Italian fascist leader Benito Mussolini was known as 'Il Duce', which means 'The Leader' in Italian. He led the National Fascist Party and was Italy's Prime Minister from 1922 until 1943. Mussolini's fascist ideology emphasized authoritarianism, nationalism, and dictatorship. He played a key role in Italy's alliance with Nazi Germany during World War II, but was eventually overthrown by his own people and executed by Italian partisans in 1945. Mussolini's legacy remains controversial, as his regime was associated with human rights violations and aggressive foreign policies.