The Kidnapping of Edgardo Mortara (1997) by David I. Kertzer explores the 1858 abduction of Edgardo Mortara, a Jewish boy, by order of Pope Pius IX. After a family servant claimed that Edgardo had been baptized Catholic as an infant, the Church took him from his Jewish parents, citing his baptism as proof he belonged to the Catholic faith. Kertzer delves into the political and religious tensions of 19th-century Italy, where the Papal State controlled both church and state. The book recounts the Mortara family's struggle to reclaim their son, the widespread international outcry, and the tragic aftermath. It raises questions about religious authority, personal autonomy, and the intersection of faith and politics, ultimately becoming a pivotal moment in the fight for religious freedom and human rights.
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