Scipione Borghese, 10th Prince of Sulmona facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Scipione Borghese
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Borghese (left) and Barzini (right) in the Peking to Paris race.
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| Born | 11 September 1871 Migliarino
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| Died | 18 October 1927 (aged 56) Florence
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| Nationality | Italian |
| Occupation | Adventurer, politician |
| Known for | Winning 1907 Peking to Paris race |
Prince Scipione Borghese (born September 11, 1871, died November 18, 1927) was an amazing Italian adventurer. He came from a famous family called the House of Borghese. Scipione was many things: a businessman, a politician, an explorer, a mountain climber, and even a race car driver!
He is best known for winning the very first Peking to Paris car race in 1907. This was a super long and tough race across continents! Even before this big win, he was known around the world as a traveler and explorer.
Contents
An Adventurous Life
Scipione Borghese loved to explore. In 1900, he traveled all the way across Asia. He started in Beirut and went to the Pacific Ocean. He wrote a book about part of this trip called In Asia: Siria, Eufrate, Babilonia. This book, published in 1903, was very popular. It described his journey from Beirut to Basra and the Persian Gulf.
He also traveled across China and wrote another book about it. People described him as a calm and quiet person. He was very self-controlled and brave.
The Great Peking to Paris Race
The 1907 Peking to Paris race was a huge challenge. Scipione Borghese drove an Itala car. He was joined by a journalist named Luigi Barzini Sr. and his chauffeur, Ettore Guizzardi. Ettore actually did most of the driving!
The race covered about 16,000 kilometers (almost 10,000 miles). It went through deserts, mountains, and rough roads. There were no proper roads for much of the journey. Scipione and his team won the race easily, arriving in Paris three weeks before the second-place team. This made him very famous!
Scipione's Public Service
Besides his adventures, Scipione Borghese was also a politician. He was a deputy (like a member of parliament) for the Italian Radical Party from 1904 to 1913. He worked to improve areas around Rome, known as the "Agro Romano". He also fought bravely in World War I.
Family Life
Scipione Borghese was the oldest son of Paolo, the 9th Prince of Sulmona. Scipione was married twice. His first wife was Anna Maria de Ferrari, and they had two daughters together. Later, he married Teodora Martini, but they did not have children. When Scipione passed away, his brother Livio became the next Prince of Sulmona.
His Daughters
- Santa Borghese (born 1897, died 1997) lived a very long life. She married Astorre Hercolani and they had seven children.
- Livia Borghese (born 1901, died 1969) married Alessandro, conte Cavazza. They had three sons.
