PERO TAFUR: A FIFTEENTHCENTURY SPANIARD
Margaret Wade Labarge
Trav ellers'
t a le s
and the f i f t e e n t h
adv enturo u s
c en tu ry i s p a r t i c u l a r l y
d e r iv e d
from o t h e r t r a v e l l e r s
i n t e n t i o n o f f o o l i n g t h e i r a u d ie n c e .
many t h in g s w hich str u c k
c r e d u l o u s ly
it s
f o r c e n t u r ie s
a s s o r tm en t o f o b s e r v a n t ,
the
Rather,
them as b ey o n d b e l i e f
at least
t h is was n o t w it h
the
th ey t h em selves h a d seen so
t h at i t w as e a s y
t o a cc ep t
u n e x p lo r e d w o r l d .
f ift e e n t h - c e n t u r y S p a n i a r d w hose T r a v e l s a n d A d v e n t u r e s ^
a f a s c i n a t i n g p i c t u r e o f t r a v e l d u r in g
a m is c e lla n e o u s
and o p in io n s
fabulous,
They d id p a s s on some very t a l l
they m et, b u t
the p o s s i b l e w onders o f a s t i l l
Pero T afu r,
p r o v id e
in
Such men w ere not p u rv ey o rs o f the
r e g a r d to what they t hem selves sa w .
stories
the 1 4 3 0 ' s , w as o n l y one o f
c o l l e c t i o n o f well- to- do and l i t e r a t e
E urope a nd the M id d le E a s t in
t r a v e l l e r s who e x p l o r e d
the s i x t y y e a rs b e f o r e the
They i n c l u d e d a w id e v a r ie t y o f men.
Henry
r ic h
o f liter a tu re
t r a v e l l e r s who were e a g e r to sh a r e t h e i r im p r e s s io n s
w it h a w id e r p u b l ic .
n o t in
have b een a p o p u la r b ra n c h
I V o f E n g la n d , who t r a v e l l e d
f a l l o f C o n s t a n t in o p l e .
There was H enry o f D e r b y ,
as a p i l g r i m i n
l a t e r K in g
the Holy L a n d and a c r u s a ­
d er in P r u s s i a , whose h o u s e h o ld accounts p r o v id e i n t e r e s t i n g d e t a i l on the
ways he s p e n t h i s
S w inb urn e
t im e .
2
More modest k n ig h t s
lik e
the E n g lis h m a n S i r Thomas
and the Gascon Nonpar de Caumont w ro te b r i e f d e s c r i p t i o n s
p il g r i m a g e s
to the Ho ly L a n d . ^
r e p o r t on t h e i r m is s io n s
A number o f am bassadors w e r e
to t h e ir lo rd s :
o f th e ir
r e q u i r e d to
Ruy G o n z a l e z de C l a v i j o ,
the C a s t i l i a n
w ho w e n t to the c o u r t o f Tam e rlan e
t h e B u r g u n d ia n s ,
the G rea t f o r the k in g o f C a s t i l e i n
G h i l l e b e r t de Lannoy
1403;
a nd B er tr an d o n de La B r o q u i è r e , who
c a r r i e d o u t m is s io n s fo r Duke P h i l i p the Good as r e c o n n a is s a n c e f o r a p o s s i b l e
4
crusade.
Λ F r en ch ro y a l h e r a l d , G i l l e s Le B o u v i e r , ado p ted a more g e o g r a p h i­
cal
app ro ac h when he c o m p ile d h i s
much o f E uro p e
po rary
tra v ej
in te r e s t
fello w
accounts
to d ra w o n ,
f i r s t q u e s t io n
to 1 4 3 9
is
are in d e e d o f s p e c i a l
the
fin a l
a rise.
Is
and the N e a r E a s t .
a C as tilia n ,
th er e p a r t i c u l a r
among h i s
trav els
little
from C o r d o b a ,
a p p e a re d in
journey.
about him e x c e p t t h a t he was
He t r a v e l l e d e x t e n s i v e l y t h rou gh I t a l y
and C a f f a ,
and to C y p r u s , E g y p t ,
fif t e c n t h - c e n t u r y
B ro q u iè re ,
who made an im m ediate o r a l
return but
then w a i t e d
trav els,
v ividn ess
that h e ,
T afu r d elayed
o f h is
lik e
in
travel
1926.
d e sc rip tio n s
La B r o q u i è r e ,
t e n a c io u s
life .
it
is
though
a notable
L ik e B e r t r a n d o n de La
r e p o r t to the duke o f Burgundy on h is
up the a cco u nt o f h i s
the c o m p ila t io n o f h i s
and the p r e c i s e
adventures.
The
d e t a i l o f h i s o b s e r v a t io n s u g g e s t
k e p t a b r i e f d ia r y on w h ic h he c o u l d draw as an
a i d to memory when he came to d e s c r i b e w hat was
time o f h i s
Germany
a s i n g l e e ig h t e e n th -
even in S p a i n ,
Nevertheless,
lite ra tu re .
twenty y e a rs b e f o r e w r i t i n g
to m id d le l i f e
and
and F l a n d e r s ,
The o r i g i n a l m a n u s c r ip t o f
has not b een w id e l y know n,
an E n g l i s h t r a n s l a t i o n
to Lhe
u n l ik e
and a young man o f about twenty-
f a r as P ra g u e a nd B u d a .
It
Se co n dly ,
a t t e n t io n and h is
has d is a p p e a r e d and we know o f i t o n ly through
copy in M a d r id .
a d d itio n
rem nants o f em pire
T a f u r d e v o t e d much o f h i s
to C o n s t a n t in o p l e
g o i n g as
from
For one t h i n g , he
Back in E u ro p e he e x p l o r e d more b r i e f l y Burgundy
and A u s t r i a ,
c e n tu ry
and v a l u e .
trav els
and the c o nq ue st o f 1 4 5 3 .
