It\u2019s time to take a look at the fascinating life of Mussolini\u2019s mistress and how she went from a swooning teenager to one of the most important figures in the life of Italy\u2019s most famous strongman.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You could say that Clara Petacci was destined to end up with Benito Mussolini. As a teenager she worshiped him, and that devotion continued even when she was married to another man.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But there was a defining moment that she would remember again and again. This moment that led her into her hero’s arms occurred just before that ill-fated marriage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It was April 24, 1932, just before she was set to be married to an air force officer named Riccardo Federici. On that day, she was traveling with her family from Rome to the Ostia seaside. She passed by \u201cIl Duce\u201d in his red Alfa C6 1750 Gran Turismo Zagato.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Having spent years in awe of the man, Clara told her chauffeur to follow him. When they finally caught up to him, she flagged him down and started gushing about how great a man she thought he was.<\/p>\n\n\n\n No doubt flattered by the attention of such an attractive 19-year-old, Mussolini called Clara three days later. He then invited her to read poetry to him at Palazzo Venezia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Pretty soon, the pair began talking often. Mussolini sometimes called her up to a dozen times a day, but for Clara, even that wasn\u2019t enough. She confessed to him that during periods when he didn\u2019t call, she would shake with emotion and worry that he was spending his time with other women.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Clara remained with her husband for several years while meeting regularly with Benito Mussolini. Despite the constant communication and the meetings in the Palazzo Venezia, it\u2019s not clear when their friendship turned from one of fawning admiration to a full-blown romance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But one factor that may have pushed Clara even further into Mussolini\u2019s arms was the behavior of her husband. According to Clara, he slapped her on occasion and made her and her family suffer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n After appealing to Mussolini repeatedly, Clara finally succeeded in having her husband shipped off to a military post in Africa. By the spring of 1936, the pair separated. It was not long after that Clara and Mussolini finally began their affair.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Clara\u2019s adoration of Mussolini was one of a believer worshiping a deity. She would say things like, \u201cI want to be between your feet like a little unhappy cat and earn a caress now and again.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n She assured him that she couldn\u2019t possibly live without him. Clara\u2019s devotion to Mussolini was extreme. But it may not have come as a surprise to the dictator, whose popularity was at an all-time high during this period.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You see, the 1930s were a rough decade for most of the world. An economic crisis lingered in both Europe and North America. Germany, with Hitler at the helm, was growing increasingly ambitious and hostile towards its neighbors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But during this troubling period, Italy stood apart. Its economy had weathered the crisis better than most other European countries. Many people credited Mussolini for the country\u2019s success.<\/p>\n\n\n\n That all began to change during World War II. As Italy\u2019s army lost battle after battle, proving itself to be the weak partner in the Axis alliance, Musoslini\u2019s reputation plummeted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.historydefined.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/clara-petacci-1.webp\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nClara Petacci Falls for \u201cIl Duce\u201d<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The Rise and Fall of \u201cIl Duce\u201d<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n