Caprara, Giovanni Battista
Caprara, Giovanni Battista
Statesman and cardinal, born at Bologna, 29 May, 1733; died at Paris, 27 July, 1810. His parents were Count Francesco Raimondo Montecuccoli and Countess Maria Vittoria Caprara; it was from his mother that he took his name. Having entered the ecclesiastical state, he was appointed in 1758 vice-legate of Ravenna, in 1767 nuncio at Cologne, in 1775 at Lucerne, and in 1785 at Vienna, In this last and most important position he did not always defend with sufficient courage the interests of the Church against the aggressions of the Emperor Joseph II (1765-90), and the imperial ministers Prince Kaunitz and Count Cobenzl. During the summer of 1792 he was made Cardinal-Priest of the Title of Sant’ Onofrio, and in August, 1800, Bishop of Jesi in the Mark of Ancona. When the Concordat between Pius VII (1800-23) and the French Republic was concluded (July, 1801), Napoleon Bonaparte, then First Consul, asked for the appointment of a papal legate with residence in Paris. His choice fell upon Cardinal Caprara, undoubtedly because he expected in this way little or no opposition to his plans; Caprara was appointed legate a latere for France in August, 1801; he departed at once for his destination and arrived in Paris on the 4th of October. During the negotiations which followed concerning the execution of the Concordat he displayed too conciliatory a spirit in dealing with the ten constitutional bishops who were to be appointed to as many of the newly-established dioceses; in fact, he went contrary to specific instructions from Rome. However, persistent pressure exerted by Napoleon may be taken as an excuse for the legate’s conduct. Cardinal Caprara officiated at the Solemn restoration of public worship in the cathedral of Notre-Dame on Easter Day (18 April, 1802), at which function the First Consul, the high officers of state, and the new ecclesiastical dignitaries assisted. At times the cardinal legate showed more strength in the interest of the Church; thus, in a letter written 18 August, 1803, he protested most energetically against the Organic Articles added to the Concordat by the French Government.
In May, 1802, Shortly after the above-mentioned solemnities, he was appointed Archbishop of Milan, and as such he blessed, on the 26th of May, 1805, the Iron Crown, which Napoleon placed on his own head in his new dignity of King of Italy. Otherwise Caprara retained his position as papal legate in France until his death, or rather until the imprisonment of Pope Pius VII in July, 1809. His declining health saved him from the embarrassment connected with the divorce and second marriage of Napoleon (April, 1810). In his last will his entire fortune was left to the hospital of Milan. In memory of all that was done in behalf of France he published the “Concordat et recueil des bulles et brefs de N. S. Pie VII. sur les affaires de l’Eglise de France” (Paris, 1802). Cardinal Caprara was a man of simple and pure habits, zealous for religion and very charitable, but often inclined to yield to the imperious will of princes and ministers, a weakness which at times justified the reproaches of Pius VI (1775-99) and Pius VII.
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RINIERI, La Diplomazia Pontificia (Rome, 1902), I; THEINER, Hist. des deux Concordats (Paris, 1869), I; GENDRY, Pie VI (Paris, 1905); ARTAUD, Histoire du Pape Pie VII (Paris, 1837); WERNER in Kirchenlex, (Freiburg, 1887), II.
FRANCIS J. SCHAEFER. Transcribed by Douglas J. Potter Dedicated to the Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary
The Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume IIICopyright © 1908 by Robert Appleton CompanyOnline Edition Copyright © 2003 by K. KnightNihil Obstat, November 1, 1908. Remy Lafort, S.T.D., CensorImprimatur. +John Cardinal Farley, Archbishop of New York
Fuente: Catholic Encyclopedia
Caprara, Giovanni Battista
an Italian prelate and statesman, born at Bologna. May 29, 1733, was son of Francesco, count of Montecucculo, but always bore the name of Cuprara, from one of the most celebrated houses of Italy, of which his mother was a descendant. While young he entered the Church. Pope Benedict XIV appointed him vice-legate of Ravenna, although only about twenty-five years of age. Under Pope Clement XIII, Caprara was, in 1767, sent to Cologne as nuncio. In 1775 Pius VI sent him to Lucerne in the same capacity. In 1785 he received the nunciature of Vienna, where he made himself beloved for his beneficence. He was appointed cardinal in 1792, returned to Rome the following year, and in 1800 became bishop of Iesi. In 1801 he was appointed legate to the French republic, to secure the adoption of the concordat and the re-establishment of Catholic worship in France; he solemnly declared this accomplished by celebrating mass on Easter day in the church of Notre Dame: at Paris, in the presence of the principal authorities, in 1802. He consecrated Napoleon king of Italy, at Milan, in 1805. For nine years he was intimately associated with the French government, and died at Paris, June 21, 1810, blind and infirm, but held in high esteem. He was interred in the church of St. Genevieve, by virtue of an imperial decree.: He wrote, Concordat et Recueil des Bulles et Brefs de le Pape Pie VII sur les Afiires de l’Eylise de France (Paris, 1802). See Hoefer,, Nouv. Biog. Generate, s.v.; Lichtenberger, Encyclopedie des Sciences Religieuses, s.v.; Winer, Handbuch der theol. Lit. i, 819.