Roald Engelbregt Gravning Amundsen was a Norwegian explorer born on July 16, 1872, in Borge, Østfold, Norway, who played a pivotal role in the Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration. Beginning as the first mate on Adrien de Gerlache's Belgian Antarctic Expedition of 1897–1899, Amundsen embarked on a career marked by groundbreaking achievements.

In 1903–1906, Amundsen led the first successful expedition to traverse the Northwest Passage aboard the sloop Gjøa. His eyes then turned to the South Pole, leading him to undertake the first successful journey to the pole in 1911. Departing from Norway in 1910 aboard the Fram, his party established a base at the Bay of Whales before conquering the pole on December 14, 1911. After a failed attempt to drift across the North Pole in 1918 using the ship Maud, Amundsen shifted focus to aerial exploration. In 1926, he and 15 others became the first confirmed explorers to reach the North Pole in the airship Norge. A lifelong bachelor, Amundsen's personal life remained private, marked by a relationship with Kristine Elisabeth Bennett and an engagement to Bess Magids. 

Amundsen's career ended tragically in June 1928 during a rescue mission for the airship Italia in the Arctic. His French Latham 47 flying boat vanished, and the search for his remains, never found, was called off in September 1928. Amundsen's legacy extends beyond exploration. His meticulous planning, mastery of Arctic survival, and innovative approach, like using sled dogs and adopting Inuit-style clothing, distinguished him. His scientific contributions, such as the 1910–1911 Fram Expedition, further enriched his legacy. The Amundsen–Scott South Pole Station and the Amundsen crater on the moon bear testament to his enduring impact on polar exploration.

• Roald Amundsen (1872-1928) in fur (public domain)