We know r e l a t i v e l y
f i v e when he em barked on h i s
S in a i.
in t e r e s t
T a f u r 's
to the g r e a t com m ercial c en tr es o f both E urope
alm ost c e r t a i n l y
and the Ho ly L a n d ,
a n s w er e d .
C o n s t a n t in o p le and i t s
T u r k i s h o n s la u g h t
the o t h e r t r a v e l l e r s m e n t i o n e d ,
it
c o v e r in g
W ith such a medley o f contem ­
and where does he f i t i n
the most e a s i l y
n o t a b l e powers o f o b s e r v a t io n
h is
D e s c r i p t io n d es P a y s ,
two q u e s t io n s
and v a lu e i n w hat T a f u r r e p o r ts
was th e l a s t E uro p ea n to d e s c r i b e
b efo re
L i v r e de l a
the N e a r and M id d le E a s t . ^
trav ellers?
The
1435
and
E ve n in th o se
un d ou bted ly the most e x c i t i n g
days when men r e l i e d so much more on a
and w e l l - e x e r c i s e d memory,
suc h an a i d
to r e c o l l e c t i o n w o uld seem
to h a v e been alm ost e s s e n t i a l .
T a f u r d e s c r i b e d v i v i d l y what c a u g h t h i s
By j u d i c i o u s
the
lea d in g
use o f h is
f ig u r e s
G reek em p ero r,
status
o f h is
day,
eye o r p iq u e d h i s
and c o n n e c t io n s he a r r a n g e d
i n c l u d i n g Pope E ug en iu s
the k in g o f C y p r u s ,
IV ,
curio sity .
to meet many o f
John V I I I
and t h a t e n g a g in g s t o r y t e l l e r ,
the
the V e n e t ia n
N icolo C on ti.
e n jo y e d
effort
There
can be l i t t l e q u e s t io n t h a t the young T a f u r th o r o u g h ly
the ex c it e m e n t
and pomp o f h is
to p r e s e n t h im s e l f in
travels.
C e r t a i n l y he made every
the most f a v o u r a b l e l i g h t w h e r e v e r he w ent so
t h a t he c o u ld m in gle w it h the h ig h e r
ranks o f s o c i e t y .
app ear t h at T a f u r was a r e p r e s e n t a t i v e o f a d i f f e r e n t
nob le
t r a v e l l e r s o f h is
day.
He a pp ears
i t w o uld
from the o th e r
to have b e l o n g e d to the upper l e v e l
o f the g ro w in g and i n f l u e n t i a l m erchant c l a s s , w it h
the l e s s e r n o b i l i t y ,
H o w ev er ,
class
it s
c l a im to be p a r t o f
o r what E n g la n d at t h at tim e w o u ld have c a l l e d the
gentry.
It
is
C as tile ,
a b u n d a n tly c l e a r t h at T a f u r was n ot p a r t o f the g re a t n o b i l i t y o f
a nd the
l i k e l i h o o d that he was a member o f the urban o l ig a r c h y
r e i n f o r c e d by the r e c o r d o f h is p o s i t i o n
C ord o ba in
1 4 7 9 .6
As w e l l ,
in
among the tw enty- four r e g id o r s o f
the p r o b a b i l i t y
m e r c a n t ile e s t a b lis h m e n t in A n d a l u s ia i s
the T r a v e l s and A d v e n t u r e s ,
as w e l l
o f h is
c o n n e c t io n to t h e r ic h
s u g g e s t e d by many o f h is
f ift e e n t h - c e n t u r y S p a i n .
a lr e a d y p r o f i t i n g
n a v a l power
the A t l a n t i c
esp e c ia lly ,
l i f e .^
from a g r e a t e r a o f e x p a n s io n .
In
fact,
a c t i v i t y by S p a n is h m e rc h a n t s .
and C ordoba w ere
c o n t in u e d
They vo y a g ed up and down
c o a s t to F r a n c e , E n g la n d and the Low C o u n t r ie s w h e r e ,
by the time T a f u r w ent on h is
the open A t l a n t i c and c la im in g
the m e r c a n t ile i n t e r e s t s
made the s o c i a l
in B rug es
in t h a t c i t y ' s
trav els,
com m ercial
C a s t i l e was even
the p o s s e s s i o n o f the C a n a r i e s .
and the p r e s t i g e o f
s itu a tio n of S e v ille
Such
as i t was p e r ­
Th e c l e a r i n g o f M oo rish
C a s t i l i a n s had e s t a b l i s h e d a s tr o n g p l a c e
As w e l l ,
l o o k in g i n t o
By t h at time S e v i l l e
from the S t r a i t s o f G i b r a l t a r had en c o u r a g e d th e
grow th o f com m ercial
comments
as by the a t t i t u d e s he d i s p l a y s .
a s i t u a t i o n was n ot in c o m p a tib le w it h c laim s to n o b le s t a t u s
c e iv e d in
is
the g r e a t urban l e a d e r s
and C ordoba a p a l e r image o f the g r e a t
m erchant e m p ires o f V e n ic e and G enoa.
In
the
fift e e n t h - c e n t u r y s u c c e s s f u l m erchants
in v o l v e d in
and w h o l e s a l e d i s t r i b u t i o n
c o uld be r e g a r d e d as g e n t le m e n ,
h o no u red as w e l l
and such m erchants
as b i r t h ,
g entlem en and c la im d i s t i n g u i s h e d
book to Don Fernando de Guzman,
relatives.
f o r e ig n t r a d e
f o r w e a lt h was
c o u ld a f f o r d to l i v e
For exam ple,
lik e
T a f u r s e n t h is
commander o f the k n i g h t l y O r d e r o f C a l a t r a v a ,
who was a k in s m a n , w it h
the in g e n u o u s s tatem en t t h a t he knew he l i k e d s u c h
w ritin g s
(2 0 ).
as
r efresh m e n t
T a f u r p r o v id e s
th e c h i e f and s u r e s t
c a l l e d n o b le
In h is p ro lo g u e a d d r e s s e d
a rather e l a s t i c d e f in it io n o f n o b i l i t y .
fo u n d a t io n o f n o b i l i t y , "
so lo ng as he
fo llo w s
to Don F e r n a n d o ,
’’ V i r t u e i t s e l f i s
T afu r w rote,
"A man may be
the customs o f h i s p r e d e c e s s o r s "
(1 9 ) .
