Bertrandon of Broquière
Bertrandon of Broquière is mainly known for its relation of voyage to the the Middle East. It delivers an account as average particularly rich and alive French, offering many information as well to the level of the political situation of the areas as it crossed than on the level of manners.
This traveller showed a large open-minded for his time while mixing with the local population. It is Philippe the Good which required of him to achieve this tour with an aim of gathering necessary informations with possible crusade.
Biography
Bertrandon of Broquière was born fine 14th or beginning XVe century in the duchy from Guyenne.
One knows very little thing about his life before 1421, year during which it receives Philippe the Good the title of “rider slicing”, starting point of a rapid and happy career during which it is seen entrusting considerable missions of confidence.
Hardly two years later, here it is “the first sharp rider”. This role still confers to him a larger influence at the court.
It is between February 1432 and the middle of the year 1433 that our Burgundian achieves its voyage in the East. On its return, it is filled honors.
In 1442, the duke of Burgundy organizes the marriage of Bertrandon of Broquière with Catherine de Bernieulles, girl of Jean, one of the wealthy heiresses of the Artois and in 1443, the traveller receives the load of captain of the castle of Rupelmonde, on left bank of the the Scheldt. This place was one of most important Netherlands and Bertrandon will be fixed at it.
In 1452, of Broquière takes part in the sides of Philippe the Good with the Bataille of Gavre at the time of the Révolte of Ghent.
In July 1453, it still forms part of the Burgundian lords brought together in the ducal tent, where the conditions imposed on the Ganteses were read.
The last mention concerning our author goes back to 1455, date on which Philippe the Good invites it to write its relation of voyage, which would be given to the duke in 1457.
One of the manuscripts of the Voyage of Overseas specifies that Bertrandon of Broquière would have died in Lille on May 9th 1459 and buries in the collegial one of Saint Pierre.
Bertrandon of Broquière held an important place in the entourage of Philippe the Good as much before its voyage that after this one. Responsible for good number of missions of confidence, it was the subject of the ducal favors. It is a man of importance which was sent to the the Middle East to collect useful informations with its suzerain.
the Voyage of Overseas
From Ghent to Venice
Bertrandon of Broquière leaves Ghent, in February 1432, to launch out in its voyage to the the Middle East. It takes the road of Champagne then of Burgundy before moving towards Italy. Arrived at Rome, it is received by the pope Eugene IV. It leaves this city on March 25th to take the direction of Venice, where, on May 8th, it embarks on a galère bound for Jaffa. It is then accompanied by other pilgrims, several of them Burgundian. Bertrandon is shown very in short on this part of the voyage, being delayed only on some short descriptions of Italian cities.
Holy Land
After several halts in Venetian possessions like with Rhodos and Cyprus, Bertrandon unloads with Jaffa. The troubles very quickly will start for the Burgundian one which has directly to make the officers of the Sultan. Those claim to him the usual tribute requested from the pilgrims.
Of Jaffa, it moves towards Jerusalem which it reaches after two days of walk. Bertrandon could not obviously cross these areas without carrying out the pilgrimages of habit. More especially as its activities of pilgrim are used to him as cover for its mission of observation.
He decides at this time to go to the Monastère of Holy Catherine on the Mont the Sinai, with ten other companions. He leaves then Jerusalem for Gaza, where he carries out the final preparations for a crossing of the desert. The latter will appear truffée of obstacles, Bertrandon will meet animals which are unknown for him and will fall sick. It is of this fact forced to turn back and to take again the direction of Gaza.
It was rare that the travellers of the 15th century arrive at the the Sinai, the crossing of the desert was filled of dangers of all kinds. Heat as far as the bands of brigands threatened the travellers at every moment.
The Burgundian one is neat initially by Arabs, it is then forced to admit that these people are not as bad as what it could hear some. It is then led to the monastery of the Mont Sion where it is looked after by Cordeliers.
Once restored, it is forced to give up another pilgrimage being given the situation disturbed in Palestine. It embarks then on a ship buckwheat which leads it Jaffa to Beirut. Bertrandon of Broquière takes then the direction of Damas, accompanied by a “Moucre”.
