Monday, January 30, 2012

Question 1344: Enough tango for the cash


Initially, this place X was inhabited by a tribe, Ilvati, who were originally from the north western region of Italy. Thus it was called Ilva. Famous for its abundant mines and iron deposits, the Greeks referred to it as Aethalia, which literally meant fumes after fumes of the furnaces for metal production.

After a series of invasions and barbarian raids, it came into possession of Pisa and after changing hands among the Italians and Spaniards it finally fell into French hands in 1802. Since then, X is particularly famous as the place where Y lived temporarily. During Y's stay, he was responsible for economic and social reforms which led to a better standard of living.

The connection between X and Y is also the subject of a certain well known wordplay.

Identify X and Y.

Answer: X: Elba Y: Napoleon and the palindrome "Able was I ere I saw Elba".

12 Answers:

Vasudev said...

elba(obvious?) Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte

trinetra said...

napolean the isand of elba

Roopak K said...

Elba and napoleon

Nithin K A said...

X - Elba
Y - Napolean Bonaparte

Adi said...

(sic)The Island Elba, best known for its connection to Napolean, who was sent there to begin his exile after the treaty of fountainebleau. His stay there is the basis for the famous palindrome 'Able was I ere I saw Elba'.

Anonymous said...

X = Elba
Y = Napoleon

shabaz said...

X-the place is ELBA
y=Napoleon Bonaparte

the wordplay is the famous palindroimic sentence

ABLE WAS I ERE I SAW ELBA

Faizan Ashraf said...

X- ELBA
Y- NAPOLEAN

raghav said...

X-elba
Y-napoleon

wheelsandwings said...

X: Elba
Y: Napolean,
wordplay: able was i ere i saw elba

Gklcap said...

Isola d'elba...the place wer napolean bonaparte was exiled to

abhimanyu said...

elba..napolean stayed here..
"Able was I ere I saw Elba"