Hmm. Is someone being groomed as a successor here, or is Innocent just...innocent, in this case?
-
We have updated our Community Code of Conduct. Please read through the new rules for the forum that are an integral part of Paradox Interactive’s User Agreement.
Papal Rifles Incorporated. The slogans write themselves - "If you are going to break the 6th Commandment, doing it using a Pope approved gun.", "The gun Jesus would have used, if he hadn't been too busy turning the other cheek." or, because lets be honest these will mostly be used to kill 'rebels' and other Christians who have committed the grave sin of not being Italian, "The Cappellini 53. When you absolutely, positively got to kill everybody in the city and trust that the Lord will know who are his."
There is no way this can go well, I just hope it is as much of a disaster as OTL. I am looking forward to full on Bimetallism, illegal printing, coin forging, debasement and corruption in the Papal treasury of a kind that is absolutely standard.
I can't imagine Innocent ever being innocent.
That said, Cappellini does seem to be much more of the moneyman than a leader. Sure he has the complete indifference to God and contempt for the Church's role that is required, but he lacks the demented aggression the Cardinals look for. He would not declare pointless and bloody wars, not out of any morality (he is a Cardinal after all) but because he would see them as loss making. That's a fatal flaw among those looking to wear the big hat, not that Cappellini seems keen on doing so.
God will know his own, could be stamped on the barrel.
or 'what would Jesus do? Well, aside from that...'
French gold again, mate. Everywhere these days.
And this isn't even the first time an AAR would have done the godfather part III papal Bank scandal...
Is that a presumption of Innocent?
In fairness, he was specifically instructed to look for filthy lucre but something is stirring within with regards to the horrors of 19th-century industrialization. He's mostly been concerned with building up those industries for now so the workers are still hidden from his gaze.
Oh no, no lessons are ever learned. That's how history works.
He is certainly a man of some experience and broadly aligned with Innocent, something may come of that.
I think you're missing the very important bit in the newest gospel:
Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal - Consciousness
Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal - Consciousness
I suppose it's the age-old principle of "the inquisition doesn't kill people, it just issues a verdict, glances meaningfully at the secular government, and then just looks away".
In TTL, the union is doubly shaky since it contains two powers vying for control over Italy, and tying them together will lead to some nasty games. But, from Cappellini's point of view, it's a stopgap before everything bursts into flames.
Cappellini really just wants to do a decent job and not have to be kept awake by his work. This decade has tired him quite a bit.
Excuse me, that's protestant Jesus! Catholic Jesus left Peter in charge while he pops off to the shops.
In any case, the Cappellini 53 is a +1 blessed weapon and thus clearly superior.
You could still consider Aloisi's doubt of whether the crisis just ended or if Cappellini actually had anything to do with it but I suppose we'll never know.
Cincinnatus managed the garden approach, maybe our good cardinal will as well.
I got a bit behind but that just means I had multiple excellent diary entries to read, no bad thing! I'm glad Cappellini managed to pay off the debt. Now the Papacy is ready to expand once more! I'm sure that small arms factory will eventually get a little busier.
Good to have you caught up! There is certainly going to be a need for good arms in the future, the century ahead will not be peaceful.
And now, to get everyone's mind off the news, here's a fictional election.
Chapter XVIII: The Conclave of 1860
Innocent XIV Exit
The pontificate of Innocent XIV can be considered a successful one in the grand scheme of things but the reader should keep in mind that, despite the modern view of Mastai Ferretti as the first true Italian pope, there were many junctures at which things could have ended very differently. His most vaunted achievement, the conquest of Veneto, was a risky venture from the start and was obtained mostly due to Napoleon III’s desire to remove a rival great power from the region. Venice once more could have caused his downfall if a mass popular rebellion had broken out but here the pope showed his main strength. Though not a reformer by nature, he was capable of bending when necessary to avoid the breakup of the Papal States and, in so doing, instituted the foundations of our modern educational system which holds him in such high regard.
On the economic front, we have seen that Cappellini instituted several reforms that finally managed to give life to an industry that had long been slumbering due to the extremely limited amount of funds it was granted. Though the Latin Monetary Union would be chipped away at in the following decades, the institution had the double advantage of tying the Papacy with the French Empire, guaranteeing a near-permanent alliance, and incentivizing investments for the newborn Roman industry.
