Why did King Victor Emmanuel III refuse to declare a state of siege during the March on Rome?

During the March on Rome in October 1922, Prime Minister Luigi Facta requested that King Victor Emmanuel III authorize a state of siege to deploy the army against the advancing Blackshirts. The King refused to sign the decree, effectively preventing the military from opposing the Fascist Party and leading to the subsequent appointment of Benito Mussolini as prime minister.123

While the exact motivations for the King's refusal remain a subject of historical debate, several factors have been suggested by scholars:

• Fear of Civil War: The King may have wished to avoid the bloodshed and instability of a domestic conflict.2
• Preservation of the Monarchy: There was concern that refusing to cooperate with the fascists could result in the loss of his throne.2
• Political Neutralization: He may have hoped to stabilize the government by bringing the fascists into the national political fold, believing he could neutralize their radicalism through formal inclusion.2

Ultimately, this decision facilitated a transfer of power that bypassed the military option and allowed Mussolini to assume control within the constitutional framework.23