Review by Choice Review
Robinson's short biography is difficult to categorize because its subject was an important but peripheral player in early 19th-century European diplomatic history. Consalvi was Papal Secretary of State during the Napoleonic era, the Congress of Vienna, and the final years of the pontificate of Pius VII to 1823. He personally negotiated the Concordat with Napoleon, but later became a major opponent of the Emperor. Representing the Vatican at the Congress of Vienna, he was largely responsible for the restoration of the Church Lands. The narrative is straightforward; the author achieves his purpose of refurbishing the reputation of a key figure in papal politics. This is Consalvi's only modern biography in any language. The book could prove useful in an undergraduate library and in any collection of diplomatic history, but it would probably serve as a minor source for advanced students.-J.J. Baughman, Depauw University
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Choice Review
