Umberto Cagni
Encyclopedia
Umberto Cagni was a polar explorer and an admiral in the Royal Italian Navy
. He is best known for his leadership in a probe, by dogsled, northward over the surface of the Arctic Ocean
in 1900. While his party failed in their goal of reaching the North Pole
, on 25 April 1900 Cagni and his men achieved the northernmost point achieved by exploration
up to that time, 86° 34′ N.
, which had been proclaimed only two years earlier during the Risorgimento. He well-placed father, a Piedmontese general, bestowed kinship ties that led to young Cagni being accepted for training by the Italian navy as a future officer. He was commissioned as an ensign in 1881.
Cagni advanced in the service in terms of both rank and connections. By 1899 he was a captain
in the Regia Marina
and a close associate of Prince Luigi Amedeo, an Italian duke, nephew of the king of Italy
, and experienced mountaineer
. Organizing a group of 20 Italian and Norwegian men led by himself, the royal duke sailed on 12 June 1899 from Christiania
for the recently-discovered Franz Josef Land
, via Archangel'sk. In far northern Russia, Cagni and Luigi Amedeo obtained the sled dogs
that would be a key element of the expedition. On 12 July they sailed north from Archangel'sk aboard their exploration vessel, the Stella Polare
, their goal the establishment of a winter base in Franz Josef Land that would give them a jumping-off place to attain the North Pole.
Although the base was established, trouble came during the winter of 1899-1900 when the Stella Polare was partly crushed by polar ice and the expedition's leader, Luigi Amedeo, was badly injured by frostbite
. The expedition's physician had to amputate two of the royal duke's fingers, and the maimed commander was pronounced unfit to lead the polar push. Luigi Amedeo deputized command over the lead dogsled party to Cagni, who forged northward from Franz Josef Land on 11 March. The dogs were pulling food and other supplies for three months' march.
After great difficulties, including the deaths of three men from supporting parties, the four men of the Cagni party began to realize that the North Pole was beyond their reach. Their only remaining option was to go as far north as they could, plant a flag, and return with barely enough food to keep them alive on the trek back to their base camp. As it happened, the flag was planted on 25 April at 86°34′ N., which was 35 km (20 nautical miles) north of the 86°14′ N. mark achieved by Nansen
and Johansen in 1895. This was a new "Farthest North."
After this achievement Cagni and his three companions faced a race for life. Throwing away almost all of their remaining impedimenta and crowding into a single tent, the foursome regained Franz Josef Land on 23 June, twelve days after their projected survival deadline. The explorers returned to Italy in triumph, and Cagni was lionized by leading figures of the day, such as Gabriele D'Annunzio
.
Following this achievement, Cagni returned to Italian naval sevice. He participated in the colonial conquest of Libya
in 1911-1912, served in World War I
, retired in 1923 as an admiral, and was named to the Italian Senate
. He lived for nine years in retirement, died in 1932, and is buried in his native Asti
, where his memory is celebrated to this day.
Regia Marina
The Regia Marina dates from the proclamation of the Kingdom of Italy in 1861 after Italian unification...
. He is best known for his leadership in a probe, by dogsled, northward over the surface of the Arctic Ocean
Arctic Ocean
The Arctic Ocean, located in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Arctic north polar region, is the smallest and shallowest of the world's five major oceanic divisions...
in 1900. While his party failed in their goal of reaching the North Pole
North Pole
The North Pole, also known as the Geographic North Pole or Terrestrial North Pole, is, subject to the caveats explained below, defined as the point in the northern hemisphere where the Earth's axis of rotation meets its surface...
, on 25 April 1900 Cagni and his men achieved the northernmost point achieved by exploration
Farthest North
Farthest North describes the most northerly latitude reached by explorers before the conquest of the North Pole rendered the expression obsolete...
up to that time, 86° 34′ N.
Biography
Cagni was born in 1863 in the fast-growing Kingdom of ItalyKingdom of Italy (1861–1946)
The Kingdom of Italy was a state forged in 1861 by the unification of Italy under the influence of the Kingdom of Sardinia, which was its legal predecessor state...
, which had been proclaimed only two years earlier during the Risorgimento. He well-placed father, a Piedmontese general, bestowed kinship ties that led to young Cagni being accepted for training by the Italian navy as a future officer. He was commissioned as an ensign in 1881.
Cagni advanced in the service in terms of both rank and connections. By 1899 he was a captain
Captain (naval)
Captain is the name most often given in English-speaking navies to the rank corresponding to command of the largest ships. The NATO rank code is OF-5, equivalent to an army full colonel....
in the Regia Marina
Regia Marina
The Regia Marina dates from the proclamation of the Kingdom of Italy in 1861 after Italian unification...
and a close associate of Prince Luigi Amedeo, an Italian duke, nephew of the king of Italy
Umberto I of Italy
Umberto I or Humbert I , nicknamed the Good , was the King of Italy from 9 January 1878 until his death. He was deeply loathed in far-left circles, especially among anarchists, because of his conservatism and support of the Bava-Beccaris massacre in Milan...
