European travelers have left numerous accounts on the various provinces of the Ottoman Empire in the seventeenth century, but Simeon of Poland’s
Travel Accounts differs from all the rest. His travels not only span an uninterrupted period of twelve years, but his accounts are also the most detailed on both the places he visited as well as the people he met.
The book reads like a travel guide to the Armenian, Coptic, Syrian, Jewish and Muslim communities in the European, Anatolian and Arab provinces of the Ottoman Empire. Moreover, his information on the Armenians of Poland is extremely valuable, while his background provides him with a very different perspective on his long stay in Rome and Venice. His information on the devastation caused by the Celalis through the Armenian communities in Anatolia is a major source for scholars.
Simeon left a meticulous description of the cities he visited, including Constantinople, Alexandria, Cairo, Jerusalem, Moush, Diarbekir, Kharpert, Tokat, Kayseri, Malatya, Sepastia, Izmir, Angora, Damascus, Aleppo and Lvov. He provides practical information such as the distances between towns, types of terrain, tolls and detailed descriptions of Armenian and non-Armenian holy sites. He describes the people, places and buildings, as well as local customs and traditions. Simeon’s Travel Accounts is certainly an important source on the history and geography of the Ottoman Empire in the early seventeenth century.
The Travel Accounts of Simeon of Poland: Annotated Translation and Introduction
George A Bournoutian
English
373 pages
Soft Cover
Mazda Publishers, 2007
ISBN: 1568591616
