Northern Italian States (The German Century)

The Northern Italian States, also known as Italy or North Italy, was a fascist republic that existed from 1919 to 1945. The republic originally began as a military dictatorship, created after the Allied defeat in World War I and the dissolution of the Kingdom of Italy. King Victor Emmanuel III was sent into exile and he spent the rest of life in the Netherlands. In 1921, Benito Mussolini was appointed the position of Duce (Italian for leader). Although he wasn't the head of state, Mussolini had absolute power and he ruled with an iron fist. North Italy fought on the side of the Allied Powers during World War II, although successful in Italy, the republic suffered many defeats. Eventually, the government was overthrown and Mussolini was arrested and later executed.