N o b le s
d e fin e d
in
t h i s way d i d n o t f i t
the o l d e r p a t t e r n o f the f e u d a l n o b l e ­
man as he was p e r c e i v e d in E n g la n d and F r a n c e , w it h t h e i r em phasis on the
need
f o r n o b le b i r t h ,
se r v ic e .
In
p eculiarly
w e a lt h
any c a s e ,
from la n d s and r e n t s ,
T a f u r was a b l e
and o b l i g a t i o n
s t r o n g p o s i t i o n o f the g r e a t A n d a l u s ia n c i t i e s
S e v ille
and C o r d o b a , w h ic h had become p a r t o f C a s t i l e
century
r e c o n q u e s t , w ere in d e p e n d e n t lo r d s in
o nly
to the k in g .
The C a s t i l i a n k i n g s ,
constant stru gg les
th e c i t i e s .
They
a g a in s t
re b e llio u s
c o n s u lt e d
the c i t i e s
had s t r o n g
f i e l d when n e c e s s a r y .
tho
frequent
c arried
Cyprus
references
h i s m erchant c o n n e c t io n s ?
P e r o a ls o
a nd a l s o
h e l p s to e x p l a i n T a f u r 's
to e x p l a i n
the ro y a l
(6 4 - 6 7 ).
i n T a f u r 's
F irst,
it
is
a cc o u n t o f h is
o b v io u s
travels
that h is
tells
i n q u i t e a number o f
f a m i l i a r i t y w it h m e r c a n t il e p r a c t i c e as w e l l
T hen t o o ,
some o f the a t t i t u d e s
f r i e n d s h i p w it h
a nd who took him in t o
O th e r V en etian
o v e r the
the towns he v i s i t e d ,
d isp la y ed
o f one w it h k een com m ercial in t e r e s t s
m erchants o f w hat he c o n s i d e r s
g reat
eq u a l
the M o r o s in is
rank.
h e lp e d him when he
T hey in t e r v e n e d so s u c c e s s f u l l y
goods
to S p a in
ha ve
the s l a v e s
v isit
feelin g
fell
for
T a fu r developed a
o f ex c h an ge
trav els
(3 2 - 3 3 ).
a f o u l o f the doge and c o u n c il
c o n t r a r y to the
laws o f V e n ic e ,
that he was exem pted and even a llo w e d to r e ­
(5 7 - 5 8 ).
One elem e nt o f T a f u r 's m er c h a n d is e w o uld
fo r he h ad in v e s t e d in
to the g r e a t slave- m arket at C a f f a .
s h ip p e d back
as a deq u a te
s t o r y s u g g e s t the
and a f e l l o w
For ex a m p le ,
ha ve sh o c k ed the n o r t h e r n E uro p eans o f h i s d a y ,
s l a v e s d u r in g h is
i n h is
t h e i r h o u s e h o ld at the b e g i n n i n g o f h is
f r ie n d s
four
a f a c t w h ic h im­
in V e n ic e on whom he h ad b i l l s
s h i p l o a d he h a d im p o rted from C a f f a ,
export h is
fa m il y was
us o f the b i l l s o f ex c h an ge he h ad on v a r io u s m erch ants
a nd c o r r e s p o n d e n t s
p e r s o n a lity
that suggest
t h a t T a f u r was w ell- t o - d o , o r ,
t w en t y - fiv e when he s e t o f f ,
p lie s
fu n d s.
l e t t e r he
a b le to c o n t in u e s u p p l y i n g him w it h money d u r in g th o se
c o n sid era b le
s in c e
b e in g d e s i g n a t e d the am bassador o f the k i n g o f
as he was o n ly
years,
and f i n a n c i a l q u e s t i o n s ,
Such a p o l i c y
to K in g J u a n ,
What are some o f the h i n t s
and was
e s p e c i a l l y Jua n I I who was b e s e t w it h
g
and w h ic h l e d to h i s
w ealthy
t h e i r own r ig h t and a n s w e r a b le
fo r c e s o f both c a v a lr y and i n f a n t r y w h ic h they c o u ld
to tho s u l t a n o f E g y p t
more p r o p e r l y ,
in a tim e o f u n r e s t .
in the th ir te e n t h -
g r e a t n o b l e s , w ere happy to c o n c i l i a t e
them on m i l i t a r y
p ut in
for m ilita r y
to c la im r o y a l p a t r o n a g e b e c a u s e o f the
to S p a in w it h h i s o t h e r g o o d s ,
th r ee
He a r r a n g e d to
a p r o c e d u re w h ic h
seem ed normal to him as C ordoba m a in t a in e d a l i v e l y t r a d i t i o n o f s l a v e s used
9
as a r t i s a n s and d o m e stic s u n t i l n e a r ly 1 5 0 0 .
S l a v e s were s t i l l s o l d th er e
in
the
fift c e n t h - c e n t u r y
h o ld when ho w rote h i s
a n d T a f u r 's
book
s l a v e s were s t i l l
( 1 3 2 f ., 17 3) .
a p a r t o f h is
house­
Since
it
is
T a f u r appears so a n x io u s
in teresting
to e x p l o i t h i s c o n t a c t s w h e r e v e r he l a n d e d ,
to note t h at many o f them were r e l a t i v e l y
and fello w - c o u n try m en , whom he use d as s t e p p in g - s t o n e s .
s u g g e s t h is
u s u a l way o f p r o c e e d i n g .
q u a r t e r and h a rbo ur d i r e c t l y
T a f u r h a d d e a l i n g s w it h
a c ro s s
When he f i r s t
came to P e r a ,
the Golden Horn
a s h i p c a p t a in
u n im p o rta n t p e o p le
A few exam ples
the
from C o n s t a n t in o p l e ,
from S e v i l l e .