The global growth of the Papal States was commented upon by many contemporaries and it seems that serious thought was given to considering the Papal States as one of the Great Powers of the world. This did not materialize in the end since the wars in Germany kept the international community busy for a time but can still be seen as a testament to Innocent XIV’s unique combination of luck and skill.
The pope's death caught many by surprise since he was still relatively young and was expected to survive perhaps another decade. This left several of the cardinals in the unusual situation of not having planned for the succession and lead to one of the most sedate yet anxious conclaves ever recorded.
From the personal diaries of Cardinal Libero Cappellini
Wednesday 25th of July 1860
Nearly every ballot counted distressed me today. Cardinal Cangiano has almost secured the required majority and is missing just a couple of votes. Though his opinions have softened since we first met, I fear that his selection would be a return to reactionary Gregorys and Urbans, far from the right direction for the Church. I had hoped that Cardinal Lisi would have been a good liberal option but he only got a minimal amount of votes. The worst element, however, was the number of preferences that I received. I am currently the runner-up in the election and the most viable progressive alternative to Cangiano.
I'm at a loss as to what I should hope for. My elevation would spare the Church from another round of reaction but it would forever trap me in a duty that I do not desire. I cannot even refuse this burden as I would be throwing away the trust that so many people have placed in me. I know that this matter is out of my hands and I will not change the Lord's mind with my petulance but I can do nothing if not pray. O Lord, I am not worthy to receive this heavy honor but only say the word and I will obey.
From the personal diaries of Cardinal Diomede Cangiano
Thursday 26th of July 1860
This conclave is a pendulum between hope and disappointment. I have swung from excitement at the possibility that I might be elected to disappointment when I saw my votes decline to hope in my belief that Libero would be a competent leader even if I do not agree with him in every matter.
I weigh my choices with every moment and wonder if I should fight for the position or if I should allow the election to take its course without my interference. A struggle would certainly satisfy my vanity, yesterday I went so far as to compare the merits of different pontifical names for myself, but I question my suitability as a candidate. Libero has organized the finances of the state for almost a decade while I only have minor experience in regional government.
On the other hand, I need to also consider that this is probably my last opportunity to become Pope and I must think about the legacy I will leave behind. Granted, I am a good archbishop but is that all I can aspire to be? Nobody ever believed I would get to this point yet here I am a hair's breadth away from a place in the history books. Do I really belong in the hallowed company of the successors of Peter? So many questions and voting already resumes in the morning.
I pray that divine inspiration will strike me in my sleep and finally push me to one destiny or the other.
From the personal diaries of Cardinal Annibale Lisi
Friday 27th of July 1860
For the last day, I have been oscillating between numbness and terrified excitement as Cappellini has caught up to and surpassed Cardinal Cangiano by the skin of his teeth. Can I really hope for a Pope who does not see reform as a necessary evil but rather an end in itself? I have gathered up votes for Libero at each recess and I feel that the tide is turning but I dare not speak out loud for fear of breaking some spell.
Despite all my perturbation, neither of the candidates seem as preoccupied as me. They are both rapt in thought with Cangiano making only timid attempts to talk to other cardinals and Libero filling out his ballot at a glacial pace. Do they not understand the influence that they are grazing with their fingers like Adam with God? I know that the cardinals would never accept me as Pope but, if I were in their place, I would be doing everything in my power to secure my position. However, I don't live in such a world and I must work just as hard to have Libero as Pope, if for nothing else than to push him towards the changes I know he aspires to.
- 1
This seems like a classic case of ‘Lisi will get it because neither of the others can defeat each other’, but then I’m not quite sure things are headed in so sedate a manner.
If you set the bar low enough, anyone can clear it. Even a Pope.
Catholics who aren't Italian should look away now. And found a new church while they are at it.
This is the attitude I've come to expect from the Papacy. None of this worrying about the Holy Ghost or anything religious, just naked ambition for temporal power and imposing politics on the unwilling. I sort of hope Lisi gets in as Pope, he seems the kind to hold a grand conference on the next social reform while occasionally forgetting key bits of Catholic doctrine. Amazingly well versed in the cost of a healthcare reform, but starts drinking the wine at the wrong point in the Mass, that sort of thing.
- 1
Cappellini might be about to become Pontiff despite his apparent uncertainty.
I guess when God calls...
I guess when God calls...
