Mortara

'Mortara' recounts the infamous Mortara affair, a 19th-century incident that sparked international outrage. In 1858, Edgardo Mortara, a young Jewish boy living in Bologna, then part of the Papal States, was forcibly taken from his family by papal authorities. The basis for this act was a claim that he had been secretly baptized as a baby by a Catholic servant girl, rendering him irrevocably Catholic in the eyes of the Church.The removal of Edgardo from his family ignited a firestorm of controversy across Europe and America. Jewish communities and liberal intellectuals protested vehemently against the actions of Pope Pius IX and the Papal States. The case became a symbol of the conflict between religious authority and individual rights, highlighting the vulnerability of Jewish families under papal rule. 'Mortara' delves into the legal, religious, and political complexities of this historical event, offering a compelling look at a pivotal moment in the history of religious freedom and Jewish-Catholic relations.This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you will see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work.This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.