Pius IX's so-called King of Rome was more like an honorary mayor of Rome. He was no emperor of the Roman Empire, nor was he its emperor.
As for becoming king of the Romans or anything of the sort, if Franz took it too seriously, he would surely end up like Emperor Norton.
So Franz didn't have to lead a horse, hold a stirrup, kneel, or kiss anyone's feet. He merely performed a ceremonial genuflection, though even that was still a title any royal family member would be proud to boast of.
The ceremony was elaborate and drawn out. Besides the coronation, Franz was supposed to ride in a procession outside the city, but given the security situation, that was called off.
Franz had been crowned as Rome's savior, and the Pope himself had presided over the entire affair, so the other countries were hardly in a position to say anything.
In fact, Pius IX—and the entire Holy See at that time—had their own calculations. The Papal States had suffered greatly in the disaster: its population had been decimated, its industries lay in ruins, and its debts had piled up to the sky.
Most importantly, the very foundation of the Papal States had been threatened: the people's faith was in crisis.
In 1848, far too many people had acted in the name of the Pope and religion, but what they did had already gone beyond what the faithful could tolerate.
And after the Liberals came to power, their smears and purges had shaken the Papal States to its foundations. In truth, it had become an empty shell.
So when Austria demonstrated its overwhelming strength, Pius IX had no choice but to accept Franz's deal. He had to put the powers over defense, the military, and the economy on the table,