Book of the Knowledge of All the Kingdoms, Lands, and Lordships that are in the World
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Founded in 1846, the Hakluyt Society seeks to advance knowledge and education by the publication of scholarly editions of primary records of voyages, travels and other geographical material. In partnership with Ashgate, and using print-on-demand and e-book technology, the Society has made re-available all 290 volumes comprised in Series I and Series II of its publications in both print and digital editions. For information about the Hakluyt Society visit www.haklyvt.com.
ISBN-13: 978-1-4094-1396-7 (hbk)
CAMBRIDGE:
PRINTED BY JOHN CLAY, M.A.
AT THE UNIVERSITY PRESS
WORKS ISSUED BY
THE HAKLUYT SOCIETY.
BOOK OF THE KNOWLEDGE
OF ALL THE KINGDOMS, LANDS, AND LORDSHIPS
THAT ARE IN THE WORLD
SECOND SERIES
No. XXIX
ISSUED FOR 1912
COUNCIL
OF
THE HAKLUYT SOCIETY.
A LBERT G RAY , Esq., K. C., President.
T HE R IGHT H ON . T HE L ORD B ELHAVEN AND S TENTON , Vice-President.
S IR C LEMENTS R OBERT M ARKHAM , K. C. B., F. R. S., Ex-Pres. R. G. S., Vice-President.
T HE R IGHT H ON . T HE L ORD P ECKOVER OF W ISKECH , Vice-President.
A DMIRAL S IR L EWIS B EAUMONT , G. C. B., K. C. M. G.
T HOMAS B. B OWRING , Esq.
L IEUT .-C OLONEL C HARLES F REDERICK C LOSE , C. M. G., R. E.
B OLTON G LANVILL C ORNEY , Esq., I. S. O.
M AJOR L EONARD D ARWIN , late R. E., late Pres. R. G. S.
W ILLIAM F OSTER , Esq.
F. H. H. G UILLEMARD , M. D.
E DWARD H EAWOOD , Esq., Treasurer.
S IR E VERARD IM THURN , K. C. M. G., C. B.
J OHN S COTT K ELTIE , LL. D.
A DMIRAL S IR A LBERT H ASTINGS M ARKHAM , K. C. B.
A LFRED P. M AUDSLAY , Esq.
L IEUT .-C OLONEL S IR M ATTHEW N ATHAN , G. C. M. G., R. E.
A DMIRAL OF THE F LEET T HE R IGHT H ON . S IR E DWARD H OBART S EYMOUR , G. C. B., O. M.
H. R. T EDDER , Esq.
L IEUT .-C OLONEL S IR R ICHARD C ARNAC T EMPLE , B ART ., C. I. E.
B ASIL H OME T HOMSON , Esq.
J. A. J. DE V ILLIERS , Esq., Hon. Secretary.
BOOK OF THE KNOWLEDGE
OF ALL THE KINGDOMS, LANDS, AND LORDSHIPS
THAT ARE IN THE WORLD, AND THE ARMS AND
DEVICES OF EACH LAND AND LORDSHIP, OR OF
THE KINGS AND LORDS WHO POSSESS THEM
WRITTEN BY
A SPANISH FRANCISCAN
IN THE MIDDLE OF THE XIV CENTURY
PUBLISHED FOR THE FIRST TIME
WITH NOTES
BY
MARCOS JIMNEZ DE LA ESPADA
IN 1877
TRANSLATED AND EDITED
BY
SIR CLEMENTS MARKHAM, K. C. B.,
VICE-PRESIDENT OF THE HAKLUVT SOCIETY
LONDON:
PRINTED FOR THE HAKLUYT SOCIETY
1912
INTRODUCTION
T HERE exist three, perhaps four1, codices in manuscript of a work on geography and travel, written by an anonymous Franciscan Friar, a native of Spain, who tells us that he was born in 1305. Two of these texts are in the National Library at Madrid, the third is in the Royal Library. The Spanish editor has distinguished them as R, N, and S.
R is in the Royal Library and consists of 41 leaves. It is the most modern of the three.
N, the second codex, is in the National Library, and should have 67 leaves, but some are missing. All three were written in the last third of the fifteenth century, and are in quarto, with the arms or devices of all the countries mentioned, painted at the beginning of each section.
S is the best, most complete and most important. It came from the library of Don Estebanez Calderon, and is now in the Biblioteca Nacional at Madrid. It is complete in 49 leaves, with a parchment cover. In the initial E on the first page there is a miniature of a personage writing, in blue with a red mantle. The manuscript is believed to have belonged originally to the Infantado Library, which was incorporated into that of Osuno. The transfer is said to have been careless, and the manuscript then got into the hands of some bookseller who sold it to Seor Calderon.
On the authority of Don Francisco Gonzalez Vera, a very learned bibliographer, the library of the Dukes of Infantado contained the books of the poet Marquis of Santillana. Nearly all have his arms on the margin of the first page, and his portrait in the initial letter. Vera believed that the codex S belonged to the Marquis1, and Espada, the editor, had no doubt after examining the books in the library of the Duke of Osuno, which belonged to Santillana. But he felt some doubt whether the miniature in the initial letter E was intended for him.
The binding is simple and in vellum, and on the back Viage del mundo con las armas de todos sus Reynos. R and N differ very little from S and are copied from the same original. The title on the first page isLibro del Conoscimiento de todos los reynos y tierras y seorios que son por el mundo, y de las seales y armas que han cada tierra y seorio. The flags or devices of all nations are painted at the beginnings of each section or chapter.
The late Don Marcos Jimnes de la Espada, the learned and accomplished scholar to whom Spanish-American history owes so much, undertook to edit the manuscript of the anonymous Franciscan, and did so with the aid of the eminent geographer Don Francisco Coello. The work was published at Madrid in 1877 with an alphabetical index of place names and identifications so far as was possible. The flags are given on one sheet, instead of being placed at the head of each chapter: from motives of economy.
There can be no question of the date of the original manuscript, namely about 1350 to 1360, for it is largely quoted by Pierre Bontier and Jean le Verrier, the chaplains to Jean de Bethencourt, who wrote in 14041. Bethencourt, having reconnoitred the Canary Islands and occupied the two easternmost of them, conceived the project of exploring the African coast from Cape Boyador, and reaching the Rio del Oro of which he had heard. As it was desirable to obtain all available information, his chaplains Bontier and Verrier obtained a copy of the Franciscans manuscript and translated the chapters relating to Africa. They were published in the work of Bontier and Verrier, edited by Bergeron.
The earlier critics of the Franciscans narrative were only acquainted with the four chapters given by the chaplains of Bethencourt, who wrote in their chapter LVII that they omitted certain marvellous things lest their readers should think they were lies. On the strength of this passage mainly, Bergeron remarks on the inexactitude of the historical and geographical data, and on the confused geography. Peschel says that the narrative of the friar contains so many absurdities that it is like a huge joke2. But he said, in another place, that the friar gives an excellent account of Melli, in the kingdom of Gotanie, which places he identifies3. Morel Fatio says that it is written from a map similar to the Catalan portolano of 1375. Such a map is not known to have existed, and the date 1375 is much too late. Mr Major, the editor of the English edition of Bontier and Verrier4, pronounced against the authenticity of the Franciscans work as a narrative of travel. Referring to what the Franciscan says about the Euphrates he is of opinion that the work is a confused compilation of the geographical traditions of the time, and a
