Duce
From Free net encyclopedia
- Duce can also mean Dictionary of Uncontemporary English.
Duce is an Italian word meaning leader, derived from Latin word dux of the same meaning.
As early as 1923, Italian prime minister Benito Mussolini adopted the name Duce (Il Duce), as his de facto title in an attempt to elevate himself to a position as the nation's unquestioned supreme leader. It was similar to German Chancellor Adolf Hitler's title of Führer in Nazi Germany and General Secretary Joseph Stalin's title of vozhd' in the Soviet Union.
The title had earlier been used by Gabriele D'Annunzio as dictator of the self-proclaimed Italian Regency of Carnaro in 1920. Other Italian leaders whose names derive from dux are the Doges of Venice and Genoa, and the title of nobility duca ("duke").Template:Poli-stub