Giacomo Antonelli

His Eminence Giacomo Antonelli
Cardinal Secretary of State
Giacomo Antonelli
See	Deacon of the Roman Curia
Appointed	29 November 1848
Installed	29 November 1848
Term ended	6 November 1876
Predecessor	Giovanni Soglia Ceroni
Successor	Giovanni Simeoni
Other posts	Cardinal-Deacon of Sant'Agata dei Goti Cardinal-Deacon of Santa Maria in Via Lata Cardinal-Protodeacon
Orders
Ordination	1840 (deacon)
Created Cardinal	11 June 1847 by Pope Pius IX
Rank	Cardinal-Deacon
Personal details
Birth name	Giacomo Antonelli
Born	2 April 1806
Died	6 November 1876 (aged 70)
Denomination	Catholic
Previous post	Cardinal Secretary of State (1st time) (10 March – 3 May 1848)

Giacomo Antonelli (April 2, 1806 – November 6, 1876) was an Italian cardinal deacon. He was the Cardinal Secretary of State from 1848 until his death; he played a key role in Italian politics, resisting the unification of Italy and affecting Roman Catholic interests in European affairs. He was often called the "Italian Richelieu".

He was born at Sonnino near Terracina and was educated for the priesthood, but, after taking minor orders, gave up the idea of becoming a priest, and chose an administrative career. Created secular prelate, he was sent as apostolic delegate to Viterbo in 1836, where he early manifested his reactionary tendencies in an attempt to stamp out Liberalism. In 1839 he was transferred to Macerata. In 1840 he was ordained a deacon. Recalled to Rome in 1841 by the conservative Pope Gregory XVI, he entered the office of the Secretariat of State, but four years later was appointed pontifical treasurer-general. Created cardinal (June 11, 1847), one of the Church's last true cardinal deacons, he was chosen by Pius IX to preside over the council of state entrusted with the drafting of a constitution for the Papal States.

On March 10, 1848, Antonelli became premier of the first constitutional ministry of Pius IX. Upon the collapse of his cabinet when liberals resigned following the publicly renounced Papal participation in the war of national liberation, 29 April 1848, Antonelli created for himself the governorship of the sacred palaces in order to retain constant access to and influence over the pope. After the assassination of Pellegrino Rossi (November 18, 1848) he arranged the flight of Pius IX to Gaeta. In that year, the Papal States were overthrown by Liberals and replaced by a Roman Republic, only to be restored to the pope in 1849 by force of French and Austrian arms, called in at Antonelli's request.