From Damas to Constantinople
Of Damas, it turns over then to Beirut where it attends an Arab night festival which makes him strong impression. It is as from this moment that Bertrandon really will leave the paths beaten while deciding to return to Burgundy by ground. The pilgrims of the time avoided these dangerous roads by taking again a boat which brought back them to Italy.
To Damas an unhoped-for occasion to travel in full safety is offered to the Burgundian one: it assists on arrival in large pump of a caravan coming from Mecque and moving towards Brousse. The richness of the convoy and the records accompanying this event do not leave indifferent Bertrandon. It jumps on the occasion and is arranged to meet the chief of the caravan: Kodja Barqouq. After negotiations, it is finally accepted within the caravan but in the condition of getting dressed with the Turkish mode not to endanger his fellow travellers.
During this voyage within this caravan, Bertrandon shares particular moments with the Turks who accompany it. It makes the meeting of a Mamelouk with which it ties bonds of friendship and travels until Konya. This last protects it and initiates it with certain aspects of its culture, like the way of travelling, of eating and of fighting. The traveller even tries to learn from the Turkish rudiments.
The convoy moves, initially, towards Antioche, then takes the direction of small Arménie while skirting the gulf of Alexandrette. The crossing of minor Asia, although testing, was relatively fast.
With Konya, Bertrandon seizes the occasion which is offered to him to join an embassy to meet the sovereign of the Karaman. It is as at this place as it leaves his friend Mamelouk of which it speaks in praise on this occasion. It arrives finally at Brousse where it places at a Florentin during 10 days.
Bertrandon leaves this city in company of European merchants, a Spaniard and three Florentins and takes the direction of Pera.
It goes then to Constantinople, where it places in a Catalan merchant. Our Burgundian describes in a very interesting way the town of Constantinople. It attends amongst other things with a tournament and certain ceremonies. It delivers however only very few details on the architectural elements of the city.
From Constantinople in Burgundy
Starting from Constantinople, which it leaves on January 23rd 1433, our traveller joint with the ambassador of the duke of Milan, Benoît de Fourlino, to go near the Othoman sultan Mourad II (1421-1451). It meets this last with Andrinople towards the end of February. Bertrandon then attends the sumptuous audience granted to the ambassador of the duke of Milan.
March 12th, Bertrandon leaves Andrinople in company of the ambassador. They arrive on April 12th 1433 at Belgrade. Bertrandon extends much here on the tactical possibilities from conquest from the Ottoman Empire. It presents a project which would join together France, England and Germany against the Turkish enemy. Of Belgrade, it overlaps through the plains of Hungary until Budapest, where it separates from Benoît de Fourlino. Bertrandon then spends five days to go to Vienna where it is accommodated cordially by the duke Albert of Austria. This one, which is the cousin of Philippe the Good, shown many regards to the opposition to Bertrandon to Broquière. This last carries on its road until Linz which it joined in 6 days.
It crosses then the Bavaria and the Souave, and attends Basle with a meeting of the council. It joined Burgundy by Montbeliard.
It is with Pothières, at the beginning of July 1433, that our large traveller finds Philippe the Good. Bertrandon gives to him a specimen of the Coran and life of Mahomet translates into Latin by the consul of Venetian with Damas, like its clothes and its horse.
External bonds
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Extracted the Holy Land voyage of Bertrandon of Broquière
- History of the pilgrimage of Jerusalem
References
- BREHIER, L., Bertrandon of Broquière , in BRAUDILLART, A.R., S. to dir it., Dictionary of history and geography ecclesiastics , T. 8, Paris, 1935, coll 1101-1102.
- PASTRE, J. - Mr., Of Gaza to the Sinai: Accounts of German pilgrims at the 15th century , in MESNARD, J., accounts of voyage , Paris, 1986, p. 13-24.
- SCHEFER, C., (ED.), the Voyage of Overseas of Bertrandon of Broquière first rider slicing and adviser of Philippe the Good, duke of Burgundy (1432-1433) , in Collection of voyages and documents to be used for the history of the geography since the 13th century until the end of the 16th century , T. 12, Paris, 1892.
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