Category: Felix Fabri

After many weeks aboard the ship across the Mediterranean, Felix Fabri and his fellow travellers finally made it to The Holy Land. Travel by sea was difficult and not luxurious, despite Fabri’s well funded adventure, and he welcomed the land with great enthusiasm. Landing on the shore of Jaffa Port is an ecstatic experience “we cast ourselves down upon our faces and kissed the sacred earth with great devotion. By merely touching the holy land we received plenary indulgences for the remission of sins” for Fabri (Fabri ch. 4). Despite the joy of arriving in the Holy Land, Fabri continues to notice and document geographic features. He is not so overcome by the divine to forget the terrain – he describes different rock formations and the edge of the sea. He also categorizes the people as “Saracens, Moors” who are guarding the gates and recording the pilgrims (Fabri ch.4). Felix Fabri continues to be fascinated by language: “my name of Felix causes I know not what difficulty in their language, for both in my former pilgrimage and in this one I was obliged to repeat my name to them several times, and even then they could neither pronounce it or write it without putting some outlandish diphthong before it, and gurgling its syllables in their throats” an observation that further illuminates his idea of German superiority (Fabri ch. 4). Although he is typically focused on language as a means to prove superiority, in this case he uses it to show cultural differences exemplified through language. 

Despite his previous pilgrimage, Fabri seems shocked at some of the rites and rituals of the Holy Land. He comments on the squalor “our abode was abominably defiled and befouled with filth, nor was there any place to sit down save upon filth” but uses this test to further prove his obedience and belief (Fabri ch.4). The “place of abominations” is just one more test Fabri must face to prove his faith through the pilgrimage (Fabri ch.4). Unlike other stops on his pilgrimage, Fabri is very interested in the various cultures of The Holy Land and the behaviors of the people. He separates Saracens from others and relays details of their trading goods, markets, and resources, aspects he was previously less interested in. Felix Fabri details customs around food “they cooked eggs in a frying-pan with oil, and some of them brought loaves of bread, some cool water, some fruit, some salads, and some hot cakes made of eggs” a cultural aspect previously forgone in much of his narrative (Fabri ch.4). This newfound fascination could be because he is now so far away from his native German culture and lifestyle, so all differences are exacerbated. Alternatively, it could be Fabri’s desire to present a factual and detailed description of his time in Jerusalem as expressed in the beginning of The Wanderings. Regardless, Fabri presents a more well-rounded depiction of not only the people, but also the culture to really craft a sense of his time in the Holy Land, or as I’ve detailed, Jaffa Port. 

Felix Fabri’s narrative describing his second pilgrimage to the Holy Land of Jerusalem provides an incredibly detailed understanding of travel methods, geography, German Christianity and ideas of piety, as well as emerging ideas of German supremacy. The Dominican monk presents his travels as absolutely factual and grounds his experience in various religious sites and accurate travel descriptions. He continuously affirms the importance of Christianity and presents it through a German hegemonic lens, separating his native culture first from Italians, and later from the inhabitants of the Holy Land. While there is much to say about Fabri’s extensive narrative, he stands out as narrator because of his unique motivation, previous experience, and fascination with language.

Venice

After about two weeks traveling through Southern Austria and into Northern Italy, Felix Fabri and his group of travelers make it to the “Mistress of the Mediterranean,” Venice (Fabri, 22). The arrival in Venice marks critical progress in the pilgrimage towards Jerusalem and an important adjustment in his caravan’s means of travel. Fabri arrives in Venice on the 27th of April where he plans to stay for fourteen days to completely prepare for their long journey across the sea.  The tone of Fabri’s narrative changes in Venice, he focuses more on details of specific people of importance, and a new lighthearted and joyful energy is woven into his description of his journeys and the city of Venice itself. 