When he w is h e d to see
the G reek em peror he was c a r e f u l
to make the a c q u a in t a n c e o f one o f
in te rpreters,
from C a s t i l e .
re p u t e d
who was o r i g i n a l l y
jo u r n e y
through Germany,
(p r o b a b ly
Sch lick ,
(1 1 5 ,
1 1 7 ).
romances to
Later,
in h is
he used the C a s t i l i a n s he e n c o u n te r e d in N urem berg
a l s o m erchants)
the
the e m p e r o r ’ s
T h is m u lt i- t a le n t e d man was
to have g a in e d h is p o s i t i o n b e c a u s e he sang C a s t i l i a n
the em peror to the accompaniment o f the lu t e
fo re ig n
to f in d him a p l a c e
in the e n to u r ag e o f K a s p a r
v ic e - c h a n c e llo r o f the em p ero r, who was on h i s way to h i s m a s ter
in B o h em ia.
The scheme worked w e ll, fo r T a f u r c au g h t up the e m p e r o r - d e sig n a te ,
A lbert o f A u s tr ia ,
in the c o u r t 's h o l id a y
e n jo y e d
t h o r o u g h ly , e s p e c i a l l y when he was in t r o d u c e d by A l b e r t to a c h o ic e
f o r d a n c in g p a r t n e r s .
festiv ities,
The C a s t i i a n was
to
o f la d ie s
join
at B r e s l a u th ree days b e fo r e C h r is t m a s .
in v ite d
I t was on t h i s
made h is o n e ,
r a th e r u n in t e r e s t e d r e fe r e n c e
d aily
—
feature
a su rp risin g
lo v e d n o b le p u r s u i t
A p a rt
i n m arkets
H is
S h ip s
the e b b ,
be
gates,
b ut
w hic h
lin k e d Brug es
c ar e
to i t s p o r t S l u i s
t id e ,
to the
c it y w a l l s .
W h ile
lit e r a tu r e .
the o l d e r
f o r the
the c a n a l sy stem w it h
two and a h a l f l e a g u e s
lo a d e d and then r e t u r n e d on
in Antwerp the r i v e r was so good fo r n a v i g a t i o n
many goods t h a t c o uld be b ought
was
the t r a v e l
the p eak o f i t s
at l e a s t one o f the r e a s o n s
T a f u r d e s c b r ib e s w it h
had to be bro u ght up at h ig h
fa s t e n e d d i r e c t l y
the m oney.
unprecedented in
and A n t w e r p , one alm ost p a s t
are i l l u m i n a t i n g and u n d e r lin e
sluice
and b e s t ­
t h a t a p p ea r to c o n n ec t T a f u r to
and the o th e r j u s t b e g i n n in g to c h a l l e n g e
g ro w in g s u c c e ss o f A ntw erp.
aw ay.
ch ara c te ristic s
and tec h no lo gy w h ic h i s q u i t e
com m ercial im p o rtance
its
la ck o f i n t e r e s t in th e irost t y p i c a l
he a ls o d i s p l a y e d w h e r e v e r he w en t an in fo r m e d i n t e r e s t
d e s c r i p t i o n s o f Brug es
centre,
c o u r t l y o c c a s io n t h a t T a f u r
to the t o u r n e y s w h ic h w ere a
(2 1 0 - 1 7 ).
from the p e r s o n a l
the m erchant c l a s s ,
w h ic h he o b v io u s l y
t h a t s h ip s
c o u ld
He a ls o d e t a i l e d w it h e n t h u s ia s m the
from a l l p a r t s o f th e w o r ld i f o n l y one h a d
in Antwerp he added u s e f u l d e t a i l s
about how th e g r e a t
fa ir
c a r r i e d o n , w i t h g o l d s m it h s ' work b e in g d i s p l a y e d i n t h e D o m in ica n c o n v e n t ,
A rra s
c lo t h s
F ra n c isc a n s.
stab les
in the church o f S t .
John,
The g r e a t ho rse market was
(1 9 7 - 2 0 4 ).
He p o rt r a y s
and the p i c t u r e s
for s a le
j u s t o u t s i d e a c it y
the m arket at C a f f a e q u a l l y
at the
g a t e n e a r the
vividly
and
usefully,
fo r
t h a t g r e a t c i t y on the B la c k S e a was in
i t s m a jo r im p o r ta n c e
and F ar E a s t .
as the h in g e
F o r t u n a t e l y Ta fu r was a very
o f in te rests,
the l a s t d e c a d e s o f
fo r t ra d e b etw e en E urope and the M id d le
so he n o t o n ly d e t a i l s
c u r io u s man w it h a w id e
the r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s o f the s u l t a n o f Egypt s e a r c h i n g f o r s u i t a b l e
the s u l t a n 's
m a m e lu k e s,
c a v i a r was p r e p a r e d ,
Above
V e n ic e ,
all,
palace
a nd a ls o by the f a c t
was so w e ll- p a v e d
sm ells!
He was
(1 32- 37) .
