minister from 1887 until 1891 and again from 1893 until 1896.-Sicily:Crispi’s paternal family came originally from the small agricultural...
recalled in 1891. "It is singular that on the dead bodies were found livrets French regiments, to which every one of these men belonged, with the number of his matriculation, and with formula of the oath of fidelity to the Emperor."
No formal denunciation of French intervention so contrary to the spirit of the September convention was lodged, however. A frank remark of the French minister Jules Favre
Jules Favre
Jules Claude Gabriel Favre was a French statesman. After the establishment of the Third Republic in September 1870, he became one of the leaders of the Opportunist Republicans faction.- Early life :...
with the Italian ambassador Costantino, count Nigra
Costantino, count Nigra
Costantino, count Nigra was an Italian diplomatist-Biography:Nigra was born at Villa Castelnuovo, in the province of Turin....
, 6 September 1874, allowed the obvious: "The convention of September 15th is very dead".
Cardinal Antonelli continued to call for the Catholic powers of Europe to come to the aid of the Pope, but there was no response.