Gabriele D'Annunzio (1863-1938) was a poet, journalist, playwright, and war hero who was given the titles late in life of Prince of Montenevoso and Duke of Gallese. His sensuous poetry rebelled against the strictures of naturalism in vogue at the time, while his plays were vehicles for both Sarah Bernhardt and his lover Eleonora Duse. Having served in Italy’s parliament for three years, he became a fighter pilot during World War I, in which service he lost an eye but engineered a daring leaflet drop over Vienna. Late in life, he supported many of Benito Mussolini’s policies but not the dictator himself, whom he considered to be his own political rival.