The Savoy Foundation's 19th Annual Savoy History Series on November 12, 2024 will feature author and historian Caroline Weber, who will discuss Pope Pius IX and the Kingdom of Italy. The longest-reigning pontiff after Saint Peter, Pius IX (1792-1878; r. 1846-1878) was the last pope to rule as temporal king of the Papal States, losing that position when Rome fell to the Piedmontese in September 1870. Drawing on original research from the Vatican archives, Professor Caroline Weber will discuss Pope Pius IX's life and reign—a volatile negotiation between the traditions of the Church and the forces of modernity—and will pay particular attention to his fraught relationship with the Royal House of Savoy.

NEW YORK, Aug. 10, 2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- On the evening of November 12, 2024, the American Foundation of Savoy Orders (Savoy Foundation) will host its 19th Annual Savoy History Series Presentation, Reception and Dinner. The event will be held at The Metropolitan Club in New York City and will benefit the educational programs of the Savoy Foundation.

Author and historian Caroline Weber will focus on the longest-reigning pontiff after Saint Peter, Pius IX (1792-1878; r. 1846-1878), who was the last pope to rule as temporal king of the Papal States, losing that position when Rome fell to the Piedmontese in September 1870. As a result of significant changes in the European balance of power after France's defeat at the Battle of Sèdan, King Victor Emmanuel II of Italy seized the opportunity to finally occupy Rome and declare it the new nation's capital. Pope Pius IX, the indomitable and long-serving pontiff, refused to surrender the keys to his city. Within the walls of Rome, the Papal Curia as well as a majority of Rome's citizens, deplored the event as an act of illegal aggression against a sovereign state. Drawing on original research from the Vatican archives, Professor Caroline Weber will discuss Pope Pius IX's life and reign—a volatile negotiation between the traditions of the Church and the forces of modernity—and will pay particular attention to his fraught relationship with the Royal House of Savoy.

Caroline Weber is a Professor of French and Comparative Literature at Barnard College and Columbia University. Her most recent book, Proust's Duchess (2018), won the French Heritage Society Book Prize and was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in Biography. She has been a Guggenheim Fellow, a Cullman Fellow at the New York Public Library, and a writer-in-residence at Edith Wharton's estate and library in the Berkshires. Her work on Pius IX is drawn from her forthcoming group biography of nineteenth-century royals who lost their thrones.

H.R.H. Prince Dimitri of Yugoslavia, U.S. Delegate of the American Delegation of Savoy Orders and member of the Board of Directors of the Savoy Foundation, will host the event. Prince Dimitri comments: "On this very special occasion, the American Foundation of Savoy Orders will be offered very unique insights into the tumultuous history of the Risorgimento and the Papal States, which covered much of what is now Italy. There was no separation of church and state until a rebellion by Italian nationalists forced Pope Pius IX into exile, which led to the creation of modern Italy."

ABOUT THE SAVOY HISTORY SERIES
In keeping with the noble traditions of honor and service that distinguish the centuries-old Dynastic Orders of the Royal House of Savoy and the significant role that the Savoy dynasty played in European history, particularly its role in the unification of the nation of Italy, the American Foundation of Savoy Orders supports cultural activities and educational programs. The Savoy Foundation sponsors the Savoy History Series, an annual lecture given by distinguished scholars and masters in their respective fields and sometimes by members of the Italian Royal Family on a topic related to the House of Savoy, and the history of Italy, Italian literature, history, art, music, science and impact on other countries. Marco Grassi is Chairman Emeritus of the Savoy History Series.

For more information about the Savoy History Series, please click here.

To purchase tickets, please click here.

ABOUT THE ROYAL HOUSE OF SAVOY
The Dynastic Orders of the Royal House of Savoy are among the oldest orders of Knighthood and Merit in the world. The Savoy Orders are headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland and have 35 Delegations worldwide that support the Orders' ongoing charitable works. Their origins and their principles, traditions and humanitarian goals date back a thousand years. H.R.H Prince Emmanuel Philibert of Savoy, Duke of Savoy, Prince of Piedmont and of Venice is Head of the House of Savoy and Grand Master of the Savoy Orders.

In 1946, when the Kingdom of Italy came to an end, the House of Savoy was the Europe's oldest reigning dynasty. The heads of the House of Savoy had ruled, first as counts, then as dukes and finally as kings, for almost a thousand years. Descended in the direct male line from a tenth-century vassal of the Holy Roman Emperor, the Savoys ruled Savoy, where they established their capital at Chambery. Their dominion was eventually extended to include Piedmont, Aosta and other territories in what are now Italy, France and Switzerland. By the eighteenth century, the Savoys were kings of Sardinia, and it was under the aegis of the House of Savoy that the Italian states were united by 1871 as the Kingdom of Italy.

The Royal Family's heritage can be seen in castles and palaces, and in the beauty of the northwestern Italian city of Turin, the Savoys' magnificent capital in the heart of Piedmont in the 16th into the 19th centuries. The dynastic chivalric traditions of the Royal House of Savoy continue. The Order of the Annunciation and the Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus, two of the world's oldest knightly institutions, are still alive today, epitomizing the dynasty's medieval spirit while supporting very modern charitable works in Italy, Switzerland, France, Japan, the Americas and elsewhere. Chivalry lives. Today, the House of Savoy remains one of the oldest royal dynasties.

ABOUT THE AMERICAN FOUNDATION AND DELEGATION OF SAVOY ORDERS
Headquartered in New York City, the American Delegation of Savoy Orders, which includes the United States of America, is among the 35 delegations of the Savoy Orders located throughout Europe, the Americas and Japan.

The American Foundation of Savoy Orders, Incorporated, a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) charitable organization, supports local, national, and international charities focusing on medical, educational, and humanitarian fields, including philanthropy for U.S. veterans, hospitals and relief agencies for children, the poor, sick and elderly. In 2005, the Foundation became a Non-Governmental Organization in Roster Consultative Statues with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations. In 2019, the Savoy Foundation launched a new charitable initiative - Chivalry for Children's Causes™ - a multi-year program assisting institutions and charitable organizations that provide aid to children and families in need, building stable, healthy families, whether enrichment spaces or basic meals for improved health and stable living conditions in poor economic environments. The program is made possible thanks to generous support from the members and friends of the American Delegation of Savoy Orders.

Media Contact

Larissa Van Duser, The American Foundation of Savoy Orders, Incorporated, 212-972-0495, amsavoy@aol.com, www.savoia.org

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