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Letters from Italy report Napoleon Bonaparte's aggressive negotiations with Pope Pius VII to perform the Revolutionary Coronation Ceremony in France. The Pope resists but ultimately submits, to be escorted by General Charpentier, amid threats and historical parallels to Pius VI's fate.
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BONAPARTE and the POPE.
Letters from Italy brought by the Gottenburgh mails of yesterday, relate the progress of Bonaparte's negociation with the Pope, or rather his requisition of his holiness to perform the Revolutionary Coronation Ceremony. Upon Cardinal Feshe's first mentioning this subject, Pius VII. referred it to the Sacred College of Cardinals, who except Feshe, were unanimous in their advice to their Sovereign to decline it as no such act has been performed by a Sovereign Pontiff, for several centuries; and it would offend the House of Austria, as Pius VI. in 1790, refused the same demand made by Leopold II. the father of the present Emperor of Germany. Informed of this answer, Bonaparte wrote a letter with his own hand in the most abusive language, and threatening style, telling the Pope "that he owed to him alone and to his moderation, both the temporal & spiritual power enjoyed by his Holiness. That it was an insult to his glory, and to the high dignity the great nation had conferred on him, only to hesitate; and that as he had made Frenchmen again Christians, so he would be able to make them Musselmen, should the ungrateful conduct, superstitious scruples, or pusillanimous fears of his Holiness force him to such an act." In return, Pius VII. offered to give full powers to Cardinal Feshe, to perform on his part and in his name, the coronation ceremony: a letter of recommendation from Madame Bonaparte the soi disant Emperor's mother. accompanied this answer. It had however no other effect than to enrage her son the more-- Who wrote to the pope these few words: We desire the Holy Father to choose between a retreat to the Convent, or a journey to France.
Paris May 29.
Signed
NAPOLEON.
Copies of these transactions and letters that the Pope has demanded the mediation are handed about, all over Italy. It is said of Austria, and even offered to resign; but that his holiness has been advised for the peace of the church, to submit to the circumstances of the times.
General Charpentier has therefore been sent to Rome to escort the Pope to France; a journey which the Italians compare to that of his unfortunate predecessor, Pius VI who after suffering so many indignities, at last died a victim of republican ferocity, in a French dungeon.
There appears no prospect of ar SPAIN.
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Foreign News Details
Primary Location
Rome
Event Date
Paris May 29
Key Persons
Outcome
pope submits and is to be escorted to france for the coronation ceremony; compared to pius vi dying in french captivity.
Event Details
Bonaparte demands Pope Pius VII perform the Revolutionary Coronation Ceremony; Pope consults cardinals who advise refusal; Bonaparte threatens in letter signed Paris May 29; Pope offers proxy via Cardinal Feshe but Bonaparte insists on personal attendance; General Charpentier sent to escort Pope from Rome to France.