Rosa Maltoni
Born22 April 1858
San Martino in Strada, Forlì, Papal States
(now in Italy)
Died19 February 1905(1905-02-19) (aged 46)
Predappio, Kingdom of Italy
(now in Italy)
OccupationTeacher
Children
FamilyMussolini family

Rosa Maltoni (married Mussolini; 22 April 1858 – 19 February 1905)[1] was the mother of Italian Fascist founder and leader Benito Mussolini.

Personal life

Rosa Maltoni was the mother of Benito, Arnaldo and Edvige Mussolini, the mother-in-law of Rachele Mussolini and the paternal grandmother of Bruno Mussolini, Edda Mussolini, Romano Mussolini, and Vittorio Mussolini. Maltoni was a nominal Catholic schoolteacher who married the socialist Alessandro Mussolini against the wishes of her father.[2] After Benito, Rosa had three more children, Arnaldo, Laura, and Edvige. She died of meningitis in 1905 when her son, Benito Mussolini, was only 22.[1]

Mussolini was reportedly very attached to his mother, and during the Fascist period, Rosa came to represent the ideal Italian woman.[3][4][5][6] On June 17, 1930, a ceremony was held to honor her as a "great educator and glorious mother."[5]

References

  1. ^ a b De Giorgi, Valentina (2004). Mussolini. Glorie e disonori del primo Novecento italiano. Alpha Test. ISBN 9788848304870.
  2. ^ Roberts, Jeremy. Benito Mussolini. A & E; Twenty-First Century Books, 2006. Pp. 10.
  3. ^ Borneman, John (2004). Death of the father: an anthropology of the end in political authority. Berghahn Books. p. 41. ISBN 9781571811110.
  4. ^ Mangan, J.A.; Fan Hong (2001). Freeing the female body: inspirational icons. Psychology Press. p. 185. ISBN 9780714650883.
  5. ^ a b Ongaro, Ercole (2006). Il lodigiano nel Novecento. La cultura. FrancoAngeli. p. 100. ISBN 9788846471420.
  6. ^ Dittrich-Johansen, Helga (Jul–Sep 1995). "La "Donna nuova" di Mussolini tra evasione e consumismo". Studi Storici. 36 (3): 821.


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