Edoardo Agnelli
Encyclopedia
Edoardo Agnelli was the eldest son of Gianni Agnelli
the industrialist patriarch of Fiat
, and Marella Caracciolo. After a troubled life, notable for his search for spiritual values, he committed suicide in 2000.
, and his mother was an Italian-American. After studying at Atlantic College
, he read modern literature and oriental philosophy at Princeton University
, where he was given the nickname Crazy Eddie for his wild behaviour.
After leaving Princeton he travelled in India
, pursuing his interest in oriental religion and mysticism
, and Iran
, where he met Ayatollah Khamenei and was reported to have converted to Islam
. According to La Repubblica
Agnelli's preoccupations became increasingly erratic, "Mysticism, Franciscanism, drugs, Buddhism
, lectures against Capital, praise of the poor, criticism of the behaviour of Fiat."
As an adult Agnelli claimed to be the heir apparent to the Fiat empire, but his father, who had already been unhappy with Edoardo's timidity when he was a child, ensured that he would not inherit it. The only official position which the younger Agnelli held in the family businesses was as a director of Juventus football club, in which capacity he was present at the Heysel disaster.
In 1990 Agnelli was charged in Kenya
with possession of 7 ounces of heroin, to which he pleaded innocent. The charges were later dropped.
, on a river bed beneath a motorway viaduct
, on which his car was found abandoned. The viaduct is known as the bridge of suicides. The death was considered by Italian investigators to have been suicide.
A 2001 Iranian documentary film claimed, without offering any evidence, that Agnelli was the victim of a Zionist plot to prevent a Muslim
becoming head of Fiat, in spite of the fact that he was not an heir to Fiat. The documentary has cult status on Iranian television and is frequently repeated in prime-time slots. In the Italian press the documentary was commentated as "building up an Urban Legend
by Iranian authorities". In 2003 it was circulated by FARS
, a press agency linked to president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. According to Corriere della Sera
, the story is also enshrined at the Museum of Martyrs of Islam at Imam Sadiq University, Iran, which contains a portrait-shrine dedicated to Agnelli.
Gianni Agnelli
Giovanni Agnelli , better known as Gianni Agnelli , was an Italian industrialist and principal shareholder of Fiat. As the head of Fiat, he controlled 4.4% of Italy's GDP, 3.1% of its industrial workforce, and 16.5% of its industrial investment in research...
the industrialist patriarch of Fiat
Fiat
FIAT, an acronym for Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino , is an Italian automobile manufacturer, engine manufacturer, financial, and industrial group based in Turin in the Italian region of Piedmont. Fiat was founded in 1899 by a group of investors including Giovanni Agnelli...
, and Marella Caracciolo. After a troubled life, notable for his search for spiritual values, he committed suicide in 2000.
Life
Agnelli was born in New YorkNew York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, and his mother was an Italian-American. After studying at Atlantic College
Atlantic College
The United World College of the Atlantic, also known as Atlantic College, is an international IB Diploma Programme boarding school in the United Kingdom. Founded in 1962, the school was the first of the United World Colleges and was among the first schools in the world to follow an international...
, he read modern literature and oriental philosophy at Princeton University
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
, where he was given the nickname Crazy Eddie for his wild behaviour.
After leaving Princeton he travelled in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, pursuing his interest in oriental religion and mysticism
Mysticism
Mysticism is the knowledge of, and especially the personal experience of, states of consciousness, i.e. levels of being, beyond normal human perception, including experience and even communion with a supreme being.-Classical origins:...
, and Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
, where he met Ayatollah Khamenei and was reported to have converted to Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
. According to La Repubblica
La Repubblica
la Repubblica is an Italian daily general-interest newspaper. Founded in 1976 in Rome by the journalist Eugenio Scalfari, as of 2008 is the second largest circulation newspaper, behind the Corriere della Sera.-Foundation:...
Agnelli's preoccupations became increasingly erratic, "Mysticism, Franciscanism, drugs, Buddhism
Buddhism
Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...
, lectures against Capital, praise of the poor, criticism of the behaviour of Fiat."
As an adult Agnelli claimed to be the heir apparent to the Fiat empire, but his father, who had already been unhappy with Edoardo's timidity when he was a child, ensured that he would not inherit it. The only official position which the younger Agnelli held in the family businesses was as a director of Juventus football club, in which capacity he was present at the Heysel disaster.
In 1990 Agnelli was charged in Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
with possession of 7 ounces of heroin, to which he pleaded innocent. The charges were later dropped.
Death
In November 2000, 46 year old Agnelli's body was found, near TurinTurin
Turin is a city and major business and cultural centre in northern Italy, capital of the Piedmont region, located mainly on the left bank of the Po River and surrounded by the Alpine arch. The population of the city proper is 909,193 while the population of the urban area is estimated by Eurostat...
, on a river bed beneath a motorway viaduct
Viaduct
A viaduct is a bridge composed of several small spans. The term viaduct is derived from the Latin via for road and ducere to lead something. However, the Ancient Romans did not use that term per se; it is a modern derivation from an analogy with aqueduct. Like the Roman aqueducts, many early...
, on which his car was found abandoned. The viaduct is known as the bridge of suicides. The death was considered by Italian investigators to have been suicide.
A 2001 Iranian documentary film claimed, without offering any evidence, that Agnelli was the victim of a Zionist plot to prevent a Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
becoming head of Fiat, in spite of the fact that he was not an heir to Fiat. The documentary has cult status on Iranian television and is frequently repeated in prime-time slots. In the Italian press the documentary was commentated as "building up an Urban Legend
Urban legend
An urban legend, urban myth, urban tale, or contemporary legend, is a form of modern folklore consisting of stories that may or may not have been believed by their tellers to be true...
by Iranian authorities". In 2003 it was circulated by FARS
Fars News Agency
Fars News Agency is a news agency in Iran. While it describes itself as "Iran's leading independent news agency", news organizations such as CNN and Reuters describe it as a "semi-official" news agency with ties to the government...
, a press agency linked to president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. According to Corriere della Sera
Corriere della Sera
The Corriere della Sera is an Italian daily newspaper, published in Milan.It is among the oldest and most reputable Italian newspapers. Its main rivals are Rome's La Repubblica and Turin's La Stampa.- History :...
, the story is also enshrined at the Museum of Martyrs of Islam at Imam Sadiq University, Iran, which contains a portrait-shrine dedicated to Agnelli.