The Entity: Five Centuries of Secret Vatican Espionage
by Eric Frattini
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The International Bestseller "A true story that surpasses any novel by John le CarrÉ."-El PaÍs (Spain) For five centuries, the Vatican-the oldest organization in the world, maker of kings and shaper of history-has used a secret spy service, called the Holy Alliance, or later, the Entity, to carry out its will. Forty popes have relied on it to carry out their policies. They have played a hitherto invisible role confronting de-Christianizations and schisms, revolutions and dictators, show more colonizations and expulsions, persecutions and attacks, civil wars and world wars, assassinations and kidnappings. For the first time in English (following the bestselling Spanish and French editions), Eric Frattini tells the comprehensive tale of this sacred secret service. The Entity has been involved in the killings of monarchs, poisonings of diplomats, financing of South American dictators, protection of war criminals, laundering of Mafia money, manipulation of financial markets, provocation of bank failures, and financing of arms sales to combatants even as their wars were condemned, all in the name of God. The contradiction between God's justice and Earth's justice, Christian beliefs and Christian power all fall before the motto of the Entity: With the Cross and the Sword. The International Bestseller "A true story that surpasses any novel by John le CarrÉ."-El PaÍs (Spain) For five centuries, the Vatican-the oldest organization in the world, maker of kings and shaper of history-has used a secret spy service, called the Holy Alliance, or later, the Entity, to carry out its will. Forty popes have relied on it to carry out their policies. They have played a hitherto invisible role confronting de-Christianizations and schisms, revolutions and dictators, colonizations and expulsions, persecutions and attacks, civil wars and world wars, assassinations and kidnappings. For the first time in English (following the bestselling Spanish and French editions), Eric Frattini tells the comprehensive tale of this sacred secret service. The Entity has been involved in the killings of monarchs, poisonings of diplomats, financing of South American dictators, protection of war criminals, laundering of Mafia money, manipulation of financial markets, provocation of bank failures, and financing of arms sales to combatants even as their wars were condemned, all in the name of God. The contradiction between God's justice and Earth's justice, Christian beliefs and Christian power all fall before the motto of the Entity: With the Cross and the Sword. show lessTags
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Member Reviews
The first 175 pages or so of this book were a little dull. Just a repetition of facts, historical facts, which as we know can be a bit ambiguous. After that things became a bit more interesting as we moved closer to the popes who served in more recent years.
When Giacomo della Chiesa was elected to the papacy on September 3, 1914 and became Pope Benedict XV things became quite interesting.
This is a story of the spy network of the Vatican. It tells who was involved and what they were involved in. Intrigue, murder, financial shenanigans, and providing weapons to countries involved in conflicts just begin to cover it.
We have all heard about the involvement of the Vatican with Hitler, and how the Popes coffers grew during this time. Pope show more John Paul the I and his untimely death after investing the Vatican Bank, we have all heard. I have heard much less about John Paul the II and suppression of information as well as his use of the vatican spy network now called the Entity. It brings us right up to the election and first days of the current pope, and what he gets involved in remains to be seen.
The Entity is a worthwhile read for anyone who is interested in learning what has been going on in that little country, The Vatican. show less
When Giacomo della Chiesa was elected to the papacy on September 3, 1914 and became Pope Benedict XV things became quite interesting.
This is a story of the spy network of the Vatican. It tells who was involved and what they were involved in. Intrigue, murder, financial shenanigans, and providing weapons to countries involved in conflicts just begin to cover it.
We have all heard about the involvement of the Vatican with Hitler, and how the Popes coffers grew during this time. Pope show more John Paul the I and his untimely death after investing the Vatican Bank, we have all heard. I have heard much less about John Paul the II and suppression of information as well as his use of the vatican spy network now called the Entity. It brings us right up to the election and first days of the current pope, and what he gets involved in remains to be seen.
The Entity is a worthwhile read for anyone who is interested in learning what has been going on in that little country, The Vatican. show less
“Se o Papa ordena liquidar alguém na defesa da fé, faz-se isso sem fazer perguntas. Ele é a voz de Deus e nós [a Santa Aliança] somos a mão executor”.
Cardeal Paluzzo Paluzzi, chefe da Santa Aliança, século XVII
Desde 1566, ano da fundação do serviço de espionagem papal, até aos nossos dias, a Santa Aliança e a sua contra-espionagem, o Sodalitium Pianum, assassinaram reis, políticos e financeiros, como Henrique IV de França ou Roberto Calvi; viram-se envolvidos em revoltas e revoluções; financiaram ditadores e apoiaram golpes de Estado; criaram sociedades para cometer assassínios selectivos; traficaram armas; apoiaram grupos em conflito; ajudaram na fuga de criminosos de guerra nazis e provocaram falências show more bancárias e financeiras, tudo isso em nome de Deus e da fé católica por ordem do Sumo Pontífice.
Desde Pio V até João Paulo II, este livro relata cinco séculos de operações encobertas do serviço de espionagem pontifício. Trata-se de um documentado e surpreendente ensaio que dá a conhecer informação inédita que, sem dúvida, despertará o interesse dos leitores. show less
Cardeal Paluzzo Paluzzi, chefe da Santa Aliança, século XVII
Desde 1566, ano da fundação do serviço de espionagem papal, até aos nossos dias, a Santa Aliança e a sua contra-espionagem, o Sodalitium Pianum, assassinaram reis, políticos e financeiros, como Henrique IV de França ou Roberto Calvi; viram-se envolvidos em revoltas e revoluções; financiaram ditadores e apoiaram golpes de Estado; criaram sociedades para cometer assassínios selectivos; traficaram armas; apoiaram grupos em conflito; ajudaram na fuga de criminosos de guerra nazis e provocaram falências show more bancárias e financeiras, tudo isso em nome de Deus e da fé católica por ordem do Sumo Pontífice.
Desde Pio V até João Paulo II, este livro relata cinco séculos de operações encobertas do serviço de espionagem pontifício. Trata-se de um documentado e surpreendente ensaio que dá a conhecer informação inédita que, sem dúvida, despertará o interesse dos leitores. show less
Nov 8, 2020Portuguese (Portugal)
PRIMERA GAVETA ( IZQ. )PARTE SUPERIOR
Apr 27, 2019Spanish
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39 Works 467 Members
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Le terre [Fazi] (175)
Common Knowledge
- Canonical title*
- L'entità: la clamorosa scoperta del servizio segreto vaticano. Intrighi, omicidi, complotti degli ultimi cinquecento anni
- Original title
- La Santa Alianza
- Original publication date
- 2008
*Some information comes from Common Knowledge in other languages. Click "Edit" for more information.
Classifications
- Genres
- Nonfiction, History, Religion & Spirituality, General Nonfiction, Politics and Government
- DDC/MDS
- 327.12456 — Social sciences Political science International Relations Foreign policy and specific topics in international relations Espionage and subversion Intelligence Gathering - Europe
- LCC
- UB271 .V38 .F73 — Military Science Military administration Military administration Intelligence
- BISAC
Statistics
- Members
- 133
- Popularity
- 244,536
- Reviews
- 3
- Rating
- (3.43)
- Languages
- 5 — English, French, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish
- Media
- Paper, Ebook
- ISBNs
- 13
- ASINs
- 2
