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Born
Benito Mussolini was born in Dovia, a village in the municipality of Predappio, in the province of Forlì-Cesena, Emilia-Romagna region, on July 29, 1883. His father, Alessandro Mussolini, was a blacksmith; his mother, Rosa Maltoni, was a teacher who firmly believed in the importance of education. The name "Benito Amilcare Andrea" was decided by his father, a local socialist leader, in memory of Benito Juárez, a reformist hero and former president of Mexico. -
Joined socialist party
He joined the Socialist party at the age of 17. -
Italy
he was expelled from said organization for holding irredentist nationalist positions contrary to the internationalism of the main socialist leaders. -
Leader of the National Fascist Party
In 1922, already as the official leader of the National Fascist Party, he organized the March on Rome , after whose victory he was appointed president of the Council of Ministers. Mussolini gained growing popular support by exalting pan- Italianism , expansionism , and anti- communism , using his military influence supported by efficient fascist propaganda and symbolism-laden mass rallies. -
President of the Council of Royal Ministers
He was appointed president of the Council of Royal Ministers in December 1922, and due to little opposition from King Victor Emmanuel III , he managed to dissolve parliament and thus assume the supreme command of the Italian state. He transformed the Kingdom of Italy into the Second Italian Colonial Empire and ruled with a single party based on totalitarianism and autocracy of fascist ideology .
Mussolini won a majority in the parliamentary elections. -
The March on Rome
Mussolini urged his followers to march on Rome. There, King Victor Emmanuel III yielded to pressure and appointed Benito Mussolini as head of state, who was given special powers by decree to restore peace in Italy. -
Acquis Law
The law was promulgated that modified the conditions of the parliamentary elections. In addition, the "black shirts" were made official and the Milizia Volontaria per la Sicurezza Nazionale was created. -
Absolute Power
Mussolini gave a speech in front of Parliament in which he announced the beginning of an absolutist government. Between 1925 and 1926 laws were created that violated the right to freedom of expression and the right to strike. In addition, unions and political parties were eliminated and national employment contracts were created. At the economic level, the campaign was developed to increase wheat production and achieve a self-sufficient Italy. -
Attack
On April 7, an Irish woman tried to kill Benito Mussolini with a gun. The bullet grazed his nose and caused injuries. -
Great Fascist Council
Mussolini's main governing body was created, which was in charge of controlling and electing all government representatives. -
Lateran Pacts
Together with representatives of the Vatican, the Italian State signed a pact in which the independence of the Holy See was declared and Catholicism was established as the official religion of Italy. -
Territorial expansion
Italy declared war on Ethiopia to annex the kingdom of Abyssinia. This earned Italy criticism and sanctions from the League of Nations. Thus began relations with Germany which supported Italian expansion in Africa . Italy defeated Ethiopia and the Italian empire began. -
Racial Laws
A set of laws were enacted to persecute minorities, mainly Jews. In addition, Italy ceased to be part of the League of Nations and collaborated, along with Germany, with Francisco Franco in the Spanish Civil War . -
World War II
At the beginning of the war, Italy remained neutral because it was not prepared to go to war, but in 1940, when it was believed that the German victory was imminent, Italy declared war on France and England and in 1941 to the United States. Then he had to resort to the support and help of Germany. -
End of the government/Died
Due to the poor results of the war, the loss of territory and the casualties in the militias, King Victor Emmanuel III deposed and arrested Benito Mussolini, who was later rescued by the Germans. -
Italian Social Republic
Mussolini ruled the northern Italian territories under German watch until his execution on April 28, 1945.