"[2] He was born at Sonnino near Terracina and was educated for the priesthood, but after taking minor orders, he gave up the idea of becoming a priest and chose an administrative career.

[4] 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.

Notwithstanding promises to the powers upon returning to Rome, on 12 April 1850 Antonelli restored absolute government and disregarded the conditions of the surrender by ordering the wholesale imprisonment of liberals.

Upon the reoccupation of Rome by the French after the Battle of Mentana on 3 November 1867, Antonelli again ruled supreme, but after the entry of the Italians in 1870, he was obliged to restrict his activity to the management of foreign relations.

[3] By the nature of the post that he occupied from 1850 to his death, Antonelli had little to do with questions of dogma and Church discipline although he signed the circulars addressed to the Powers transmitting the Syllabus of Errors (1864) and the acts of the First Vatican Council (1870).

[3] Antonelli bequeathed his personal fortune of about 623,341 gold francs (derived chiefly from his family patrimony) to his four living brothers and two nephews, though pointedly excluding a nephew who had become an anticlerical Italian nationalist, and bequeathed his collection of precious gems to the Vatican museum and the crucifix that he kept on his desk to Pope Pius IX as a personal memento.