The Papal Navy (Italian: Marina Pontificia, "Pontifical Navy"; Latin: Classis Pontificiae[1]) was the maritime force of the Papal States. Loosely construed, it was in sporadic existence from approximately the Battle of Ostia (849) during the pontificate of Leo IV until the ascension of Pope Leo XIII in 1878.
Originally protected by the Byzantine navy, the Papal States found themselves in need of a naval force of their own following a Muslim raid on Rome in 843 and the sack of the city's basilicas extra muros in 846. Under the leadership of Caesar, prince of Naples, a force of Neapolitan, Amalfitan, Gaetan, and Papal ships repulsed the pirates off Ostia in 849.
Later, the Papal States subsidized various fleets during the Crusades and outfitted some squadrons of their own, which participated with Venice and others against the Ottoman Empire following the fall of Constantinople. With hired and affiliated ships from Tuscany and Malta, one Papal squadron participated in the Battle of Lepanto. Papal ships often assisted the Republic of Venice in her wars with the Ottoman Empire.
Pontifical ships were protected by international treaty in 1819, but the navy only slowly recovered from the seizure of its vessels during the Napoleonic Wars. One was captured by Muslim pirates in 1826, but following a show of force by two frigates and a sloop-of-war from Piedmont under Captain Arnous, the Bey of Tripoli freed the ship with 10,600 francs compensation.[3]
By 1823, the navy comprised the 12-gun schoonerSan Pietro, a cutter, a felucca, and a pinnace.[4] Another twelve patrol boats armed with mortars performed coast guard duties in two squadrons, eight vessels in the Adriatic Sea and four in the Tyrrhenian. Lt. Col. Alessandro Cialdi directed an expedition to Egypt and then led three British steamers to Rome for navigation on the Tiber.[4] A fourth steamer, the Roma, participated during the unrest of 1848, opposing the Austrian siege of Ancona.
In 1856, the separate Navy (Marina da Guerra), Finance Navy (Marina di Finanza), and Tiber Navy (Marina del Tevere) administrations were combined into the Pontifical Navy (Marina Pontificia).
Armed Screw Steam-Yacht Immacolata Concezione, built for the Pope in 1859
^Fiorani, Luigi (1999). Sermoneta e i Caetani (in Italian). ISBN9788882650919.
^Boero, Beatrice. Il Tempo. "Il biondo Tevere: La scomparsa dell'Arsenale e il declino di Ripa Grande." 2015-09-27 at the Wayback Machine - Il Tempo, Accessed 4 June 2010.
^Gazetta Piemontese. No 45. 15 April 1826. Accessed 4 June 2010.
^ ab"La Marina dello Stato Pontificio." Italian Ministry of Defense Website. Accessed 2 June 2010.
^Chadwick, Owen. A History of the Popes, 1830-1914. Accessed 4 June 2010.
^Laudonio, Marco. La Repubblica. "Arsenale Pontificio, la rinascita." Op. cit. Ordine degli Architetti di Roma e Provincia. 2011-07-22 at the Wayback Machine Accessed 4 June 2010.
January 07, 2023
papal, navy, italian, marina, pontificia, pontifical, navy, latin, classis, pontificiae, maritime, force, papal, states, loosely, construed, sporadic, existence, from, approximately, battle, ostia, during, pontificate, until, ascension, pope, xiii, 1878, count. The Papal Navy Italian Marina Pontificia Pontifical Navy Latin Classis Pontificiae 1 was the maritime force of the Papal States Loosely construed it was in sporadic existence from approximately the Battle of Ostia 849 during the pontificate of Leo IV until the ascension of Pope Leo XIII in 1878 CountryPapal StatesTypeNavy Contents 1 History 2 Ships 3 See also 4 ReferencesHistory EditOriginally protected by the Byzantine navy the Papal States found themselves in need of a naval force of their own following a Muslim raid on Rome in 843 and the sack of the city s basilicas extra muros in 846 Under the leadership of Caesar prince of Naples a force of Neapolitan Amalfitan Gaetan and Papal ships repulsed the pirates off Ostia in 849 Later the Papal States subsidized various fleets during the Crusades and outfitted some squadrons of their own which participated with Venice and others against the Ottoman Empire following the fall of Constantinople With hired and affiliated ships from Tuscany and Malta one Papal squadron participated in the Battle of Lepanto Papal ships often assisted the Republic of Venice in her wars with the Ottoman Empire In 1715 Pope Clement XI constructed the Pontifical Arsenal near Porta Portese in Ripa Grande on the Tiber 2 In 1802 Napoleon donated two brigs to Pope Pius VII and the Papal Navy the somewhat aged Saint Paul and the brand new Saint Pierre Under the names San Paolo and San Pietro they sat in the arsenal at Civitavecchia for some years until they were discarded Pontifical ships were protected by international treaty in 1819 but the navy only slowly recovered from the seizure of its vessels during the Napoleonic Wars One was captured by Muslim pirates in 1826 but following a show of force by two frigates and a sloop of war from Piedmont under Captain Arnous the Bey of Tripoli freed the ship with 10 600 francs compensation 3 By 1823 the navy comprised the 12 gun schooner San Pietro a cutter a felucca and a pinnace 4 Another twelve patrol boats armed with mortars performed coast guard duties in two squadrons eight vessels in the Adriatic Sea and four in the Tyrrhenian Lt Col Alessandro Cialdi directed an expedition to Egypt and then led three British steamers to Rome for navigation on the Tiber 4 A fourth steamer the Roma participated during the unrest of 1848 opposing the Austrian siege of Ancona In 1856 the separate Navy Marina da Guerra Finance Navy Marina di Finanza and Tiber Navy Marina del Tevere administrations were combined into the Pontifical Navy Marina Pontificia Armed Screw Steam Yacht Immacolata Concezione built for the Pope in 1859 As part of his break from the diplomatic policies of Pope Pius IX Leo XIII sold off the last ship in the Papal Navy the corvette Immacolata Concezione during his first year in office As the papacy had already been confined to Vatican City following the capture of Rome it had been docked at Toulon France 5 Its flag and a scale model of the vessel are in the Vatican Historical Museum in the Lateran Palace Rome Ships EditAt Lepanto Capitana flagship Padrona squadron flagship Suprema Supreme Serena Serene Pace Peace Vittoria Victoria Grifona Gryphon Santa Maria San Giovanni Regina Queen San Bonaventura St Bonaventure 6 San Pietro a schooner San Pietro an earlier brig broken up in 1807 Roma a steamer Immacolata Concezione Immaculate Conception a corvetteSee also EditBattle of Lepanto Battle of OstiaReferences Edit Fiorani Luigi 1999 Sermoneta e i Caetani in Italian ISBN 9788882650919 Boero Beatrice Il Tempo Il biondo Tevere La scomparsa dell Arsenale e il declino di Ripa Grande Archived 2015 09 27 at the Wayback Machine Il Tempo Accessed 4 June 2010 Gazetta Piemontese No 45 15 April 1826 Accessed 4 June 2010 a b La Marina dello Stato Pontificio Italian Ministry of Defense Website Accessed 2 June 2010 Chadwick Owen A History of the Popes 1830 1914 Accessed 4 June 2010 Laudonio Marco La Repubblica Arsenale Pontificio la rinascita Op cit Ordine degli Architetti di Roma e Provincia Archived 2011 07 22 at the Wayback Machine Accessed 4 June 2010 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Papal Navy amp oldid 1110435999, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
