Pius IX was the last pope who was also king. As king of the Papal States, he conducted diplomatic relations with other sovereign states. Perhaps as a King he favored the idea of an aristocratic government? Pius was in fact a liberal leader during his early years. However the revolution of 1848 and what he perceived as a lack of gratitude from radicals...radicals for that time and that era.....took him on a much more conservative social and political course.

Cump.