Guglielmo Libri Carucci dalla Sommaja
An Italian count and mathematician whose audacious theft of 30,000 rare books made him one of history's most infamous bibliomanes.
1803–1869 (age 66)·Italian count and mathematician·Birthday: January 2
Biography
Guglielmo Libri Carucci dalla Sommaja was a man of aristocratic bearing and formidable intellect, a mathematician elected to prestigious academies. His life took a dark turn when he was entrusted with the care of France's literary treasures as Inspector of Libraries. Behind this veneer of scholarly duty, Libri orchestrated a breathtakingly systematic plunder, smuggling priceless manuscripts and early printed books out of the country. When authorities finally grew suspicious, he fled to England with an astonishing hoard packed into eighteen trunks. Living out his days in exile, he sold his loot to collectors, scattering a unique cultural heritage. His story remains a cautionary tale of how a passion for knowledge can curdle into destructive obsession.
#1 When Guglielmo Was Born
The biggest hits of 1803
Guglielmo's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1803Born
1808Started school
1816Became a teenager
1819Could drive
1821Could vote
1824Turned 21
1833Turned 30
1843Turned 40
1853Turned 50
1863Turned 60
President: Abraham Lincoln
1869Died at 66
President: Ulysses S. Grant
Key Achievements
- Served as a professor of mathematics at the University of Pisa and was elected to the Accademia dei Georgofili.
- Appointed as the Inspector of Libraries in France, granting him unprecedented access to the nation's archives.
- Stole an estimated 30,000 books and manuscripts from French libraries over several years.
- Was tried and sentenced in absentia to ten years in prison for the thefts following his flight to England.
Did You Know?
He was a respected scholar who published works on the history of mathematics.
His full name includes the noble titles 'Carucci dalla Sommaja'.
Some of the stolen works were returned after his death, but many remain missing to this day.
He defended his actions by claiming he was rescuing the books from neglect.
“A rare manuscript is a silent witness to the vanity of its collectors.”
