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Luigi Amedeo di Savoia-Aosta
Duca degli Abruzzi
(1873–1933)

Other names: Luigi Amedeo Giuseppe Maria Ferdinando Francesco

Biographical

Duca degli Abruzzi 1886–1933†
Order of Merit for Labour 1925 [Italy]
Knight Grand Cross of the Military Order of Savoy 1924 [Italy]
Knight of the Order of the Holy Annunciation 1893 [Italy]
Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus [Italy]
Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Crown of Italy [Italy]
Knight of the Order of the Seraphim [Sweden]
Knight of the Order of the Black Eagle [Prussia]
War Cross for Military Valour [Italy]
Royal Geographical Society's Gold Medal, Founder's Medal 1901
Berlin Geographical Society, Gold Medal
Honorary doctorate University of Bologna
Honorary citizen of Rome

Admiral 1918
Commander in Chief of the Italian Navy 1914-17
Vice admiral 1912
Rear admiral 1909
Navy captain 1906
Lieutenant 1893
Ensign 1890

A renowned mountaineer and explorer, Luigi studied at the Royal Navy Academy at Livorno in 1884, and finished in 1889 as a midshipman. That year, he departed on the Amerigo Vespucci, beginning his life of world travel and exploration. He departed for another world trip on the Cristoforo Colombo in 1896. In 1897, he hoisted the Italian flag atop Mount St Elias in Alaska, and in 1899, his Arctic expedition reached a latitude of 86°342 N, setting a new record. In 1899, he also conquered Broad Peak in Kashmir, and discovered an access route connecting it to K2. He climbed the highest peak of the Ruwenzori Range in east-central Africa in 1906, the first person to ever do so. Luigi occupied a number of naval posts, such as director general of the arsenal of the third maritime department of Venice from 1910 to 1911, and chief commander of the department and naval troops of La Spezia in 1912. He was a member of the Italian Academy in 1930, and president of the Navigation Society from 1931 to 1932. He founded the Village Duca degli Abruzzi (now, Jowhar) in Somalia.

Place of birth: Royal palace, Madrid
Place of baptism: Royal palace chapel, Madrid
Place of death: Jowhar
Place of burial: Jowhar

Son of King Amadeo I of Spain and Maria Vittoria dal Pozzo.

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