Elba was the site of Napoleon's first exile, from 1814 to 1815.
Geography
Elba is the largest remaining stretch of land from the ancient tract that once connected the Italian peninsula to Corsica.[citation needed] The northern coast faces the Ligurian Sea, the eastern coast the Piombino Channel, the southern coast the Tyrrhenian Sea, and the Corsica Channel divides the western tip of the island from neighbouring Corsica.
Geology
The island itself is made up of slices of rocks which once formed part of the ancient Tethyan seafloor.[3] These rocks have been through at least two orogenies, the Alpine orogeny and the Apennine orogeny. The second of these two events was associated with subduction of the Tethyan oceanic crust underneath Italy and the obduction of parts of the ancient seafloor onto the continents. Later extension within the stretched inner part of the Apennine mountains caused adiabatic melting and the intrusion of the Mount Capanne and the La Serra-Porto Azzuro granitoids. These igneous bodies brought with them skarn fluids which dissolved and replaced some of the carbonate units, precipitating iron-rich minerals in their place. One of the iron-rich minerals, ilvaite, was first identified on the island and takes its name from the Latin word for Elba. More recently, high-angle faults formed within the tectonic pile, allowing for the migration of iron-rich fluids through the crust. The deposits left behind by these fluids formed the island's rich seams of iron ore.
The terrain is quite varied and is thus divided into several areas based on geomorphology. The mountainous and most recent part of the island can be found to the west, the centre of which is dominated by Mount Capanne (at a height of 1,018 metres, or 3,340 feet), also called the "roof of the Tuscan Archipelago". The mountain is home to many animal species including the mouflon and wild boar, two species that flourish despite the continuous influx of tourists. The central part of the island is a mostly flat section with the width being reduced to just four kilometres (2.5 mi). It is where the major centres can be found: Portoferraio, Campo nell'Elba. To the east is the oldest part of the island, formed over 3 million years ago.[4] In the hilly area, dominated by Monte Calamita, are the deposits of iron that made Elba famous.
Hydrography
Rivers rarely exceed 3 km (2 mi) in length, and it is common for the shorter ones to dry up during the summer. The largest rivers, sorted by length, are:
Fosso San Francesco 6.5 km (4.0 mi);
Fosso Barion, 5.1 km (3.2 mi);
Fosso Redinoce, 2 km (1.2 mi)
Between Poggio and Marciana, at the foot of Mount Capanne, is a spring called Fonte Napoleone, known for its quality.
Climate
The climate of the island is predominantly Mediterranean, except for Mount Capanne, where winters tend to be moderately cold. Precipitation is concentrated in autumn and comprises a normal rainfall. The island lies in the rain shadow of the large and mountainous island of Corsica, so precipitation totals are somewhat reduced from the mainland (most of the island receives less than 750 mm (30 inches) annually). Snowfall in winter is rare in the lowlands and melts quickly. The table below shows the average temperatures for the islands by month.
The island was originally inhabited by LiguresIlvates and was called Ilva (Ἰλούα). It was well known from very ancient times for its iron resources and valued mines. The Greeks also called it Aethalia (Αἰθαλία or Αἰθάλεια) and Aethale (Αἰθάλη) from "smoky" (αἰθάλη), after the fumes of the metal producing furnaces.[8]
Apollonius of Rhodes mentions it in his epic poem Argonautica, describing that the Argonauts rested here during their travels. He writes that signs of their visit were still visible in his day, including skin-coloured pebbles that they dried their hands on and large stones which they used at discus. Strabo (5.2.6) presents a slightly different account: "because the scrapings, which the Argonauts formed when they used their strigils, became congealed, the pebbles on the shore remain variegated still to this day."[9] The port which is now called Porto Ferraio, was known in ancient times as the portus Argous (Ἀργῶος λιμήν), because it was believed that the Argonauts landed there on their return voyage.[8]
The island was then settled by the Etruscans, who started mining iron at Elba, and later (after 480 BC) by the Romans, who called the island Ilva.[10]
In 1544, the Barbary pirates from North Africa devastated Elba and the coasts of Tuscany.[12] In 1546, part of the island was handed over to Cosimo I de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany, who fortified Portoferraio and renamed it "Cosmopoli", while the rest of the island was returned to the Appiani in 1577. In 1596, Philip II of Spain captured Porto Longone and had two fortresses built there. This part of Elba came into the direct power of Spain through the State of the Presidi, including Porto Longone. In 1736, the sovereignty of this part of Elba was claimed by the Kingdom of Naples but remained abandoned.[13]
The French Emperor Napoleon was exiled to Elba, after his forced abdication following the Treaty of Fontainebleau, and conveyed to the island on HMS Undaunted by Captain Thomas Ussher; he arrived at Portoferraio on 4 May 1814.[16] He was allowed to keep a personal guard of 400 men[17] and was nominally sovereign of Elba, a step down from Emperor of the French. However, the nearby sea was patrolled by the French and British navies to ensure he could not escape. During the months that he stayed on the island, Napoleon carried out a series of economic and social reforms to improve the quality of life. After staying for almost ten months, he managed to escape back to France on 26 February 1815 with about 1,000 men.
During the Second World War, the island was liberated from German occupation by the French 1er Corps d'Armée supported by British forces including Royal Naval Commandos on 17 June 1944, in Opération Brassard. Faulty intelligence and strong defences made the battle more difficult than expected.[18][19]
The island has a network of trails for road racers looking for more technical routes for their training, trails and dirt roads for bikers to have fun on, and accessible routes for families with children who need safe and relaxing routes. On the road from Rio nell'Elba going to Porto Azzurro is the "Fonte di Coppi". Towards the end of his career, Fausto Coppi, the "campionissimo", came here to train on the roads of Elba. He still retained a celebrity status but was no longer at the peak of his career that ended with his death a few years later. The plaque on the fountain reads: "1960–2010, here the champion quenched his thirst, after fifty years on the run".
^Roberto Ferretti (a cura di), Aspetti e problemi di storia dello Stato dei Presìdi in Maremma, 1979;
Giuseppe Caciagli, Stato dei Presidi, Pontedera, Arnera Edizioni, 1992
^Thompson, J. M. (January 1950). "Napoleon's Journey to Elba in 1814 Part II. By Sea". American Historical Review. 55 (2): 301–320. doi:10.2307/1843729. JSTOR1843729.
^Alphonse de Lamartine, p. 206. (Article XVII) His Majesty the Emperor Napoleon can take with him, and keep for his guard, 400 men, volunteers, officers, subofficers, and soldiers.
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