Pope Pius VII

Head of the Catholic Church, ruler of the Papal States from 1800 to 1823 (1742–1823)

Fame68.9
Momentum12.2
Religious Figures rank#28

Source-basedStable

Fame68.9
Momentum12.2
Religious Figures rank#28
Wikipedia24.8K

Lived 1742–1823, aged 81Italy

Italy Religious Figures

Wikipedia
85 languages
Cross-language footprint
Era
1742–1823
Aged 81

Summary

Updated 2026-06-21

He crowned Napoleon emperor, then excommunicated him. Pius VII spent years as the French ruler's prisoner, outlasted him, and returned to Rome in triumph — the pope who wouldn't break.

Biography

About

Barnaba Chiaramonti was a Benedictine monk and theologian who rose to bishop, then cardinal, before his election as pope in 1800 after Pius VI died in French captivity. He tried diplomacy first: the Concordat of 1801 restored Catholic rights in France, and in 1804 he attended Napoleon's coronation in Paris. But in 1809 Napoleon invaded the Papal States, and Pius answered with excommunication. He was arrested, hauled to France, and held prisoner until 1814. When the empire collapsed he walked back into Italy to crowds that called him a defender of the faith. He spent his last years building the…

Voice

In their own words

Sourced, dated quotes from Pope Pius VII

Pope Pius VII

said5 Jul 1809

(to General Étienne Radet during the pope's arrest on the orders of Napolean Bonaparte) Assuredly, my son, those orders will not bring divine orders upon you.

— Napoleon: A Roman Emperor by Craig Martin White quoted (July 5 1809)

via Wikiquote · CC BY-SA

Gallery