He was much im p r e s s e d by
that much o f i t was op en t o an y o n e .
is
A rsenal,
the c it y i s
is o ne p a r t i c u l a r l y
h is
v ivid
c le a n e d by the t i d e ,
acco unt o f V e n i c e 's
t h e r e to e q u ip
A rsenal
the g a l l e y s .
whose w in do w s o p ene d o u t .
the b a l i s t a s
h a n d ed o u t
s in c e i t
and m o r t a r s ,
from the
the
arm s,
and the assem bly
The lago o n
t h a t T a f u r saw t e n g a l l e y s
l i n e d w it h
By th e tim e the s h ip got to the
from end to e n d .
a r r a n g e d in
and the c o r d a g e ,
and e v e r y t h i n g n e c e s s a r y were
the men r e q u i r e d w ere on b o a r d ,
and t h e g a l l e y was e q u ip p e d
lin e
flo w ed in t o the
The g a l l e y was tow ed p a s t ,
the b r e a d ,
a p p r o p r ia t e w in d o w s .
end o f t h e s t r e e t a l l
He a ls o
but s t i l l
and d e t a i l e d d e s c r i p t i o n , w h ic h we
a nd on e i t h e r s i d e o f the w a te r was a g r e a t s t r e e t ,
b u ild in g s
the P i a z z a
fo r w a lk in g ,
f a m i l i a r i t y w it h the g r e a t V e n e t i a n m erchant f a m i l i e s ,
s p le n d id
method p r a c t i s e d
c leanliness
t h a t t h e r e was no mud in w i n t e r o r d u s t i n summer.
p r o b a b ly owe to T a f u r 's
and t h a t
d e l i g h t e d by i t s
the age- o ld c o m p la in t —
T h e re
fo r
T a f u r w as ex tr e m ely in fo r m a t iv e on m id - fift e e n th - c e n tu r y
and the C a m p a n il e .
oars,
tasted lik e
t o u r i s t s o f o t h e r c e n t u r i e s , he d i d the rounds o f San M arc o ,
jo in e d in
subjects
rep o rts on the c a t c h in g o f s t u r g e o n , how
a nd what i t
w h i c h he saw w it h ro s e- c o lo u r ed g l a s s e s *
the d o g e 's
Lik e
b u t a lso
range
the n a t u r e o f the s l a v e m a r k e t, w it h
t h is
w i t h the complemen*
The
l i n e w o rk ed so
fa s h io n in s i x hours
(1 6 5 ,
of
fast
167- 68,
17 0 ) .
T a f u r 's
o f phrase,
book h o l d s o u r a t t e n t i o n w it h
and a ll- e m b r a c in g c u r i o s i t y .
also e v id e n t .
H is
r e lig io u s
A lt h o u g h s u p p o s e d ly
many o f h i s
c o n t e m p o r a r ie s —
was more i n t e r e s t e d
p ilg rim
a p ilg rim
c irc u it
in
a sid e
p r a c t ic e w a s,
in
its
a cu te o b s e r v a t i o n ,
v i v i d turn
C erta in p ersonal c h a r a c t e r is t ic s
f o r e x a m p le , p u r e l y
the Ho ly Land —
T a f u r was n o t i c e a b l y
are
fo rm a listic.
an e m o t io n a l e x p e r ie n c e
a secular tra v e lle r.
for
He
t r i p to the d e s e r t w it h a Moor than the usu al
a nd was p a r t i c u l a r l y p rou d o f b e in g s m u g g le d ,
dressed in
b orro w ed Moslem c l o t h e s ,
in t o the mosque w h ic h h ad been made from the Temple
o f Solomon
the o th e r h a n d , he has
Sepulch re,
that
they
(5 9 ,
6 1 ).
except
to
On
little
to say o f the Holy
r e c o r d that he had dubbed th ree gentlem en k n ig h t s
had a l l h u ng t h e i r arms up i n the u s u a l p l a c e
(6 1 - 6 2 ).
and
When in
Rome, b e f o r e he l e f t
fo r the Ho ly L a n d ,
he had l i t t l e
ch urc hes but was more im p ressed by the c i t y 's
that suggests
one i n
the coming R e n a is s a n c e .
abo ut the
t av er n s
and ho uses o f
s i n g u l a r l y q u ic k eye
companion
B asle
the
ill- fam e
la d ie s ,
t h is
T a f u r w as d i s g u s t e d t h a t no
(4 3 ).
The C a s t i l i a n h i m s e l f h ad a
i n c l u d in g
the one who becam e h is
in
travel
the b a t h s n e a r
cannot be d e s c r ib e d as s u i t a b l e
n ob le
cjiven the bad r e p u t a t io n o f the fift e o n t h - c e n t u r y b a t h s .
two p la c e s whore T a f u r 's
the p o s i t i o n o f an i n d i v i d u a l
him r a t h e r h ig h e r s t a t u s , was h is
k in g o f C y p r u s .
Sin ce
J 19 2
h a r b o u r c lo s e
a llo w s him to assume
The f i r s t ,
w h ic h gave
Cyprus had been e s t a b l i s h e d as
f a m il y .
W ith i t s
t h is
and m e rc h a n t s,
t im e ,
the l i t t l e
rather decaden t.
f o r the
a separate k in g ­
sp le n d id C h r is tia n
to the Moslem c o n t r o l l e d c o a s t , w h ich was c o n v e n ie n t
s h i p s o f b oth p i l g r i m s
by
narrative
trav eller.
jo u rn e y to Egypt as an am bassador
r u le d by members o f the J.usignan
ric h and ,
fact,
f o r the
an a t t it u d e
a ltho ug h th ey o b v io u s l y knew a l l
a f t e r he h a d made h e r a c q u a in t a n c e
C erta in ly
Thor»i ai:<‘ o nly
more than
fo r
f o r a w h il e
(1 8 5 - 0 0 ).
b eh av io u r,
dom,
In
Rome c o u ld in fo r m him about them ,
a tt e n t io n
a n t iq u e r u i n s ,
f o r the
i s l a n d k in gd o m was r e l a t i v e l y
A lth o u g h s t i l l
o ffic ia lly
in d e p e n ­
d e n t , the g ro w in g Moslem s tr e n g th meant t h a t the w eak k i n g o f Cyprus-was
f o r c e d to pay
J e r u s a le m
S in a i,
tribute
to the s u lt a n o f E g y p t .
When T a f u r h ad d is c o v e r e d in
that the convoy h e a d e d fo r the m onastery o f S t .
w h ic h the S p a n i a r d was
a n x io u s to v i s i t ,
g u a r d i a n o f the F r a n c is c a n co nv en t w h ere T a f u r w as s t a y in g
to C y p r u s .
