Who led the first successful ascent of the Matterhorn in 1865?

The first successful ascent of the Matterhorn was led by the British explorer and artist Edward Whymper on July 14, 1865.12

Whymper and his party reached the summit via the Swiss arête, a route previously considered too perilous to attempt. Tragically, the expedition is also remembered for a fatal accident during the descent, in which four members of the party fell to their deaths after a rope broke. Whymper later documented this historic and somber event in his book, Scrambles Amongst the Alps, which serves as a significant record in the history of mountaineering.13