Encyclopedia of Elba

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The island of Elba, off the west coast of Italy, has a documented history going back to ancient times with the Jason and the Argonauts and poet Ovid being one of its most famous early visitors. The Emperor Augustus closed down the iron industry but this started again in medieval times providing much employment until 1945. Controlled by Pisa and then Genoa, but regularly attacked by North African corsairs, it was placed under Spanish and Austrian rule, becoming a part of France in 1802. In 1814-15, Napoleon Bonaparte became the island’s ruler, staying on Elba for 296 days, and remains Elba’s most famous resident. Victor Hugo grew up on Elba, and Alexandre Dumas set part of his book, The Count of Monte Cristo on a nearby island. Elba was bombarded briefly in World War I. It was bombed by the Germans in 1943, and again by the Allies in the following year. At the end of World War II the steelworks were closed down and five years later a decision was made to develop the tourist industry which now employs much of the island’s population. This book has more than 220 illustrations.