Antonelli, Giacomo

Antonelli, Giacomojäˈkōmō äntōnĕlˈlē[key], 1806–76, Italian cardinal and statesman of the Roman Catholic Church, adviser to PopePius IX. He received the red hat of the cardinalate in 1847, presided over the council drafting the constitution for the Papal States, and became the premier of the pope's first constitutional cabinet. After returning (1850) from exile in Gaeta, Pius IX made him secretary of state. His vigorous diplomacy was directed against Italian national unification.

The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia,6th ed. Copyright © 2023, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.

See more Encyclopedia articles on:Italian History: Biographies