At a time of intensifying nationalism and secularism he refused to compromise or fall back on his weaker predecessors' habit of making short-term political deals that would compromise the Church's autonomy and its ability to rise above ethnic and imperial concerns.
He saw the future and took steps to protect the truth at great personal cost.
Pius IX, Leo XIII and Pius X did incredible work under trying circumstances.
I’ve been studying the Risorgimento (via the life of Giuseppe Verdi) and that Pope’s part to play in it.