Problems of the foreign policy of the Holy See during the Pontificate of Gregory XVI (1831–1846)

The analysis of the main directions of the foreign policy of the Holy See under Pope Gregory XVI (1831–1846) is carried out. A review of the scientific literature on the life and work of the pontiff is made. Attention is paid to the works of historians devoted to the international relations of the Roman court with individual states. Five main problems in the foreign policy of the Roman court in 1831–1846 are highlighted: 1) France and interaction with the July Monarchy; 2) the Polish problem; 3) the situation of Catholics in non-Catholic countries (primarily in Prussia and Great Britain); 4) the crisis on the Iberian Peninsula (the Miguelist War in Portugal and the First Carlist War in Spain); 5) the problem of relations with the former Spanish colonies in the New World. A brief analysis of the work of the Foreign Ministry of the Holy See in each of the identified areas is proposed. The different reactions of the Roman court to the liberalization of political regimes in a number of European countries are shown. Another range of problems of the Holy See in the era under study is related to the situation of the Catholic minority in non-Catholic countries. In this case, it is also possible to note different models of interaction between the Holy See and the authorities of these states: from direct confrontation (Prussia) to condemnation of the Polish uprising of 1830–1831, directed against the authorities of the Russian Empire. It is shown that the break with liberal Spain under Gregory XVI facilitated the simplification of the procedure for recognizing the independence of the former Spanish colonies in the New World.