Once Fabri arrives at the spot where the “river glides into the jaws of the Mediterranean” he is overcome with an uncharacteristic sense of joy (Fabri 21). The crew sings a pilgrim song to praise the Lord and celebrate their feat of reaching the Mediterranean Sea. Fabri writes the song in his native German tongue, but it is translated into English and Latin which reflects his general interest in linguistics. The pivot from land travel to water travel is thoroughly described, Fabri notes many small trials and tribulations of the boats he embarked upon. This pattern mirrors Felix Fabri’s previous interest in the trails of his journey but through a different medium: “our boat was driven to one side by the shock, and struck upon a post which stood in the water, so as to threaten to overset” which shows his broader fascination into means of travel (Fabri 21). Despite the initial difficulties of boat travel, Fabri’s spirits remain uplifted as he slowly sails to the “famous, great, wealthy, and noble city of Venice” (Fabri 22).

In Venice, Fabri narrates a more well-rounded description of the city. He cares about the architecture, the natural beauty, the history, the language, the demeanor of the residents, as well as the influential people he meets. He names the Rialto and remarks on the impressive feat of Venice’s existence “we were astonished to see such weighty and such tall structures with their foundations in the water” presenting the city as a marvel itself (Fabri 22). When they reach their place of residence, Fabri is characteristically focused on language as a means of morality. He describes his hosts as “especially friendly…eager to wait upon us” and attributes this to their German nationality and speech (Fabri 22). Because “no word of Italian was to be heard in the house, which was a very great comfort to us; for it is very distressing to live with people without being able to converse with them” he asserts German’s superiority over Italians (Fabri 23). However, in this description, Fabri leans into something new – superstition – to further separate Italians and Germans. He describes a dog’s response to people of different nationalities. The dog (of German descent) receives “all Germans with joy” whereas it greets Italians (and people from all other countries that are not Germany) “as if it had gone mad, runs at them, barking loudly, leaps furiously upon them, and will not cease from troubling them till someone quiets him” (Fabri 23). Fabri dedicates a whole page to the dog and its varied reactions which differs from the rest of the narrative where he is greatly unconcerned with both non-religious superstition and animals.  As Fabri travels farther away from his native land, he becomes more attuned to cultural differences and more focused on presenting Germans as the superior group of people. 

Blog Post Three

The Book of Wanderings of Felix Fabri: Valscian/Spitelli 

Felix Fabri’s beliefs about Germans and Italians become more complex as he descends from the mountainous region of the Alps into the fertile valleys of Northern Italy. After leaving Trent, where these biases first became apparent, Fabri stops in Valscian for a short but significant stop before spending the night in Spitelli. Fabri’s experience of this region shows his growing bias against Italians through the way he describes religious practices, landscape, and linguistic differences.

Fabri’s separation between Germanic and Italian cultures first reappears in his examination of the naming of “Valscian.” He introduces the city in its native “vulgar tongue,” Italian (Fabri ch.1). He then describes it through the Germanic name – “Valscian in der berg” imposing a clear superiority on the Germanic language (Fabri ch.1). He is increasingly interested in language and the naming of things in this region. He remarks on the crossover between these two societies through language: “now this town and consequently the whole of this region is of the Italian language; however almost all the inhabitants know both languages, German and Italian” and views the duality as positive because of the German influence (Fabri ch.1). Felix Fabri’s linguistic examination is furthered through his evaluation of the landscape. According to Fabri – or his un-named sources – the region is named “the dry valley” because the area used to be filled with basins trending towards the sea (Fabri ch.1). His interest in the environment leads to an observation of the landscape: “all the valleys in these mountains which trend towards the sea were once full of water, and were channels leading into the Mediterranean Sea, even as now happens in lands close to the sea” an anecdote which anticipates his trip across the Mediterranean near the end of The Wanderings (Fabri ch.1). Fabri defines this region by its landscape and by its name creating a relationship between a region’s national identity and its physical environment. 

