He died on 12 June 2023 in Milan at the age of 86.
Rising from a middle-class background, he built one of Italy’s largest media empires and served as Prime Minister of Italy in three non-consecutive terms (1994–1995, 2001–2006, and 2008–2011), becoming the longest-serving postwar prime minister.
Known as “Il Cavaliere” for his Order of Merit for Labour, he was a dominant figure in Italian politics, business, and culture for decades, controlling major television networks through Mediaset, the publishing house Mondadori via Fininvest, and owning AC Milan football club from 1986 to 2017.
Siblings
Silvio was the eldest of three children born to Luigi Berlusconi and Rosa Bossi.
His sister, Maria Francesca Antonietta Berlusconi, was born on 9 June 1943 and died on 25 February 2009.
She maintained a relatively private life, shared a close bond with her brothers, and was the mother of three children: Sabrina Maria Pia Beretta, Silvio Beretta, and Paolo Beretta.
She had a passion for dance and co-founded a dance school with her daughter.
His younger brother, Paolo Berlusconi, was born on 6 December 1949 in Milan.
Paolo became an entrepreneur, publisher, and sports executive.
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He has served as publisher of the newspaper Il Giornale, headed the investment group Paolo Berlusconi Finanzaria, held stakes related to Il Foglio, and been involved with AC Monza.
Career
After earning a law degree from the University of Milan in 1961, Berlusconi entered real estate development, founding companies such as Edilnord and developing large residential projects including Milano 2 on the outskirts of Milan.
In the 1970s he expanded into media by launching the cable television service Telemilano, which evolved into Italy’s first major commercial television networks.
He founded the holding company Fininvest in 1978 to manage his growing interests.
By the 1980s he controlled national channels Canale 5, Italia 1, and Rete 4, later consolidated under Mediaset, breaking the dominance of state broadcaster RAI with popular entertainment programming.
Fininvest also acquired significant stakes in publishing (including Mondadori), advertising, insurance, and other sectors.
In 1986 he purchased AC Milan, transforming it into a highly successful club that won multiple Serie A titles and European Cups during his ownership; he sold it in 2017.
Entering politics in 1994, he founded the centre-right party Forza Italia and led it for many years, serving multiple terms as prime minister and later as a member of the European Parliament and Italian Senate.
Accolades
Berlusconi received the Order of Merit for Labour (Cavaliere del Lavoro) in 1977, the source of his nickname “Il Cavaliere,” though he later resigned from the order.
He was awarded the Royal Norwegian Order of Merit in 2001, the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland in 2002, Malta’s National Order of Merit in 2004, Latvia’s Order of the Three Stars in 2005, and Libya’s Al-Fateh Medal in 2009, among other international recognitions.
Under his ownership, AC Milan achieved major sporting successes that enhanced his public profile.
In 2009 Forbes ranked him among the world’s most powerful people for his long dominance of Italian centre-right politics.
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