The Island of Elba
It is difficult to find another tiny island with as rich and tormented a history
as Elba.
The earliest references to the island date back to remote times in which history
and legends were inextricably intertwined.
In times closer to our days we know that Elba’s destiny has always depended on
two factors: its strategic position and its wealth of minerals. And for these
reasons it was often conquered by the various powers which dominated the Mediterranean.
For the Etruscans it was an inexhaustible source of wealth and Elba’s iron greatly
contributed to the prosperity of this mysterious civilization.
The Romans appreciated Elba for its iron but also for its curative mud. Their
interest is evident in one of the two wealthy patrician villas which have been
found on the island not far from the thermal area. During the Middle Ages the
island was dominated by Pisa and the Pisans left many important and fascinating
defensive constructions on the island which are proof how important possession
of this little island was in ancient times.
Then came the Appiani lords and Cosimo de’ Medici who built his Cosmopoli (today
the little town of Portoferraio) on the ruins of the ancient Roman Fabrica, adding
massive defensive walls which saved the inhabitants from incursions by maurading
pirates.
Ths Spanish settled in Porto Azzurro and got down to defending their territory
with a striking building: the San Giacomo Fort which later became a prison and
still today dominates the little town.
Elba also came into the sights of the English, the Germans and the French who
squabbled over it using diplomacy but also arms to gain possession of the island.
Moving on to times closer to today the period which made the island famous, projecting
it to notoriety around the world, was Napoleon’s brief exile here. He stayed
on the island for ten months before embarking on the 100 Days adventure.
Bonaparte left a significant mark on this tiny kingdom. In fact Napoleon was
sovereign of Elba and not a simple prisoner as he had been on Sant’Elena.
On Elba there are endless mementoes and memories of its tormented past: archaeological
sites, military structures, Napoleon’s residences and, around the coastline, wrecks
of the many ships that carried Elba’s wines to cities around the Mediterranean.
It is therefore a treasure trove of fascination for scholars and archaeologists
alike as well as for all those who like to discover and delight in reliving the
past.
