Cesare Maria De Vecchi The Monarchical Quadrumvir #994276

This biography of Cesare Maria De Vecchi, one of the major ras of the fascist regime who is often overlooked by historiography compared to other figures of the regime, expands and elaborates upon the previous biographical essay published in the work "Tre fascisti – Tre fascismi". Its purpose is to reconstruct in greater detail the life of this figure who, as one of the quadrumvirs of the March on Rome, played a prominent role in forcing the sovereign's hand and leading to Mussolini's appointment as Prime Minister—though this is not the only event in which he played a leading role in the regime's history.
In this essay, De Vecchi's life is traced chronologically, giving ample space to his actions aimed at the fascistization of all areas of civil life, both in Italy (first as a squadrist, ras, undersecretary for pensions, and later as Minister of Education—a role of particular weight in conditioning Italian culture, an activity he also pursued through the control of the Institute for Risorgimento Studies) and in the colonies (first as governor of Somalia and later of the Dodecanese). To this series of significant institutional offices must be added that of the first ambassador to the Holy See, as well as his position as a leading figure of the fascist regime from its rise to power until its collapse, which led to De Vecchi's flight abroad and, only later, his return to Italy. The concluding part analyzes the controversial issue of his alleged membership in Freemasonry.
In the work's appendix, to illustrate more clearly the trajectory of De Vecchi's thought and his impact on the life of the country, lists of his printed works and the honors awarded to him by the Italian state and the Vatican are included.