Early European Tourists Describing Zakynthos consists of twenty-six passages from various travellers that visited the Greek island during the previous centuries. They refer to the social, financial, political and ecclesiastical life of the inhabitants, offering at the same time details on their habits. Sometimes, they present descriptions of the island totally different from what one can see nowadays. So, the reader is provoked to estimate the changes and the development of the island. Apart from their historical significance, these texts costitute real literature and offer a great pleasure to the reader. Their authors write both for the historian, who wishes to find details referring to the island, and the tourist, who hopes to read something pleasant under the sun. They really achieve to reveal a fascinating past that anyone would be fond of going back to.
Table of Contents
PREFACE
INTRODUCTION
Lionardo Frescobaldi
Simone Sigoli
Jacob Marcellus
Jerome Maurand
Philippe Fresne Canaye
Jean Palerne
Giovanni Zuallardo
Thomas Dallam
William Biddulph
William Lithgow
Sandys
Sieur de Loir
Sebastiani
Grelot
Bernard Randolph
Jacob Spon
De Mirone
Alexander Drummond
Fauvel
Thomas Watkins
Saint- Sauveur
John Sawrey Morritt
Sibthorp
Scrofani
Castellan
Charles Rulhi
Research Objective and Themes
The primary objective of this work is to present an historical and touristic overview of Zakynthos through the accounts of European travelers between the 14th and 18th centuries, illustrating the island's evolving cultural, social, and political landscape under various regimes.
- Chronological documentation of European travelogues visiting Zakynthos.
- Economic and social developments including trade, agriculture, and local customs.
- The impact of Venetian, French, and English political influences on the island.
- Analysis of daily life, including sanitary regulations, criminality, and religious practices.
Excerpt from the Book
Philippe Fresne Canaye
The most famous sightseer of the 16th century is a young French Huguenot noble that is possessed by the passion of travelling and acquaintance with the outside world, Philippe Fresne Canaye. In the age of twenty he had travelled through the entire Europe. Reaching Venice in 1572 he is engaged in the service of the bishop Francois de Noailles, who was also a diplomat and a humanist and who in 1573 was named ambassador in Constantinople. But the young student of the progressive bishop, that had narrower bonds with the seculars than with the officials of the Church, was a troublesome spirit. He abandons the ambassador and begins a tour in the interior of the Ottoman Empire.
It was a big decision. The tour was dangerous. Canaye had the feelings of modern tourists. Doing two times the same travel, said, it is intolerable for a curious person. Precisely in order to avoid the return from the same way, he enters in a French ship sailing from Constantinople for the islands of the Aegean. Having travelled so much before reaching Greece he was possessed by the desire to learn and he had studied a lot of books and maps, so that he had enough knowledge for the antiquity and, the most important, he spoke Greek.
Summary of Chapters
PREFACE: Outlines the author's inspiration for the book, stemming from a desire to consolidate historical travel accounts of Zakynthos.
INTRODUCTION: Provides a historical overview of the island from antiquity through various ruling periods to the modern era.
Lionardo Frescobaldi / Simone Sigoli / Jacob Marcellus: These chapters document early travel experiences in the late 14th and 15th centuries, focusing on initial observations of the island and immigration.
Jerome Maurand / Philippe Fresne Canaye / Jean Palerne / Giovanni Zuallardo / Thomas Dallam / William Biddulph / William Lithgow / Sandys / Sieur de Loir / Sebastiani / Grelot / Bernard Randolph / Jacob Spon / De Mirone / Alexander Drummond / Fauvel / Thomas Watkins / Saint- Sauveur / John Sawrey Morritt / Sibthorp / Scrofani / Castellan / Charles Rulhi: Each chapter analyzes the specific accounts and impressions of the respective traveler, covering their observations on local trade, social customs, political administration, and the state of the island during their stay.
Keywords
Zakynthos, European Travelers, Travel Literature, Ionian Islands, Venetian Rule, History, Trade, Economy, Social Customs, 14th to 18th Century, Cultural Development, Agriculture, Diplomacy, Travelogues, Colonial History.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this work?
This work examines the descriptions of Zakynthos provided by European travelers who visited the island between 1300 and 1800, focusing on their historical and touristic perspectives.
What are the central themes of these accounts?
The central themes include the island's economic prosperity, the influence of various occupying powers, local social structures, religious traditions, and the daily lives of the inhabitants.
What is the primary objective of the author?
The author aims to present a cohesive picture of the island during these centuries, highlighting its importance to both tourists and historians interested in the history of Zakynthos.
Which methodologies are reflected in the source texts?
The texts primarily employ observational documentation, personal travel accounts, and occasionally comparative analysis of the social and political conditions of the regions visited.
What does the main body of the work cover?
The main body comprises individual profiles of various travelers, synthesizing their unique observations on life, trade, administration, and events like earthquakes or social revolts on the island.
Which keywords best characterize this research?
Key terms include Zakynthos, travel literature, Ionian Islands, historical accounts, Venetian rule, and social culture.
How were the sanitary regulations described by the travelers?
Travelers like William Biddulph and Sandys noted extremely strict quarantine and disinfection protocols in the Lazaretto, intended to prevent epidemics but often perceived as burdensome or corrupt.
What do the accounts reveal about the island's criminality?
Many travelers, including Sieur de Loir and John Sawrey Morritt, reported high levels of violence, murders, and vendettas, often attributing them to the leniency or corruption of the Venetian administration.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Dr. Charalampos Minaoglou (Autor:in), 2013, Early European Tourists Describing Zakynthos, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/231256
