AHC: The Papal States survive

Ok, so as the title states, have the Papal States survive up to 1900, preferably. By "survive" I mean that it must be a sovereign theocratic state, capable of handling its own defense, government, and economic matters. Furthermore, it must be larger in territorial size than at least modern-day Montenegro. Bonus points if it's larger than today's Macedonia. More bonus points if the rest of Italy unifies around it. Even more bonus points if it can be done with few enough butterflies to still allow WWI to take place somewhere in the 1900s-1910s.
 
There was a movement in 1848 for the Italian States to unify into a confederation, headed by the Pope. Have those liberal, national Italians gain ground and make Pius less apprehensive about the whole thing... somehow...
 
...and make Pius less apprehensive about the whole thing... somehow...

Pius was actually in favor of the Confederation plan prior to the Revolutions of 1848. He was forced out of Rome and witnessed his friend and Finance Minister die in front of him. He was elected for being a liberal but the whole ordeal caused him to become a staunch conservative.
 
Pius was actually in favor of the Confederation plan prior to the Revolutions of 1848. He was forced out of Rome and witnessed his friend and Finance Minister die in front of him. He was elected for being a liberal but the whole ordeal caused him to become a staunch conservative.

So just have that not happen and there is a very real possibility this could work.
 
I thought besides that incident, Pius was afraid to take charge due to the heavy hand of Austria and the uncertainty of support abroad.
 
I thought besides that incident, Pius was afraid to take charge due to the heavy hand of Austria and the uncertainty of support abroad.

The apparently slow progress and Pius' refusal to lead a Crusade against Austria (to reclaim northern Italy) were the reasons domestic sentiment turned against him. He was afraid of Austrian intervention and was trying to diplomatically maneuver around them until he was forced to flee. I'm not sure what they would get in the way of official support but Pius was well liked. Newspapers in New York City, London and Paris applauded his election.

You either need to make him less friendly to the Austrians or weaken them to such an extent that their protests are not a concern.
 
You either need to make him less friendly to the Austrians or weaken them to such an extent that their protests are not a concern.

Well thats actually rather easy, just have Austria descend into civil war after all of its constituent pieces delcare independence.
 
I think another thing the Pope and liberals would have to surmount, assuming this is the route of choice, are the wills of the unhappy sovereigns who may see the confederation as supplanting their power.
 
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Well thats actually rather easy, just have Austria descend into civil war after all of its constituent pieces delcare independence.

Well, you are also going to pacify the brewing dissent in Rome. People didn't think progress was happening quickly enough under the Pope so they took action themselves and for good reason. In 1859, Edmond About wrote that even after Pius' reforms, "The Papacy was more interested in polishing the statues of the Saints than in repairing potholes in the streets".

You might need to push Pius further to the left instead.

I think another thing the Pope and liberals would have to surmount, assuming this is the route of choice, are the wills of the unhappy sovereigns who may see the confederation as supplanting their power.

The power of the sovereigns, however, hinges on the support of the people. Look at the Kingdom of Two Sicilies, for example. When Garibaldi landed in Sicily, he met little resistance due to entrenched Italian nationalism and disgust for their ruler. When he arrived in Naples, people literally threw flowers at him from their windows.
 
True dat. But now I wonder if the confederation would preserve the Papal states, or eventually just integrate them (this route has to simultaneously sate the appetite of the nationalists/liberals and the state's sovereignty)? It would have to be a loose confederation to maintain the states in the traditional sense.
 
Look at the Kingdom of Two Sicilies, for example. When Garibaldi landed in Sicily, he met little resistance due to entrenched Italian nationalism and disgust for their ruler. When he arrived in Naples, people literally threw flowers at him from their windows.

This is a great lie (or maybe the people was paid for that). The Bourbons of Two Sicilies was really loved from they people and the Italian nationalism haven't many supporters there, especially not in lowest classes but for your luck the Kings of the Two Sicilies were all good Catholics, and had a great respect for the Pope and considered themselves vassals of the Holy See, then they can probably accept easily enough a German style Italian Confederation with the Pope as leader (and also the rulers of Tuscany, Modena and Parma can accept that and maybe even the emperor if that does not mean the loss of his lands)
 
No Franco-Prussian war of 1871. Because of that, Napoléon III called back the army that protected the Papal States from Italy.

With long enough time, and some concessions, Papal States could survive.
 

Esopo

Banned
This is a great lie (or maybe the people was paid for that). The Bourbons of Two Sicilies was really loved from they people and the Italian nationalism haven't many supporters there, especially not in lowest classes but for your luck the Kings of the Two Sicilies were all good Catholics, and had a great respect for the Pope and considered themselves vassals of the Holy See, then they can probably accept easily enough a German style Italian Confederation with the Pope as leader (and also the rulers of Tuscany, Modena and Parma can accept that and maybe even the emperor if that does not mean the loss of his lands)

Sure, the borboni were so loved which they collapsed when 1000 volunteers landed in sicily, a land which had a tradition of riots against the kingdom of two sicilies.
The truth, even if it is not well liked by our new revisionist culture of complain, is that the kingdom of two sicilies and the papacy were rotten states, which werent developing and which were unable to conquer the support of their own citizens.
 
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