Various civilisations have aspired to conquer Elba through the centuries, motivated by its strategic position and the wealth of mineral resources on the island.
From the Etruscans, who came here to mine the iron that allowed them to prosper, to the Romans, drawn here by the curative properties of the mud baths, the traces they left behind are intertwined with the classic legends of our civilisation.
In the Middle Ages, the island came under the control of the Ostrogoths and Longobards, and was plundered repeatedly by Saracen pirates until the 11th century, when it became part of the Maritime Republic of Pisa.
In the 16th century, Cosimo I de’ Medici founded the fortified city of Cosmopoli (the present-day Portoferraio), to defend the island from attacks and raids. Divided until the end of the 18th century between the control of the Grand Duchy of Tuscany and Spanish dominion, it was also coveted by the British, French and Germans due to its strategic position.
In 1814, the island was home to Napoleon during his famous ten-month exile, with numerous traces remaining of his enforced stay on Elba, including Villa dei Mulini, Villa San Martino and the Madonna del Monte Sanctuary.
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