Pope Pius VIII

Reign: 1829 – 1830
Life: 1761–1830

His brief papacy witnessed the Catholic Emancipation in the United Kingdom in 1829, which he welcomed, and the July Revolution in France in 1830, which he accepted with reluctance. Pius VIII is often remembered for his writings on marriages between Catholics and Protestants: in the 1830 brief Litteris altero abhinc, he declared that a marriage could only be properly blessed if proper provisions had been made to ensure the bringing up of children in the Catholic faith. His death less than two years after his election to the papacy led to speculation of possible murder. Pius VIII's pontificate was the shortest in the 19th century.

During Pope Pius VIII's reign, William I of the Netherlands ruled Netherlands, Frederick William III of Prussia ruled Prussia, and Francis I of Austria ruled Austria.

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.

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From the library

Go deeper on Pope Pius VIII

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Absolute Monarchs: A History of the Papacy

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