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​He was born on 10^th December 1883 in Mesagne (BR). He joined the Army in December 1901 as a volunteer and continued the career as First Lieutenant until 1910; since then he attended the Special Course for Non-Commissioned Officer Students in Modena and was promoted First Lieutenant of the Infantry Army.
He was sent to Libya to participate in the battle of SciaraZanja, near Tripoli, where his regiment was awarded with the Gold Medal to the Military Valour; he was then awarded with a decoration to the Valour. In September 1912 he came back to Italy for health reasons; the following year he was promoted Tenant and was assigned to the 3^rd Battalion of the 84^th Infantry based in Libya. On 17^th November 1915 he was promoted Captain. Repatriated definitively at the end of 1916, he was sent to the front with the 57^th Infantry, taking on the Command of a battalion; he was awarded again with a decoration to the Valour. For having distinguished himself on the battlefield, he was awarded with a third decoration to the Valour.
Wounded during a battle, during his convalescence he was promoted Major. Since 16^th January 1918 after having passed to the 6^th and then to the 9^th Assault Unit of the 18^th Division, in May he was awarded with the fourth decoration to the Valour in Grazigna. During the battle of Solstizio he was awarded with the Cross of the Military Order of Savoy (fifth decoration). Passed to the area of Monte Asolone with his Assault Unit, on 24^th June 1918 he was awarded with a sixth decoration to the Valor remaining injured by a grenade. He re-entered to service at the beginning of 1919 at the 9^th Assault Unit in Risano (UD) but, when the unit was broken up, he passed to the Deposit of Padova; in May he was promoted Lieutenant Colonel for "war merit". Engaged in the operations in Albania, he was awarded with the seventh decoration to the Valour. In April 1923, leaving the post as member of the Tests Commission and as Court Judge, he became Aid-de-Camp of the King Vittorio Emanuele III.

In 1927 he was appointed Honorary Aid-de-Camp of the king and assigned to the 9^thBersaglieri Regiment with the rank of Colonel; he was the Commander of that regiment for 8 years until 16^th September 1935. He was then promoted Brigadier General and took on the Command of the 3^rdBrigataCelere of Verona. Later he was appointed Deputy Chief of the Infantry Division "Cosseria" with whom he participated in the Eastern Africa Campaign against Ethiopia. Returned to Italy from Massaua on 28^th September 1936, on 1^st November he was appointed Inspectorate Officer of the Celeri Troops and so the Commander of the 3^rdCelere Division "Prince Amedeo Duke of Savoy" of Verona with the rank of Major General.

In 1939 he was appointed Deputy Commander of the Expedition Corp in Albania and participated in the operations for the conquest of the Country, getting for his valour the Officer Cross of the Military Order of Savoy (eighth decoration).

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Leaving the Command of the 3^rdCelere Division, he was sent again to Albania where he was appointed Special Armed Corp Commander. He distinguished himself in the series of operations on the Albanian front between December 1940-April 1941, getting the promotion to Lieutenant General for "war merit".

On 14^th July 1941 he was appointed Commander of the Italian Expedition Corp in Russia and the following day left with the contingent. He participated in the operations of 1941-1942 in Ukraine, fighting victoriously from the river Dnieper to Don and getting the Commander Cross of the Military Order of Savoy (ninth decoration) and two German decorations to the Valour (tenth and eleventh decoration); on 10^th July 1942 he took on the Command of the 35^thArmy Corp, part of the Italian Army in Russia. At the end of 1942 he left the Command of the 35^th Army Corp and was promoted Army General for "war merits". On 17^th December of the same year he got the twelfth decoration.

In February 1943 he went to Tunis to take on the Command of the 1^st Mobilized Army. He participated in the operations on that front, distinguishing himself for Valour​​ and expertize; he was awarded with the Grand Officer Cross of the Military Order of Savoy (thirteenth decoration) and on 12^th May he was promoted Marshal of Italy for "war merit".

He was captured on 13^th May 1943 and, after the surrender of the 1^st Army, he was repatriated and later appointed Chief of General Staff; on 1^st February of the same year he was appointed Prime Minister of the Military Order of Italy.

In Reserve since 27^th March 1947, in 1953 he was elected Senator of the Republic and died on 18^th December 1968 in Rome.