The g u a r d ia n
k i n g 's b ro t h e r ,
felt
and one s u s p e c t s
sis te r .
sa tis fie d ,
w it h
that
She in t e r r o g a t e d him f a i r l y
the a dm iral o f C y p r u s ,
E gy p t as C y p r u s 's
and,
in t r o d u c e d him
H is s t a n d i n g was
a p o w e r fu l o f f i c i a l
f u r t h e r im p ro ved by a m eetin g
who came o r i g i n a l l y
from
and n o t too e x p e n s i v e ,
a r r a n g e d that T a f u r s h o u ld be s e n t to the s u l t a n o f
am ba ssad o r.
The t r i p had c e r t a i n
o f f in
She a l s o
w hereupon T a f u r p u l l e d o u t h i s
The c a r d in a l was happy to f i n d a c o n v e n ie n t ,
em iss ary a nd q u ic k l y
useful
f o r the
t h o r o u g h ly a n d , when she was
.in h e r p a l a c e .
and to the c a r d i n a l ,
from K in g J u a n .
T a f u r a c t e d on t h i s
a ls o w ro te to C y p r u s ,
he was so ug ht o ut by a s q u i r e o f the l a t e
had him take up lo d g in g s
letter
C a s tile .
from t h e r e .
the g u a r d ia n
a r r iv a l
to h e r nephew the k in g
useful
a d v is e d him to go
C a r d in a l Hugh o f I.usi.gnan, he c o u ld p r o b a b l y g et a safe-
m orning a f t e r T a f u r 's
k i n g 's
the
t h at i f T a f u r made the a c q u a in t a n c e o f the
c o nd uc t to E gy p t and rea c h S i n a i
a d v ic e
C a t h e r in e o f Mount
h ad a l r e a d y d e p a r t e d ,
f r in g e b e n e f i t s
a s h ip w it h eighteen
as T a f u r says s m u g ly ,
row ers,
fo r the young m a n ,
accom panied by the k i n g ' s
as he was sen t
own i n t e r p r e t e r ,
"a s w e l l p r o v is i o n e d as f o r the k i n g ’ s own
household "
(6 8 ).
L a n d in g
first
at D a m ie t t a ,
make the t r i p u p r i v e r to C a i r o .
ch ie f
i n t e r p r e t e r and d e l i v e r e d
w r o te a v i v i d
d es c r ip tio n o f
the k i n g 's
t r a p p i n g s w ere o f w h it e
golden horsesh o es
month i n
got
the
li.conce w h ic h
i n t e r e s t him —
th ere i s
totally
laden w it h
its
by c a m e l.
T a f u r 's
a lo n g the fa b u lo u s in v e n t io n s
to C y p r u s , he was a g a in
the l a r g e num bers o f t r a d e r s ,
T a f u r r e p o r t s w ith
fin e c lo th ,
T afu r s a il e d
C o n s t a n t in o p le .
beasts,
the c it y
great
A r r i v i n g a t Cyprus to
generous p rov ision s
le o p a r d
to meet h im .
t h a t he was
fo r h i s
The k i n g rew arded
t r i p to R h o d e s ,
and
( 1 0 3 - 1 0 4 ).
an e v e n t f u l voyage to
s h i p was n o t o n ly p u r s u e d by Genoese and fo r c e d to tak e
in C h i o s ,
but it
by the
un d e r w a t e r rem a in s o f a w rec ked c a r r a c k .
and were
im p ressed by i t s
in ge nu o us s a t i s f a c t i o n
refuge
w re c k a g e
o f Prester
on h i s way to
and p r o v id e r s o f s e r v i c e s ,
( 1 0 0 - 1 0 1 ).
from Rhodes on what p ro v e d to b e
H is
tales o f
the c o u r t ie r s p r o v id e d t h a t c o v et ed m ed ia ev a l
--. th ey came o u t o f
i n c o n v e n ie n t
w r e c k w ere
It
Even though he h a d to s ta y in an in n o v e r n ig h t so
c o u ld a l l b e p r o p e r l y a r r a n g e d ,
mark o f p r e s t i g e
some
and p e r f u m e s .
I n d i a and he knew o f the s a c r e d w h it e e l e p h a n t
r e c e i v e d w it h g r e a t h o n o u r .
a perhaps
acr o s s
C o n ti spoke t r u t h f u l l y o f the s u t t e e
c o o k s , w a t e r - s e l l e r s , and b a r b e r s
him w it h
s p ic e s ,
re t u r n t r i p was e n l iv e n e d by the v i v i d
return t r ip
r e p o r t to the k i n g ,
it
stones,
As T a f u r made h i s way back through C a i r o ,
fo r h i s
m arket w i t h
and f i n a l l y
jo u r n e y
The m onastery i t s e l f d i d not r e a l l y
f r e i g h t o f p r e c io u s
b u t he was h app y to p a s s
A le x a n d r ia
the
the s t e e d ev en h ad
A f t e r h i s b u s in e s s h ad b e e n d o n e , T a f u r s t a y e d a
the f a r - r a n g in g V e n e t i a n .
(77 - 96) .
s u c h as
As w e l l ,
damask w it h p e a r l b o r d e r s and
ev en some d oubt w h eth er lie p e r s o n a l l y w en t t h e r e —
seen p r a c t is e d in
o f S ia m ,
Jo h n
T afu r
w i t h h a l f Ç o in g to C a ir o and A l e x a n d r ia and the o t h e r h a l f to
Damascus a nd B e i r u t .
N icolo C o n t i,
to
f a s c i n a t e d when he met a huge c ara v a n coming from the E a s t ,
exo tic
there,
days
the s u l t a n on a s p l e n d i d b l a c k
fo u r la r g o r u b i e s .
a l l o w e d him to make the lo n g fift e e n - d a y
to Mount S i n a i
b u t he was
he h a d
to the s u l t a n .
