Antonino di San Giuliano

Antonino Paternò Castello, 8th Marquess of San Giuliano (9 December 1852 – 16 October 1914), was an Italian diplomat and Minister of Foreign Affairs and member of the House of Paternò, a major Sicilian noble family.

Early life and political career Antonino Paternò Castello was born in Catania, Sicily into the House of Paternò, a major feudal and princely family descended from House of Barcellona. In his younger years he studied economics and sociology, and published articles on agriculture, industry, population, labour legislation, and emigration in various journals.

In 1882 he was elected to parliament and aligned himself with Sidney Sonnino, representing the conservatives who identified with the old Historical Right. In the early years of the 20th century, he focused on foreign policy in the years of the polarization of European powers into the Triple Alliance and Triple Entente blocs. He was convinced that Italy's national interest could best advanced by balancing itself between the two competing alliances. Negotiating with both the Triple Entente and Triple Alliance powers, he insisted on gaining maximum territorial concessions for participation in the war to fulfill Italy's irredentist claims. 1910: Grand Cross of the Order of the Crown of Italy 1910: Grand Cordon of the Order of Leopold 19 May 1910: Grand Cross of the Order of Saint-Charles 16 March 1911: Grand Cross of the Order of Charles III 8 September 1913: Grand Cordon of the Order of the Paulownia Flowers