, and experienced mountaineer
Mountaineering
Mountaineering or mountain climbing is the sport, hobby or profession of hiking, skiing, and climbing mountains. While mountaineering began as attempts to reach the highest point of unclimbed mountains it has branched into specialisations that address different aspects of the mountain and consists...
. Organizing a group of 20 Italian and Norwegian men led by himself, the royal duke sailed on 12 June 1899 from Christiania
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
for the recently-discovered Franz Josef Land
Franz Josef Land
Franz Josef Land, Franz Joseph Land, or Francis Joseph's Land is an archipelago located in the far north of Russia. It is found in the Arctic Ocean north of Novaya Zemlya and east of Svalbard, and is administered by Arkhangelsk Oblast. Franz Josef Land consists of 191 ice-covered islands with a...
, via Archangel'sk. In far northern Russia, Cagni and Luigi Amedeo obtained the sled dogs
Siberian Husky
The Siberian Husky is a medium-size, dense-coat working dog breed that originated in north-eastern Siberia. The breed belongs to the Spitz genetic family...
that would be a key element of the expedition. On 12 July they sailed north from Archangel'sk aboard their exploration vessel, the Stella Polare
Jason (Ship)
Jason was a Norwegian whaling vessel laid down in 1881 in Rødsverven, Norway, the same shipyard which later built Ernest Shackleton's ship the Endurance...
, their goal the establishment of a winter base in Franz Josef Land that would give them a jumping-off place to attain the North Pole.
Although the base was established, trouble came during the winter of 1899-1900 when the Stella Polare was partly crushed by polar ice and the expedition's leader, Luigi Amedeo, was badly injured by frostbite
Frostbite
Frostbite is the medical condition where localized damage is caused to skin and other tissues due to extreme cold. Frostbite is most likely to happen in body parts farthest from the heart and those with large exposed areas...
. The expedition's physician had to amputate two of the royal duke's fingers, and the maimed commander was pronounced unfit to lead the polar push. Luigi Amedeo deputized command over the lead dogsled party to Cagni, who forged northward from Franz Josef Land on 11 March. The dogs were pulling food and other supplies for three months' march.
After great difficulties, including the deaths of three men from supporting parties, the four men of the Cagni party began to realize that the North Pole was beyond their reach. Their only remaining option was to go as far north as they could, plant a flag, and return with barely enough food to keep them alive on the trek back to their base camp. As it happened, the flag was planted on 25 April at 86°34′ N., which was 35 km (20 nautical miles) north of the 86°14′ N. mark achieved by Nansen
Fridtjof Nansen
Fridtjof Wedel-Jarlsberg Nansen was a Norwegian explorer, scientist, diplomat, humanitarian and Nobel Peace Prize laureate. In his youth a champion skier and ice skater, he led the team that made the first crossing of the Greenland interior in 1888, and won international fame after reaching a...
and Johansen in 1895. This was a new "Farthest North."
After this achievement Cagni and his three companions faced a race for life. Throwing away almost all of their remaining impedimenta and crowding into a single tent, the foursome regained Franz Josef Land on 23 June, twelve days after their projected survival deadline. The explorers returned to Italy in triumph, and Cagni was lionized by leading figures of the day, such as Gabriele D'Annunzio
Gabriele D'Annunzio
Gabriele D'Annunzio or d'Annunzio was an Italian poet, journalist, novelist, and dramatist...
.
Following this achievement, Cagni returned to Italian naval sevice. He participated in the colonial conquest of Libya
Italo-Turkish War
The Italo-Turkish or Turco-Italian War was fought between the Ottoman Empire and the Kingdom of Italy from September 29, 1911 to October 18, 1912.As a result of this conflict, Italy was awarded the Ottoman provinces of Tripolitania, Fezzan, and...
in 1911-1912, served in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, retired in 1923 as an admiral, and was named to the Italian Senate
Italian Senate
The Senate of the Republic is the upper house of the Italian Parliament. It was established in its current form on 8 May 1948, but previously existed during the Kingdom of Italy as Senato del Regno , itself a continuation of the Senato Subalpino of Sardinia-Piedmont established on 8 May 1848...
. He lived for nine years in retirement, died in 1932, and is buried in his native Asti
Asti
Asti is a city and comune of about 75,000 inhabitants located in the Piedmont region of northwestern Italy, about 55 kilometres east of Turin in the plain of the Tanaro River...
, where his memory is celebrated to this day.