Definitely a huge turning point. For good or evil is a different matter.
Though Lisi will not win here, he will profit quite a bit from the new pontificate.
The Popes have had their own state for about one thousand years so people are pretty used to the idea but that doesn't mean that this won't piss off some people.
Lisi is reform-minded enough to really shake up the Church and his buddy will be an excellent way to get those reforms on the books. Forgetting key bits of Catholic doctrine you say? There might be something to that...
Well, when in Rome...
Callixtus IV
Annuntio vobis gaudium magnum: habemus Papam! Eminentissimum ac Reverendissimum Dominum Liberum Sanctae Romanae Ecclesiae Cardinalem Cappellini, qui sibi nomen imposuit Callixtum Quartum
Chapter XIX: Go South Young Cardinal
From the personal diaries of Cardinal Giulio Felicetti
Saturday 17th of October 1863
Once again we are victorious! We have managed to chase the Sicilians back to the fortresses around Ancona, and Perugia is saved from a siege. Concurrently, General Borbone delle Due Sicilie has shown that he can be trusted in a fight against his erstwhile compatriots.
I think that the old man has a certain amount of innate skill in war, especially in the pursuit of fleeing enemies, but he lacks the proper caution that is needed in most circumstances. For example, last week, as we headed towards Perugia, he saw a scouting party by the banks of the Trasimene and determined to chase after them before they could notify the rest of their army. That would be a fair enough decision but what he did not notice, and soon became apparent, is that this party was en route to their encampment and was already within sight of it. By the time our cuirassiers reached their intended targets, they were within range of a copious amount of infantry groups which wreaked havoc among the cavalrymen and killed several hundred of them. To avoid a complete massacre, I had to order our artillery to fire on the shore of the lake to interrupt the charge that the Sicilians were preparing and allow for our men to return to our main body. This is not to say that the general is incompetent. While certainly no Hannibal, he later managed to competently use our advantages against the enemy and achieve victory at a limited cost.
Our next move is clear at the moment, we are to ensure that no foes lie in hiding in the mountains and, once we have a safe path, we should head to Ancona and free the city from its occupiers. On the other hand, general Lanza of the Two Sicilies, the rival we have chased this month, seems to have gotten the message and has fled to Aquila where it seems that he wants to join up with the force that has just captured Ancona. This does provide us with the opportunity to set a trap for them once they decide to counterattack but I need to ask Borbone if he has some relevant experience from his service in Greece.
It is funny to think that this is the same man I read about in the newspapers back in Milan and it is interesting to find which details were real and which were added through Austrian censorship. The Lord has his methods to weave the different threads of our life into a coherent tapestry and I never cease to be amazed at the things He pulls from my past. I will take the opportunity for a small visit to Assisi on our way East and pray at the tomb of Saint Francis; though I see victory within our grasp, I am sure that additional divine help will not do us harm.
Wednesday 11th of November 1863
I should strive to remember from now on that leading from the front is dangerous and gunpowder does not much allow for heroics as I had hoped. The damnable Sicilians almost caught us off guard for the beginning of the battle but my last-minute insistence on sending out our cuirassiers gave us enough warning to properly form battle lines in a setup that was favorable to us. This time, the enemy decided to attempt to dislodge us from our position with a tremendous barrage of cannon fire that did little damage overall but forced us to stay hidden until dusk since our own artillery is less than one-tenth of theirs. Before night could fall, Borbone proposed that we attack enemy lines just as our opponents were preparing to move to a more defensible position. We quickly devised an attack plan and, before the opportune window passed, we commanded a full frontal assault that the Sicilians were not prepared to withstand.
When I saw the old general charge personally into battle alongside the cavalry, I would not allow myself to be left behind as a common camp follower and I threw myself into the fray as well. The charge filled me with fear and delight in equal measure and I sent out a prayer to the Virgin Mary to grant us victory in battle, the wind making my eyes water throughout the ride. I am convinced that this prayer is what spared me when a cannonade in my direction sent shrapnel flying through my position and killed several of my men where they stood. I, on the other hand, was blessed with a mere wound to the thigh and a dead horse beside which I lay with a pistol tight in my hand and terrible anticipation about the result of the battle. Thankfully Borbone came through with his plan and the assault was a rousing success, stopping the Sicilians from breaking our lines and relieving the siege of Ancona. Though I thought the general to be a daft old man, his performance today has raised him up considerably in my esteem, I should only remember to not let my pride get the better of me in the future and ensure my safety before risking actions like those of today. The doctors say that the wound is not serious and the leg will heal normally enough but I will be forced to rest for a while before I can mount a horse again.
