Saint Massimo

Massimo Taparelli, Marquess of Azeglio (24 October 1798 – 15 January 1866), commonly called Massimo d'Azeglio, was a Piedmontese-Italian statesman and novelist. He served as Prime Minister of Sardinia from 1859 to 1862 under King Victor Emmanuel II. As a moderate liberal, he worked to consolidate the parliamentary system in Italy and introduced freedom of worship, supported public education, and sought to reduce the power of the clergy in local political affairs. Although himself a Roman Catholic, his efforts were aimed at modernizing Italian governance. He hoped for a federal union between Italian states and attempted to reconcile with the Vatican after the annexation of the United Provinces of Central Italy. His brother Luigi Taparelli was a Jesuit priest.