A little down the road, Fabri spends the night in a small town he calls “Spitelli” which he translates to “Little Hospice” (Fabri ch.1). While he does not remark on the physical or natural character of this town, he has strong opinions on the practice of faith. This is new in the narrative, while Fabri has consistently attended mass in each town he passes through, he has yet to take a negative stance on the practice of faith. Fabri attended the only chapel in the village – one without a priest, and could not successfully take holy communion. The church was underprepared or not practicing “correctly” in Fabri’s eyes because “there was no bread or wafer in the pyx in the ambry, nor was there any in all the village, so I turned myself round to the people and told them that the Host was lacking” (Fabri ch.1). He attempted to save the service by preaching himself – in his native German tongue – just to be received by the Italians with “wonderment and surprise” because they had never heard a sermon in his language (Fabri ch.1). Fabri names this service and the experience as a whole “torrid, crude, dry, empty” Mass and quickly leaves the town.

Fabri’s observations in the valleys of Northern Italy further illuminate his inherent reservations against Italians and their practice of religion and culture. He focuses on language as a primary force of difference and emphasises the importance of communication in his experiences in this area. His negative religious experience shows a new perspective for Fabri because he has been previously excited to practice in each of his stops. It will be interesting to see how his biases appear as Felix Fabri ventures farther and farther away from his home culture and religious community.

On April 21st, a week into Fabri’s journey, he crossed the border from Germany into Italy. After exploring the mountainous region of what is now the Trentino Alto-Adige region of Northern Italy, Fabri stays in the town of Trent – or Trento to the Italians. While they stay in Trent for only one night, Fabri’s depiction of the Italian town illuminates the tension between Germans and Italians. He focuses on the superiority of Germany and German people, and while the Wanderings is filled with religious biases and preferences, this is the first example of preference based on nationality. The distinctions Fabri draws between Italy and Germany illuminate his opinions as a traveller, which will be interesting to note as he moves farther and farther away from his home country. 

The descent into Trent is easy and steady for Fabri and he briefly remarks on the environmental history of the region. It is believed that the region was once part of the sea bed – as evidenced by the “iron rings where ships used to be fashioned” (Fabri ch.1). While it is typical of Felix Fabri to comment on the terrain as he travels between places, he has yet to be concerned with the history of the environment. Not only does he connect the physical environment to its history, but he also connects the ancient city of Trent to its founding by the Trojans. Fabri adapts a new, historical perspective in his description of Trent and Northern Italy. 

The most prominent dynamic alluded to in Fabri’s visit to Trent is the separation between German and Italian people. While the city itself is placed in a “most beautiful, airy, and healthy position” it is separated into two cities by the “races who inhabit it” (Fabri ch.1). The “upper city” is inhabited by the Italian population while the “lower city” is occupied by the Germans (Fabri ch.1). The area is controlled by the dynamic between the two populations’ differences in customs, language, and disposition. While there is a clear separation between the Germans and Italians, Fabri’s position is slightly muddled. The number of Germans in this area “increases daily” and Fabri attributes this to two factors. Either the lands of Germany are too cold, harsh, and barren to host such a strong population, or the “fierceness” of the people of Germany “whose near aspect no other race can endure, but all make way for them, yielding to their rage, which no man can resist” reigns above all else (Fabri ch.1). Fabri’s focus on the distinctions between the two groups of people illuminates the geographic tension of the two opposing nations. 

It would not be a Wandering of Felix Fabri without some form of religious description or experience. While the monastery in Trent takes more of a back seat in his account, the city itself is an important pilgrimage sight. The sight attracts religious pilgrims because of the sacrifice of a holy child, and Fabri emphasizes the importance of this landmark.  Before leaving Trent, he remarks on attending mass at the altar of the holy child – a detail he never leaves out in all of his travels. Fabri always mentions attending mass which recenters the narrative on his religious travels regardless of the other tangents or descriptions he explores. This reassertion towards the religious centers Felix Fabri’s travels back to his religion and structure of belief – the mission that upholds his reason for travel. As Fabri encounters some of the first differences in his pilgrimage to Northern Italy, his perspective as a traveller and inherent biases are further illuminated.