I have insisted that I nonetheless be carried with the army as we chase our defeated foes back through the Appennines and later on to Naples. It weighs on me that Ancona will remain out of our hands but I recognize that the enemy capital is what will end this war and I am not about to let the French be first to the prize.
Sunday 14th of February 1864
One more day and we will be in sight Naples, I have already prepared my sermon for the Cathedral of San Gennaro when we finally enter the city and I can feel that the war is over in practice if not in form. Though the capital itself is quite lightly defended, I would prefer to first capture the fortress of Capua to avoid unnecessary risks in our moment of victory. We haven't seen any Sicilian soldiers since last month's battles near Formia and now the French have garrisons in Gaeta and Aquila which ensures safety for the core Papal territories. I have also heard that the French have landed in Sicily and are quite thoroughly occupying every corner of the island which means that either King Francesco is hiding a large army in the Apulian countryside or we have nothing left to fear.
In the meantime, I have just gotten news that, while we fought and bled for months to secure Apulia, the Savoyards have managed to absorb Tuscany without firing a single shot. If the accounts I have read are to be believed, Piedmontese agents sparked riots in Florence which ended with the deposition of the grand duke and the establishment of a transitional government whose first action was to have a plebiscite for annexation to Sardinia-Piedmont. Of course, the vote succeeded with a ninety-five percent approval and such a large number has seemed to be deeply suspicious to many, but the Savoyard army moved into the Grand Duchy before the news could spread and the deed was done.
I am a little concerned that the Pope did not express condemnation of this occurrence and this adds to the perplexities I have about his governance. News about violence in Greece comes in every other month and Callixtus seems to think that these thugs will be placated by concessions but history has shown us time and time again that this approach only causes the rebels to ask for more and more. When I come back to Rome and present the pope with the Sicilian standard from Naples, I will have to take the opportunity to talk to him about these issues that have been worrying me.
For now, I will focus on the task at hand and ask Borbone to take on Capua while I keep an eye on Naples to avoid any unwelcome surprises. And besides that, tonight I will give thanks to the Blessed Virgin and continue to make preparations for my mass of thanksgiving once we have ended the war.
Saturday 17th of October 1863
Once again we are victorious! We have managed to chase the Sicilians back to the fortresses around Ancona, and Perugia is saved from a siege. Concurrently, General Borbone delle Due Sicilie has shown that he can be trusted in a fight against his erstwhile compatriots.
I think that the old man has a certain amount of innate skill in war, especially in the pursuit of fleeing enemies, but he lacks the proper caution that is needed in most circumstances. For example, last week, as we headed towards Perugia, he saw a scouting party by the banks of the Trasimene and determined to chase after them before they could notify the rest of their army. That would be a fair enough decision but what he did not notice, and soon became apparent, is that this party was en route to their encampment and was already within sight of it. By the time our cuirassiers reached their intended targets, they were within range of a copious amount of infantry groups which wreaked havoc among the cavalrymen and killed several hundred of them. To avoid a complete massacre, I had to order our artillery to fire on the shore of the lake to interrupt the charge that the Sicilians were preparing and allow for our men to return to our main body. This is not to say that the general is incompetent. While certainly no Hannibal, he later managed to competently use our advantages against the enemy and achieve victory at a limited cost.
Our next move is clear at the moment, we are to ensure that no foes lie in hiding in the mountains and, once we have a safe path, we should head to Ancona and free the city from its occupiers. On the other hand, general Lanza of the Two Sicilies, the rival we have chased this month, seems to have gotten the message and has fled to Aquila where it seems that he wants to join up with the force that has just captured Ancona. This does provide us with the opportunity to set a trap for them once they decide to counterattack but I need to ask Borbone if he has some relevant experience from his service in Greece.
It is funny to think that this is the same man I read about in the newspapers back in Milan and it is interesting to find which details were real and which were added through Austrian censorship. The Lord has his methods to weave the different threads of our life into a coherent tapestry and I never cease to be amazed at the things He pulls from my past. I will take the opportunity for a small visit to Assisi on our way East and pray at the tomb of Saint Francis; though I see victory within our grasp, I am sure that additional divine help will not do us harm.
