# Ida Conquest > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Ida_Conquest > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Ida_Conquest.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ida_Conquest > Source revision: 1317906032 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) **Ida Conquest** (February 26, 1876 – July 12, 1937) was a [leading lady](/source/Leading_lady) of [Broadway](/source/Broadway_theater) in the late 19th century and early 20th century. ## Family Ida Conquest was from [Boston, Massachusetts](/source/Boston,_Massachusetts), the daughter of John Alfred Stokes Conquest and the former Elizabeth "Eliza" Harriet Mortimer of Centre Street in [Brookline, Massachusetts](/source/Brookline,_Massachusetts).[1] Her father was a partner in a successful fish wholesale business.[2] ## Theater actress Conquest's enthusiasm for theater dated from her childhood when she was in a production of *Pinafore* at the Boston Museum. She made her first appearance in New York at the Fifth Avenue Theatre on January 28, 1893, as the First Girl Friend in *The Harvest.*[3] She began at the bottom of the ladder and according to a writer in 1900, "her advancement was thoroughly legitimate, meaning good hard work with every rung." The same reporter noted her charm, intelligence, and fine education. She was the leading woman for [John Drew](/source/John_Drew,_Jr.), [Richard Mansfield](/source/Richard_Mansfield), and [William Gillette](/source/William_Gillette). Conquest appeared in many roles in [New York City](/source/New_York_City) and [London, England](/source/London,_England) before retiring from the stage in 1911. She made her stage debut at Miner's Theater on [Fifth Avenue](/source/Fifth_Avenue_(Manhattan)) on January 25, 1893. She played the role of *First Girl Friend* in *The Harvest*. In 1894 she acted in support of [Olga Nethersole](/source/Olga_Nethersole) in *The Transgressor* at Palmer's Theater, 485 Broadway near Broome Street. Conquest also worked with Nethersole in [Camille](/source/The_Lady_of_the_Camellias), portraying *Nanine*. She traveled to London's [Garrick Theatre](/source/Garrick_Theatre) in 1898 with Gillette, in *Too Much Johnson*. At the [Empire Theatre](/source/Empire_Theatre_(41st_Street)) in [New York City](/source/New_York_City) Conquest was successful in *The Second In Command* (1901) with Drew. Together with Drew she starred in *Richard Carvel*, a play based on a best-selling novel written by the American novelist [Winston Churchill](/source/Winston_Churchill_(novelist)). Drew and Conquest again teamed to make *The Tyranny of Tears*. Conquest succeeded [Isabel Irving](/source/Isabel_Irving) as the leading lady of the John Drew Company. She played numerous parts at the Empire Theatre. She depicted characters in *Under The Red Robe*, *Bohemia*, *A Man And His Wife*, and *[The Conquerors](/source/The_Conquerors_(play))*. In 1895 Conquest became leading lady of the Empire Theatre Company of [Charles Frohman](/source/Charles_Frohman). Conquest became associated with the English actor Mansfield at the [New Amsterdam Theatre](/source/New_Amsterdam_Theatre) in 1904. In *Ivan the Terrible* she acted the character of the *Empress*. Paired with Mansfield she appeared in *Old Heidelberg*, *Beau Brummel*, *A Parisian Romance* and *Beaucaire*. According to friends of Conquest, the actor never demonstrated his characteristic irascibility while working with her. In 1907 Conquest appeared in several shows at [Denver](/source/Denver)'s [Elitch Theatre](/source/Elitch_Theatre), including [Leah Kleschna](/source/Leah_Kleschna) and the play of [The Second in Command](/source/The_Second_in_Command).[4] Additional theatrical productions in which Conquest participated are *The Girl With The Green Eyes*, written by [Clyde Fitch](/source/Clyde_Fitch), *The Money Makers*, *Man and Superman*, *Little Brother of the Rich*, *Wolf*, and *The Talker*. Her final New York appearance was with [Alla Nazimova](/source/Alla_Nazimova) in *Little Eyolf* (1910). Written by [Henrik Ibsen](/source/Henrik_Ibsen), the play was staged at the Nazimova 39th Street Theatre. ## Jeweler Conquest made jewelry as a hobby. To acquire proficiency she spent a number of weeks in the factory of Roman Bronze Works in [Greenpoint, Brooklyn](/source/Greenpoint,_Brooklyn). She married the head of the company, Riccardo Bertelli, at [Trinity Church, Boston](/source/Trinity_Church,_Boston), in October 1911. Bertelli, a graduate of the [University of Turin](/source/University_of_Turin), established himself in New York in the decade before he married Conquest. He was the oldest son of Admiral Luigi Bertelli of [Genoa](/source/Genoa). Conquest left the stage after she wed Bertelli. She wore a [coronet](/source/Coronet) which she crafted herself in the role of *Sylvia* in *The Little Brother of the Rich*. It was copied from a spray of [mistletoe](/source/Mistletoe). She designed jewelry while she traveled, using a sketch pad and pencil as she became inspired. Conquest worked with rings, [cameos](/source/Cameo_(carving)), and [lapis lazuli](/source/Lapis_lazuli). She became skilled in setting stones and employing California [abalone](/source/Abalone) shells to make [headpieces](/source/Headpieces). ## Death In 1937 Ida Conquest died at her home, 320 [East 72nd Street](/source/East_72nd_Street), Manhattan, New York City. She was 61 years old. Her funeral was conducted from [St. James Episcopal Church](/source/St._James'_Episcopal_Church_(New_York_City)), [Madison Avenue](/source/Madison_Avenue_(Manhattan)) and 71st Street. Her husband was in [Europe](/source/Europe) and did not attend the service. A daughter, Gigiotta Bertelli, who later married [Gabriele D'Annunzio](/source/Gabriele_D'Annunzio)'s son Ugo,[5] was the only member of the [immediate family](/source/Immediate_family) present. Conquest was buried in [Woodlawn Cemetery, Bronx](/source/Woodlawn_Cemetery,_Bronx). ## References - "An American Stage Beauty". Delphos Daily Herald. September 22, 1900. p. 2. - "Ida Conquest Weds To-Day". *[New York Times](/source/New_York_Times)*. October 23, 1911. p. 2. - "Ida Conquest, 61, Actress, Is Dead". *[New York Times](/source/New_York_Times)*. July 13, 1937. p. 19. - "Services Are Held For Ida Conquest". *[New York Times](/source/New_York_Times)*. July 15, 1937. p. 19. - "Jewel Work Brilliant Hobby of Clever Actress". *[Washington Post](/source/Washington_Post)*. May 22, 1910. p. 108. 1. [Thomas Peverly of Portsmouth, N.H. 1623-1670 and Some of His Descendants By Henry Winthrop Hardon, A.M., LL.B. Privately Printed, 1927 No. 39/100 Wright and Potter Printing Company, Boston, Massachusetts](http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~jalanne/Thomas_Peverly_of_Portsmouth_NH.htm) 1. Great Round World, Volume 25 pg. 260 1. Eaton, Walter Prichard (1910). *The American Stage of Today*. New York, NY: P.F. Collier & Son. 1. R, Greg (14 September 2021). ["1907"](https://historicelitchtheatre.org/year1907/). *Historic Elitch Theatre*. Retrieved 2023-01-08. 1. "UGO d'ANNUNZIO WEDS GIGIOTTA C. BERTELLI". The Palm Beach Post. October 9, 1938. p. 3. --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Ida Conquest](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ida_Conquest) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ida_Conquest?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.