Sidney Sonnino and Natalia Morozzo della Rocca. Adulterous Love, Aristocracy and Politics between Two Centuries

Sidney Sonnino and Natalia Morozzo della Rocca. Adulterous love, aristocracy and politics between two centuries by Paola Carlucci Carlucci explores the adulterous love between two aristocrats, the politician Sidney Sonnino and Natalia Morozzo della Rocca. Heterosexual relationship offer many insights into the history of sexuality in Italy. The prohibition of divorce made adulterous life difficult, even for members of the social and cultural elite, as Carlucci shows examining some novels from the same period, as well as the unpublished correspondence between the lovers. Carlucci concludes by narrating the involvement of Sonnino, acting as prime minister, in the Murri trial, which brought the sexual issue to the forefront of the political debate. Understanding private events in the light of the history of sexuality can enhance our knowledge of traditional fields of research, such as political history.