The Bondage and Travels of Johann Schiltberger, a Native of Bavaria, in Europe, Asia, and Africa, 1396-1427Schiltberger, Johannes
History
The Bondage and Travels of Johann Schiltberger, a Native of Bavaria, in Europe, Asia, and Africa, 1396-1427
Schiltberger, Johannes
Timur, 1336-1405 -- Early works to 1800; Turkey -- History -- Bayezid I, 1389-1403; Voyages and travels -- Early works to 1800
The conquest of Siberia by Ydegou, was followed by that of Great
Bolgara; after which, Tchekre returned into Great Tatary, and in due
course became ruler of the Horde. Upon his death, the author fell into
the hands of one of his counsellors, named “Manstzusch”, who, being
forced to flee, traversed the kingdom of Kiptchak, and arrived at Kaffa
in the Crimea. It was when upon this journey that Schiltberger saw the
river Don; the city of Tana, Solkhat the capital of Kiptchak, and the
cities of Kyrkyer and Sary Kerman.
In Chapter 37, the author says that he was present at the marriage
festivities of a daughter of the sultan, Boursbaï, a monarch who
ascended the throne in 1422; and as he did not lose his lord, Tchekre,
until about the year 1424 or 1425, it follows that he must have gone
to Egypt, at least for the second time, subsequently to the latter
date, but by what route and for what purpose there are no means of
determining; although this was probably the occasion of his passing
the island of Imbros, and touching at the port of Salonica. During his
sojourn in Egypt, the author was afforded the opportunity of witnessing
the reception of foreign ambassadors at the Court of the Mamelouk
monarch, some portion of the ceremonial observed upon those occasions
reminding us of the brilliant doings in the palace of the Greek
Emperors, amongst whose earliest predecessors those magnificent state
formalities were introduced by the Romans, who had themselves adopted
them from the Kings of Persia, after their conquests in the far East.
From Egypt, Schiltberger was sent into Palestine, when he visited
several of the holy places, and to Arabia, where it may be taken for
granted that he assisted at one of the customary Mahomedan pilgrimages.
Being too devotedly attached to his own Church to entertain the least
sympathy for Islamism, our traveller is careful to avoid saying
anything that might be construed into a semblance of his having
renounced his religion, under whatsoever circumstances; but that he
must have done so, inevitably, may be accepted as an unquestionable
fact, for where is the page in the history of Bajazet, of Timour,
and of his successors, that tells of a Christian having been spared
persecution, followed by torture and death? Nor is it credible that
the presence of a slave, professing Christianity, would have been at
all tolerated in the camps of those barbarous and fanatic rulers.
Schiltberger has taken delight in supplying all the information he was
able to obtain on the forms and solemnities of the Armenian and Greek
Churches, showing at the same time the respect in which he held Saints
in general, by never failing to relate the miracles attributed to them,
for
“Our superstitions with our life begin;”
but he has equally proved his proficiency in Mahomedanism, in devoting
no less than eleven chapters to an exposition of its history,
doctrines, and legends.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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