Antonio Starabba di Rudinì

Antonio Starrabba (or Starabba), Marquess of Rudinì (16 April 18397 August 1908) was an Italian statesman, Prime Minister of Italy between 1891 and 1892 and from 1896 until 1898.

Biography Early life and patriotic activities He was born in Palermo (then part of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies) into an aristocratic Sicilian family. However, his family was of a more cultured, liberal disposition than many of their contemporaries.

In 1859, he joined the revolutionary committee which paved the way for Garibaldi's triumphs in the following year. After spending a short time in Turin as attaché to the Italian foreign office, he was elected mayor of Palermo. In 1866, he displayed considerable personal courage and energy in quelling an insurrection of separatist and reactionary tendencies. The prestige thus acquired led to his appointment as prefect of Palermo. It was while occupying that position that he put down brigandage throughout the province. In 1868, he was prefect of Naples. He endangered relations with Great Britain by the unauthorized publication of confidential diplomatic correspondence in a Green-book on Abyssinian affairs. He made it clear though that a reorganization of the Fasci would not be tolerated. Di Rudinì's minister of the treasury Luigi Luzzatti passed two measures of social legislation in 1898. The industrial workmen's compensation scheme from 1883 was made obligatory with the employer bearing all costs, and a voluntary fund for contributory disability and old age pensions was created.

To satisfy the anti-colonial party, he ceded Kassala to Great Britain, thereby provoking much indignation in Italy. His internal policy was marked by continual yielding to Radical pressure and by the persecution of Crispi. During his second term of office, he thrice modified his cabinet (July 1896, December 1897, and May 1898) without strengthening his political position. By dissolving the Chamber early in 1897 and favouring Radical candidates in the general election, he paved the way for the outbreak of popular uprisings about rising prices in May 1898.

Death and legacy Di Rudinì retained his seat in Parliament until his death in 1908. Has reputed to be a thorough gentleman and grand seigneur. One of the largest and wealthiest landowners in Sicily, he managed his estates on liberal lines and was never troubled by agrarian disturbances. The marquis, who had not been in office since 1898, died at Rome in August 1908, leaving a son, Carlo, who married a daughter of Henry Labouchère.

List of Rudinì's cabinets 1st cabinet (6 February 1891 15 May 1892)

Portfolio Holder Party President of the Council of Ministers The Marquess of Rudinì Liberal-Conservative Ministers Minister of Foreign Affairs The Marquess of Rudinì Liberal-Conservative Minister of the Interior Giovanni Nicotera Dissident Left Minister of Justice and Worship Luigi Ferraris Liberal-Conservative Minister of War Lt. General Luigi Pelloux Military Minister of the Navy Admiral Simone Antonio Saint-Bon Liberal-Conservative Minister of Finance Giuseppe Colombo Liberal-Conservative Minister of Treasury Luigi Luzzatti Liberal-Conservative Minister of Public Education Pasquale Villari Liberal-Conservative Minister of Public Works Ascanio Branca Liberal-Conservative Minister of Post and Telegraph Minister of Agriculture, Industry and Commerce Bruno Chimirri Liberal-Conservative

2nd cabinet (10 March 1896 15 July 1896)

Portfolio Holder Party President of the Council of Ministers The Marquess of Rudinì Liberal-Conservative Ministers Minister of the Interior The Marquess of Rudinì Liberal-Conservative Minister of Justice and Worship Giacomo Costa None Minister of Foreign Affairs Onorato Caetani Liberal-Conservative Minister of War Lt. General Cesare Ricotti-Magnani Military Minister of the Navy Benedetto Brin Liberal-Conservative Minister of Finance Ascanio Branca Liberal-Conservative Minister of Treasury Giuseppe Colombo Liberal-Conservative Minister of Public Education Emanuele Gianturco Democrat Minister of Public Works Costantino Perazzi None Minister of Post and Telegraph Pietro Carmine Liberal-Conservative Minister of Agriculture, Industry and Commerce Francesco Guicciardini Democrat Ministers without portfolio Civil Commissioner for Sicily Giovanni Codronchi Liberal-Conservative

3rd cabinet (15 July 1896 14 December 1897)

Portfolio Holder Party President of the Council of Ministers The Marquess of Rudinì Liberal-Conservative Ministers Minister of the Interior The Marquess of Rudinì Liberal-Conservative Minister of Justice and Worship Giacomo Costa None Minister of Foreign Affairs Emilio Visconti Venosta Liberal-Conservative Minister of War Lt. General Luigi Pelloux Military Minister of the Navy Benedetto Brin Liberal-Conservative Minister of Finance Ascanio Branca Liberal-Conservative Minister of Treasury Luigi Luzzatti Liberal-Conservative Minister of Public Education Emanuele Gianturco Democrat Minister of Public Works Giulio Prinetti Liberal-Conservative Minister of Post and Telegraph Emilio Sineo None Minister of Agriculture, Industry and Commerce Francesco Guicciardini Democrat Ministers without portfolio Civil Commissioner for Sicily Giovanni Codronchi Liberal-Conservative

Changes: On 18 September 1897, Giovanni Codronchi became Minister of Public Education, substituting Emanuele Gianturco

4th cabinet (14 December 1897 1 June 1898)

Portfolio Holder Party President of the Council of Ministers The Marquess of Rudinì Liberal-Conservative Ministers Minister of the Interior The Marquess of Rudinì Liberal-Conservative Minister of Justice and Worship Giuseppe Zanardelli Democrat Minister of Foreign Affairs Emilio Visconti Venosta Liberal-Conservative Minister of War Lt. General Alessandro Asinari di San Marzano Military Minister of the Navy Benedetto Brin Liberal-Conservative Minister of Finance Ascanio Branca Liberal-Conservative Minister of Treasury Luigi Luzzatti Liberal-Conservative Minister of Public Education Nicolò Gallo Democrat Minister of Public Works Giuseppe Pavoncelli Liberal-Conservative Minister of Post and Telegraph Emilio Sineo None Minister of Agriculture, Industry and Commerce Francesco Cocco-Ortu Democrat

5th cabinet (1 June 1898 29 June 1898)

Portfolio Holder Party President of the Council of Ministers The Marquess of Rudinì Liberal-Conservative Ministers Minister of the Interior The Marquess of Rudinì Liberal-Conservative Minister of Agriculture, Industry and Commerce Minister of Justice and Worship Teodorico Bonacci None Minister of Foreign Affairs Raffaele Cappelli Liberal-Conservative Minister of War Lt. General Alessandro Asinari di San Marzano Military Minister of the Navy Vice Admiral Felice Napoleone Canevaro Military Minister of Finance Ascanio Branca Liberal-Conservative Minister of Treasury Luigi Luzzatti Liberal-Conservative Minister of Public Education Luigi Cremona Democrat Minister of Public Works General Achille Afan de Rivera Liberal-Conservative Minister of Post and Telegraph Secondo Frola Liberal-Conservative

Orders and decorations Knight of the Supreme Order of the Most Holy Annunciation, 23 October 1896 Kingdom of Prussia: Knight of the Order of the Black Eagle, 3 February 1892