Pope Pius IX

Reign: 1846 – 1878
Life: 1792–1878

His reign of nearly 32 years is the longest verified of any pope in history and second only to Saint Peter according to Catholic tradition. At the same time, France started the Franco-Prussian War and removed the troops that protected the Papal States, which allowed the Capture of Rome by the Kingdom of Italy on 20 September 1870. Thereafter, he refused to leave Vatican City, declaring himself a "prisoner in the Vatican". At the time of his election, he was a liberal reformer, and during his early papacy, he notably eased restrictions on Jewish movement and granted an amnesty to revolutionaries, but his approach changed radically after the Revolutions of 1848.

During Pope Pius IX's reign, Franz Joseph I of Austria ruled Austria, William III of the Netherlands ruled Netherlands, and Alexander II of Russia ruled Russia.

Want to learn more? Further reading

Absolute Monarchs: A History of the Papacy by John Julius Norwich

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The World During Their Reign

The most notable rulers who held power elsewhere at the same time, from European courts to Ottoman, Mughal, and Chinese thrones.

Meanwhile in history

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From the library

Go deeper on Pope Pius IX

Hand-picked histories and biographies for readers who want more than the timeline: the same era, told in full.

Absolute Monarchs: A History of the Papacy

John Julius Norwich

Norwich's narrative history of the popes, from Saint Peter's successors to the modern Vatican.

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Saints and Sinners: A History of the Popes
Eamon Duffy
A respected Yale survey of papal power, reform, and scandal across two millennia.
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