March on Rome – Mussolini seizes power

On October 28, 1922, the Italian fascist Benito Mussolini and his followers organized the March on Rome. This political march of the fascists was not very well organized, but it eventually led to the seizure of power by fascism.

March on Rome was supposed to be a coup

The March on Rome was intended as a coup d’état. Four days earlier, Mussolini had declared to his supporters at a party congress in Naples:

“Either they give us the government, or we go to Rome and take the government.”

At that time, the fascists already controlled large parts of northern Italy and Mussolini enjoyed great support from landowners and industrialists. Two days after the party congress in Naples, the government offered its resignation, but King Victor Emmanuel III did not immediately accept this resignation, so that the government remained in office for the time being. Mussolini issued an ultimatum to the government, and tensions rose further when incumbent Prime Minister Luigi Facta declared martial law and ordered the military to use force if necessary against the fascists if they did indeed advance to Rome.

However, this did not stop Mussolini. He gathered his supporters near Rome and then marched into the city. There the fascists had to occupy public buildings. After this, Prime Minister Luigi Facta would be forced to resign and a fascist regime had to be installed. If this failed peacefully, armed blackshirts would march into Rome and complete the coup by force.

Problems, taking power & Era Fascista

The March did not proceed as originally intended. There were major problems with the food supply. There was also a large army present in Rome, which Mussolini and his associates could have easily stopped. However, the Italian king refused to sign the martial law decree in order to avoid a massacre. On the morning of October 28, the fascists were stopped about fifty kilometers from Rome. In an attempt to put an end to the crisis, the king had in the meantime asked a pro-fascist liberal to form a coalition government in which Mussolini and some other fascists would be given ministerial posts. Mussolini, however, rejected this offer. He wanted to be prime minister. On October 29, the king then invited the leader of the fascists to the palace to form a parliamentary government.Mussolini eventually became prime minister. To give the impression that he had been brought to power by a mob, Mussolini had the fascists march into Rome after all.

The fascists then instituted a new time division in Italy: the Era Fascista, abbreviated EF. On October 28, 1922, the year 1. From October 1927 to April 1945, this era was compulsory in Italy.