Edda Ciano née Mussolini was the daughter of Benito Mussolini, Italy's fascist dictator from 1922 to 1943. Upon her marriage to the fascist propagandist and Foreign Minister Galeazzo Ciano, she became Edda Ciano, Countess of Cortellazzo and Buccari. Her husband was executed in January 1944 for his role in Mussolini's ouster. She strongly denied her involvement in the National Fascist Party regime and had an affair with Chinese warlord and political figure Chang Hsüeh-liang after her father's execution by the Italian partisans in April 1945.