From the personal diaries of Cardinal Diomede Cangiano
Monday 21st of March 1864
My arrival in Paris has exceeded expectations as the Emperor himself came to greet me with a lavish honor guard. I am being housed in a luxurious palace along the Seine and have been told that the Sicilians have been lodged not far away. I need to spend some time preparing my remarks for the annexation of Puglia though I am surprised that the Emperor did not ask for an audience ahead of the conference to coordinate our actions. I imagine it is something to do with it being his city and the need to hold up a certain appearance to his people. In any case, I will attempt to talk with him before the main discussion takes place.
I must say that I am a little nervous at my role in this historic treaty but my heart swells with pride whenever I remember that the Pope placed his trust in me out of all his servants to obtain the best definition of Puglia that I can. I sincerely hope that my abilities will be up to the task but I believe that we are in a good enough position to ensure a smooth negotiation. I will spend my first night here in prayer and ask the Lord to guide my words and ensure that the trust placed in me was not in vain.
Tuesday 22nd of March 1864
I have been lured into a despicable trap and the French have me by the throat. This morning I was corralled to the place of our meeting together with the Sicilian ambassador as if I were on the same side. I did not have the opportunity to talk to Bonaparte prior to the session and was left completely in the dark as to his intentions.
When the Emperor finally deigned to show up, he began to talk about his plans for the independence of the island of Sicily as the sole condition to be placed upon the losing side. I could not hear the next words he said as the blood pounding in my ears and the heat taking over my face washed out any further context. I could not believe that this pallid imitation of a despicable man would dare deprive the Church, which he claims to protect, of the spoils it has earned with the blood of its soldiers.
I asked Bonaparte why he thought that this would be a good solution and how the Papal States would be repaid for the deaths of its citizens. He had the gall to reply that the Papal States had lost merely a few men and that, since French forces had occupied the island and Puglia still remained in Duosicilian hands, Sicily should be the territory discussed in the treaty. If that is the case, I replied, then surely it would take at most a couple more months to put Puglia on the table as was agreed before the war was even declared. He simply said that, since the French army is the only one with enough men for an occupation, he did not intend to risk more lives on his side for little personal gain. I could not think of a rebuttal at that time because the words stuck in my throat since I could scarcely believe that a ruler would value expediency over the honor and goodwill of those that he calls his allies.
Even in this behavior, Bonaparte had concealed his most refined betrayal until the end of the day. As the meeting ended, he announced that Sicily would have to be constituted as a kingdom to ensure its stability and that he had chosen his cousin Prince Napoleon-Jerome to take up that mantle. I was left staring into space at the enormity of this revelation. That a single Bonaparte may sit on the throne in France can be accepted by pinching one's nose but a return to Bonapartes on the other thrones of Europe brings back distasteful memories for all. If that were not enough, this new king is married to a Savoyard princess and adds yet more isolation and danger for the Papal States against the rising tide of Sardinia Piedmont who I am sure is in private talks with Bonaparte to expand their domain.
By the time I heaved myself out of the chair, I was the last person remaining in the room and could think of nothing else but to send an urgent message to Callixtus asking him for any scrap of guidance he might have. I do not know if I will manage to receive a reply in time but I pray that the Pope will provide me with a tool to unravel this conspiracy.
Friday 25th of March 1864
I am pleased that I managed to get a reply from Callixtus before the situation got too far out of hand but that is the most positive thing I can say about my current situation. The proposed solution is shaky at best but I understand that it is as much as can be hoped for in the present circumstances. The first condition for our acceptance requires that the Kingdom of Sicily sign a defensive and offensive alliance with the Papal States to ensure Italian stability and guarantee our continued access to the Mediterranean. It was not a great feat to get Napoleon and Plon Plon to accept this since I am sure that they also do not want to push the balance of Italy too far and there is no way to use this against them.
The real sticking point was the signature of a document that would render Sicily forever separate from Sardinia-Piedmont with France, the Papal States, and Two Sicilies acting as guarantors of that freedom. This did not sit well with the new King and his Piedmontese sympathies, firstly for the limitation of his authority in foreign diplomacy and secondly because he would not accept a nation with claims on his kingdom to be indicated as its defender. It was here that the elderly Prince of Cassaro finally made his presence relevant and supported my proposal. He noted that the balance of power in Italy cannot survive with the possibility of the Savoyards taking control of both ends of the peninsula and that the Neapolitan court may have many flaws but lack of honor is not one of them. If the Kingdom of Sicily wishes to be an equal participant in Italian politics, it should be free from the influence of those who would be its hegemon and stand proudly on its own merits.
So, buoyed by this support, I managed to reclaim a small amount of dignity in this shameful victory. The day was long and the discussions difficult but, in the end, the Emperor caved under the pressure and accepted the treaty with hardly any serious modifications.
I wrote a message to Callixtus for his final approval and we will have a final signing ceremony in a few days. I worry about his judgment of my performance but I'm sure he understands the difficult situation I was in and will judge this small victory in my favor.
Monday 28th of March 1864
The ink is dry, the seals have been placed and Sicily returns to the world once more. One really must wonder how many Sicilies a single peninsula can hold, maybe Sardinia and Corsica should be renamed as well but I mustn't give Napoleon any ideas.
I jest. If nothing else to cleanse my palate from the humiliation that was forced upon us and the future ahead. I hoped that I might return to serve Callixtus face to face back in Rome but he has told me that I will still be needed in France for some time. The Pope does not trust the emperor for obvious reasons and wishes me to keep an eye on the situation, especially because of the saber-rattling aimed at and coming from the new German Confederation.
Bonapartes and German unions, have we learned nothing from the last fifty years? I will have to do my best to observe and stabilize the situation from my position, I can feel that the future of the Papal States depends on it. Callixtus has not told me his plans but I know that something big is in the air and I understand the enormity of the trust that is once again being placed in me. Whatever it takes, I will make sure that France remains firmly on our side.