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While Hitler was inspired by Mussolini's fascist movement, Mussolini himself had also been inspired by another individual: Gabriele D'Annunzio. He established the Regency of Carnaro in Fiume. The state existed for a little over a year, from 1919 to 1920 (when the Italian military forced him out). Since Fiume was not part of the Treaty of London, it remained Croatian despite being surrounded by Italian territory. Upset by the aftermath of the pacts of WW1, D'Annunzio took matters into his own hands and brought troops and seized the city.
D'Annunzio was no stranger to war, serving during WW1 and losing an eye in the process. He served as a pilot took on risky missions. His military stunts helped by him the respect from fellow veterans he needed to create his own mini-army of several hundred. Once he took over the city, he established himself as a dictator.
While he's been given the opportunity to reach an agreement with the government to have Fiume annexed by Italy, he rejected it due to his distrust of them. Eventually, he declared war on Italy after the Treaty of Rapallo, but the battle was short-lived. The Regency of Carnaro was over.
Disgraced and no longer a figurehead in politics, D'Annunzio turned to fascism and attracted the attention of none other than Benito Mussolini. The constitution of Carnaro established a corporatist state that each economic sector must join, and people appointed by D'Annunzio. It included courts and legislative power.
But what had interested Mussolini the most were the other aspects of D'Annunzio's leadership. He spoke from a balcony, used the Roman salute (evocative of other fascist rulers), chants, and dramatic dialogue. He encouraged public nationalist spectacles, created the original blackshirts (the Arditi) and their intimidation tactics. The irredentism supported by D'Annunzio was expanded by the fascist regime after WW1 as well. Mussolini went on to form his own group of blackshirts and use similar public speaking techniques, while D'Annunzio retired and continue to write papers until his death in 1938. This suggests that some of the concepts of fascism were not really new for their time, but rather more extreme expansions on previous ideas.
I think it is very interesting to look at political leaders in terms of who inspired them.I think a lot of important actions taken in history were inspired by previous ones. Additionally I have never heard of DAnnunzio before. I think that makes it more special. People not as historically important can be the inspiration for huge historical figureheads like Mussolini.
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