How did Vatican lose 99% of its territory?

In 756, the Frankish King Pepin the Short donated territory to the Pope, creating the Papal States. Over the following centuries, the Popes gradually expanded their control across central Italy, while many European rulers sought papal recognition and protection.

In 1798, Napoleon invaded and conquered the Papal States, but after his defeat the territory was restored. During the Italian unification of the 19th century, most of the Papal States were incorporated into the Kingdom of Italy, leaving the Pope with only Rome and its surrounding area.

In 1870, Italian forces captured Rome, bringing an end to the Papal States. The Pope refused to recognize Italian control of the city, leading to a decades-long dispute known as the Roman Question. In 1929, Italian leader Benito Mussolini and the Holy See signed the Lateran Treaty, creating the independent state of Vatican City. Today, Vatican City covers just 0.44 square kilometers, making it the smallest sovereign state in the world.

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