photo by Delma Godoy
The release of Le duc des Aburzzes, gentleman explorateur by publisher Michel Guerin, comes on the 100th anniversary of the Duke's pioneering climb in the Karakoram Himalaya in 1909, when the Duke's expedition attempted K2, the second highest mountain in the world by a route now known as the Abruzzi route.
The book features many photographs by the acclaimed Vittorio Sella, whose work has inspired many climbers over the past century to climb in this spectacular region.
The biography is about the life of Luigi Amedeo di Savoia, the Duke of the Abruzzi, who came into prominence at the beginning of the last century. At the time, all the crowned heads of Europe and many political leaders in North America wondered why their countries could not produce someone as remarkable as the Duke.
He excelled in making many “firsts”, including the highest altitude mark that stood for many years. He made the first ascent of a mysterious mountain in Uganda, where he became the first to map the true source of the Nile. He reached the farthest north of any explorer to the North Pole in his time.
As a sportsman he popularized motor racing, sailboat racing and bicycle racing in Europe. As a private citizen he would popularize the tango in Europe, often in the company of many beautiful women. In North America and Europe he was well known for his romance with a beautiful American debutante, later described as “the most famous romance of its time”.
During World War I, as an admiral in the Italian Navy, he served with heroism and distinction. After the war, he would become a humanitarian and create a village in Somalia where the people could earn a living and sustain themselves. The village lasted until 1993 as the primary industry in Somalia and has served as a model for many progressive agriculture projects in Africa.