C a i r o , w as p l e a s e d to sec sev en e le p h a n t s and a g i r a f f e ,
th e d e s e r t
d ivided
(7 4 - 7 5 ) .
took h is p a r t y s e v e n
letters
the o c c a s io n w it h
h o r s e , w ho se n a d d le was o rna m en te d w it h
horse
it
T h ere he s t a y e d i n th e ho use o f the s u l t a n 's
then
fin ally
d ra g g e d i t s
saved
a n c h o r in
( 1 1 0 - 1 1 ).
a storm and was s to v e in
The p a s s e n g e r s
c lu n g to the
Storm s at s ea and p o s s i b l e s h i p ­
among the g r e a t e s t t e r r o r s fo r m e d ia e v a l men and p o o r T a f u r
encountered a n o t h e r ,
ev en more h o r r i f y i n g
storm on h i s r e t u r n
p a n ic - s t r i c k e n p a s s e n g e r s p r a c t i c a l l y d e s p a ir e d o f t h e i r
in g p i l g r i m a g e s
to th e most fa v o u r e d s h r in e s
safe
Crete,
harbour in
though
it s
sa ils
(1 5 2 ).
liv e s
The s h ip
trip .
The
and s e t to vow­
f i n a l l y made
had b een torn to s h r e d s .
Th at
e x p e r ie n c e
l e f t even
the e b u l l i e n t T a f u r w it h
re-embark on any s h i p .
He a d m it te d that h is
a strong d is in c lin a t io n
"h a d I boon on the m a in lan d I w o uld n e v e r have p ut
When T a f u r
good o f f i c e s
e m p ero r,
of
fin a lly
a r r iv e d s a f e l y
an o c c a s io n
th e C h r i s t i a n
fo r w h ic h he d r e s s e d h im s e l f i n h is b e s t c l o t h e s
device.
The young m a n 's
c u r r e n t in fo r m a t io n
lands.
In r e t u r n ,
the emperor i n the h u n t .
e m p ero r,
re c e n t em bassy to E gyp t
m ilita ry
status
and
the
and p r o v id e d
fo r the e m p er o r , who w anted news about
He sta y e d
lo ng enough i n
the c i t y to w atch the
em b ark ing on V e n e t ia n
g alley s
fo r
from whom the u n fo r t u n a t e B y z a n t in e r u l e r hoped to o b t a i n
su p p o rt a g a in s t the e n c i r c l i n g T u r k s .
an e x c u r s io n
so c ia l
fo r
T a f u r was g iv e n t h e p r i v i l e g e o f j o i n i n g
le d by a most s p l e n d i d p r o c e s s i o n ,
a v i s i t to the p o p e ,
(1 5 3 ).
i n t e r p r e t e r to be in t r o d u c e d to the
k i n g o f Cyprus w ould have somewhat im proved h is
him w it h u s e f u l
to s ea a g a i n "
in C o n s t a n t in o p l e lie managed by the
the e m p e r o r 's C a s t i l i a n
wore K in g J u a n 's
to
t e r r o r had been so g r e a t th at
Soon a f t e r T a f u r w ent o f f on
to A d r ia n o p le to make fir s t - h a n d a c q u a in t a n c e w i t h t h e T u r k s .
L i k e most E uro p ea ns o f h is d a y ,
he adm ired the T urk s and fo un d them " a n o b le
p eople"
the B la c k S e a to v i s i t T r e b iz o n d and C a f f a .
On h is
seeing .
it s
(1 2 8 ) .
re t u rn
He then c r o s s e d
to C o n s t a n t in o p le T a f u r sp e n t two months o f e x t e n d e d s i g h t ­
He gave a d e t a i l e d d e s c r i p t i o n o f the g r e a t im p e r i a l c i t y ,
g re at monuments,
relics.
the m a g n ific e n c e o f i t s
He was im p res sed w it h i t s
a n i g h t w atch o f
fully
s p l e n d id
armed horsem en .
m o saics,
c irc u it o f w a l ls ,
The p a l a c e ,
m a g n if ic e n t b u t was now b a d ly kept and the c it y
p o p u lated,
though the h a r b o u r was s t i l l
e m p h a s iz in g
and the a bundance o f i t s
p a t r o l l e d by
he t h o u g h t , h ad once b een
i t s e l f was p o o r and s p a r s e l y
f u l l o f s h ip s
(1 1 7 - 2 5 ,
1 3 9 - 4 9 ).
H is
judgm ents on C o n s t a n t in o p le a n d the r em a in in g s h r e d s o f G reek and Genoese
p o w er at T r e b iz o n d
a r r iv e d a t b a r e l y
The C a s t i l i a n
and C a f f a are p a r t i c u l a r l y
f i f t e e n y ea rs
c o u ld r e c o g n iz e
put u n ju s t ifie d
c o n fid e n c e in
in t e r e s t in g sin c e
they w ere
b e fo r e the T urk s w ere to o v e r ru n C o n s t a n t i n o p l e .
the
fundam ental w eak ness o f G reek r u l e w h ic h
the g re a t w a l l s o f C o n s t a n t in o p l e —
w hat m ight
in more r e c e n t terms be d e s c r i b e d as the M ag in ot L in e d e l u s i o n .
Tafu r
East.
fin a lly
re t u rn e d
He then tu r n e d n o r t h ,
to V e n ic e
two y e a r s
t h e Greek em peror and the pope and d e s c r ib e d
and C a f f a .
was
a ft e r h is d eparture
to them h i s
Iiis commercial e n t h u s ia s m was a g a in
a c i t y w it h o u t r i v a l
in C h ris te n d o m fo r i t s
jo u r n e y
to T r e b iz o n d
a ro u s ed by M i l a n , w here he
f a s c i n a t e d by the work o f the many v a r i e t i e s o f
in h a b ita n ts,
f o r the
c a l l i n g at F e r r a r a w here he a g a in e n c o u n te r e d
s ize ,
and rep o rte d a p p r o v in g ly how s t r i c t l y
c r a ft s m e n .
abundance,
He fo un d i t
and number o f
the M il a n e s e e n f o r c e d
the
r e q u ir e m e n t o f p r o v i d i n g a c e r t i f i c a t e
r e g io n b e f o r e b e i n g a llo w e d en tr y
t h a t one had come· from a p la g u e - fr e e
(1 7 9 - 8 0 ).
