Resilience in Papal Rome, 1656-1870 : A City's Response to Crisis

This book analyses the evolution of the city of Rome, in particular, papal Rome, from the plague of 1656 until 1870 when it became the capital of the Kingdom of Italy. The authors explore papal Rome as a resilient city that had to cope with numerous crises during this period. By focusing on a selection of different crises in Rome, the book combines cultural, political, and economic history to examine key turning points in the city’s history. The book is split into chapters exploring themes such as diplomacy and international relations, disease, environmental disasters, famine, public debt, and unravels the political, economic, and social consequences of these transformative events. All the chapters are based on untapped original sources, chiefly from the State Archive in Rome, the Vatican Archives, the Rome Municipal Archives, the École Française Library, the National Library, and the Capitoline Library. Acknowledgements Contents List of Tables 1 Papal Rome: Between Crisis and Resilience Sources and References 2 Political Crisis Introduction Conquest or Liberation? The Republic of 1849 The Republic of 1798–1799 Reforming Restorations The Napoleonic City New Restorations Sources and References 3 Health Crisis Introduction The “Drago Pestis” The Disfiguring Monster: Smallpox The “Cholera Morbus” The Disease of Poverty Sources and References 4 Environmental Crisis Introduction Understanding the “Environment” Decorum and Cleanliness of the Streets Water and Fountains The (Tiber) Tevere Wood and the “Swamp Economy” Tolfa Alum Sources and References 5 Food Crisis Introduction Famine as a Category of Economic Analysis Food Crisis The Roman Case Famine and Disease Responding to Crisis Agricultural Market Sources and References 6 Financial Crisis Introduction Institutional Climate Benedetto XIV in the Century of Reforms Finances and Budgets Republic of 1798–1799 and the First Restoration Old and New Napoleonic Period Second Restoration Sources and References 7 Identity Crisis Introduction After Westphalia Astonishing with the Baroque The Grand Tour as a Resource Cosmopolitan Declinations Cultural Capital Sources and References Index