Wednesday 11th of November 1863
I should strive to remember from now on that leading from the front is dangerous and gunpowder does not much allow for heroics as I had hoped. The damnable Sicilians almost caught us off guard for the beginning of the battle but my last-minute insistence on sending out our cuirassiers gave us enough warning to properly form battle lines in a setup that was favorable to us. This time, the enemy decided to attempt to dislodge us from our position with a tremendous barrage of cannon fire that did little damage overall but forced us to stay hidden until dusk since our own artillery is less than one-tenth of theirs. Before night could fall, Borbone proposed that we attack enemy lines just as our opponents were preparing to move to a more defensible position. We quickly devised an attack plan and, before the opportune window passed, we commanded a full frontal assault that the Sicilians were not prepared to withstand.
When I saw the old general charge personally into battle alongside the cavalry, I would not allow myself to be left behind as a common camp follower and I threw myself into the fray as well. The charge filled me with fear and delight in equal measure and I sent out a prayer to the Virgin Mary to grant us victory in battle, the wind making my eyes water throughout the ride. I am convinced that this prayer is what spared me when a cannonade in my direction sent shrapnel flying through my position and killed several of my men where they stood. I, on the other hand, was blessed with a mere wound to the thigh and a dead horse beside which I lay with a pistol tight in my hand and terrible anticipation about the result of the battle. Thankfully Borbone came through with his plan and the assault was a rousing success, stopping the Sicilians from breaking our lines and relieving the siege of Ancona. Though I thought the general to be a daft old man, his performance today has raised him up considerably in my esteem, I should only remember to not let my pride get the better of me in the future and ensure my safety before risking actions like those of today. The doctors say that the wound is not serious and the leg will heal normally enough but I will be forced to rest for a while before I can mount a horse again.
I have insisted that I nonetheless be carried with the army as we chase our defeated foes back through the Appennines and later on to Naples. It weighs on me that Ancona will remain out of our hands but I recognize that the enemy capital is what will end this war and I am not about to let the French be first to the prize.
Sunday 14th of February 1864
One more day and we will be in sight Naples, I have already prepared my sermon for the Cathedral of San Gennaro when we finally enter the city and I can feel that the war is over in practice if not in form. Though the capital itself is quite lightly defended, I would prefer to first capture the fortress of Capua to avoid unnecessary risks in our moment of victory. We haven't seen any Sicilian soldiers since last month's battles near Formia and now the French have garrisons in Gaeta and Aquila which ensures safety for the core Papal territories. I have also heard that the French have landed in Sicily and are quite thoroughly occupying every corner of the island which means that either King Francesco is hiding a large army in the Apulian countryside or we have nothing left to fear.
In the meantime, I have just gotten news that, while we fought and bled for months to secure Apulia, the Savoyards have managed to absorb Tuscany without firing a single shot. If the accounts I have read are to be believed, Piedmontese agents sparked riots in Florence which ended with the deposition of the grand duke and the establishment of a transitional government whose first action was to have a plebiscite for annexation to Sardinia-Piedmont. Of course, the vote succeeded with a ninety-five percent approval and such a large number has seemed to be deeply suspicious to many, but the Savoyard army moved into the Grand Duchy before the news could spread and the deed was done.
I am a little concerned that the Pope did not express condemnation of this occurrence and this adds to the perplexities I have about his governance. News about violence in Greece comes in every other month and Callixtus seems to think that these thugs will be placated by concessions but history has shown us time and time again that this approach only causes the rebels to ask for more and more. When I come back to Rome and present the pope with the Sicilian standard from Naples, I will have to take the opportunity to talk to him about these issues that have been worrying me.
For now, I will focus on the task at hand and ask Borbone to take on Capua while I keep an eye on Naples to avoid any unwelcome surprises. And besides that, tonight I will give thanks to the Blessed Virgin and continue to make preparations for my mass of thanksgiving once we have ended the war.
Hmm. Callixtus IV, eh? That’s a left-field naming choice. Wiki tells me that Callixtus III was massively preoccupied by the Eastern Question in his day. Are we in for all-consuming wars over the Balkans?
Wonder what we shall get out of sicily to make it all worth while? Especially with a new expansionist government drive in Sardinia, apparently...