Onco m ore,
as w it h h i s
des­
c r i p t i o n :; o f B ru g es and A n t w e r p , and o f how g o ld was p a n n e d o u t s id e B a s le
(1 8 6 ) ,
T a f u r was most a c u te
and t e c h n i c a l
in te re st.
and he p r on o un c ed i t
in h is o b s e r v a t io n s on m a tters o f com m ercial
The g re a t c lo c k a t S t r a s b o u r g c au gh t h i s
"t h e
f i n e s t I have e v e r s e e n ”
(1 8 7 ).
Not o n ly d i d he
d e s c r i b e w i t h g r e a t c a r e the e x a c t method o f t r a n s p o r t in g
th e d a n g e r o u s
that
snows o f the S t .
fire- arm s w ere u s e d to d is l o d g e
T he
fin a l part o f h is
B o hem ia b e f o r e
p e r fu n c to rily
h o s p ita l
c rib e d ,
trip
c h ro n icle d.
(2 2 7 - 2 8 ) .
H is
a b o u t h a lf- w a y back
fu lly
The return by s h ip
o f f q u ite
It
e n t h u s ia s m .
first
off,
is
T a fu r d is a p p e a r s
th ou gh the s p l e n d id
aro u se h is
from V e n ic e is o n ly b r i e f l y d e s ­
s u d d e n ly
as he was r e a c h in g S a r d i n i a ,
rem inds one o f the t y p i c a l
trip,
travel d ia r y ,
b u t w h ic h becomes more
from view o f f the c o a s t o f S a r d i n i a , b u t h i s
c o n t in u e
to p r o v id e
bon Fernando de Guzman.
a c c o u n t can be seen as a l i v e l y
those who come a c r o s s them w it h
Iho
d is tin g u is h e d
Even from th es e b r i e f c i t a t i o n s T a f u r 's
and in fo r m a t iv e g lim p se o f a M e d it e r r a n e a n
w o r l d h o v e r in g on the b r i n k o f c h a n g e ,
of
and
r a t h e r more
t h e r e fr e s h m e n t w h ic h he d ip l o m a t i c a l l y hoped they w o u ld g iv e h is
ta t iv e
( 1 8 2 - 8 3 ).
as home seems ev e r c l o s e r and e x h a u s t i o n o v e r ta k e s
T r a v e l s and A d v e n t u r e s
k in s m a n ,
a cr o s s
to r ep o r t
A u stria,
fo r both men and women does
and e x c i t e d l y w r it t e n up on the o utw ard
a nd more p e r f u n c t o r y
a l s o th e
snow and p r e v e n t a v a la n c h e s
account t r a i l s
to S p a i n .
trav ellers
to c atc h a s h ip to S p a in
F lo r e n c e
and the t e x t b r e a k s
he is
through so u th er n Germ any,
r e t u r n i n g to I t a l y
accom m odation i n
e n t h u s ia s m
so
G o t t h a rd P a s s ,
eye t o o ,
vividly
r e p o r te d by a young r e p r e s e n ­
r i s i n g m erchant g e n t ry .
Ottaw a
NOTES
^ P er o T a f u r ,
(L o n d o n
192f«) .
num bers
in
T r a v e l s and A dv e n tu res 1 4 3 5 - 1 4 3 9 , t r a n s .
Page
references
the body o f
to t h is
the p a p e r .
and e d .
M.
Letts
t e x t are g iv e n in the p a r e n t h e t i c a l
Henry o f D e r b y ,
Earl o f
X IV
e
Derby,
ed.
L.
E xp ed i tio n s
to P r u s s ia
Toulm in Sm ith
and the H o ly L and made by H e n r y ,
(London 1 8 5 4 ) .
^ Thomas S w in b u r n e ,
"V o y a g e en T e r re S a in t e d 'u n
v
sie cle ,
A r c h i v e s d 'O r i e n t L a t in 2 (1 8 8 4 ) 3 7 8 - 8 8 .
M air e de B o r d e a u x au
Nompar de Caum ont/
Le Voyage d 'O u l t r e m e r de Nom par, s e i g n e u r de C au m on t, e d .
1 9 7 5 ).
4
Ruy G o n z a l e z de C l a v i j o ,
de C l a v i j o
to the C ourt o f
n o t e s by C . k .
Ch.
P o t v in
Markham
(I,ouvain
(London 1 8 5 9 ) .
G ille s
E .T .
6
Ilamy
Le B o u v i e r ,
(P a r is
(O x f o r d
G h i l l e b o r t de L a n n o y ,
Ch.
d it B erry,
Schaefer
(P a r is
t r a n s . w it h
Oeuvres,
ed.
Le Voyage d 'O u t r e m e r
1 8 9 2 ).
Le L iv r e de l a D e s c r i p t i o n
des P ays,
1908) .
T r a v e ls a nd A d v e n t u r e s ,
** A .
1403- 6,
B ertr an d o n de La B r o q u i è r e ,
de B er t ran d o n de La B r o q u i è r e , e d .
ed.
N o b le
The N a r r a t iv e o f the Em bassy o f Ruy G o n z a l e z
Timour at Sa m a rk a n d , A . D .
1 8 7 8 ).
P .S .
M acKay, S p a in in
i n t r o .,
21.
the M id d le A ges
(London 1 9 7 7 )
8 I b i d ., 1 5 8 f.
9
Λ
J . H c e r s , E s c l a v e s e t Do m estiq ues au Moyen Age
128f.
(P a r is
1981)
111.