Querini's travel route
Querini's travel route

 
The Storm
The Storm

 
The skerries near Røst
The skerries near Røst

 
Stockfish
Stockfish

 

Shipwreck at the First Sphere of Paradise
"From 3 February to 4 May 1432, we found ourselves at the first sphere of paradise, in great shame and dishonor on behalf of the Italian states." The eleven men, who by chance were found alive far out at sea, in Lofoten, could not thank and praise the local inhabitants of Røst kindly enough. The 120 inhabitants of this small fishing village cordially welcomed the shipwrecked foreign sailors; so warm was the native inhabitants' hospitality that it was duly recorded in the accounts which the Italians wrote of when referring to their terrifying voyage and their stay at "L'isola di Santi" - salvation's island.

The background for this rather remarkable meeting of cultures, far to the north, originates in the eastern Mediterranean. In 1431, in early summer, the Venetian merchant and captain, Pietro Querini, set sail from Cretan Iraklion to Bruges, in Flanders. Altogether, there were 68 men who made up the crews of three merchant ships loaded with wine casks and spices that were intended for Western European markets. The vessels sailed into a terrible storm off the western coast of France and, completely off course, vanished from one another. In all probability, the ships were blown northwest of Ireland and Scotland. The storm ravaged the ships, and the sailors had to go in the lifeboats. They fought the storm and cold for weeks. Many men drowned or died of starvation and fatigue when, left to their own fates, drifted on the Gulf Stream far across the North Sea. Just after the new year, in January 1432, the survivors stranded on an island amid the skerries near Røst, in Lofoten. They were found by local fishermen, after nearly a month, and eventually spent more than three months together with the Røst inhabitants. The return trip to Italy began in mid-May 1432. Having traveled by small but local cargo boats, loaded with stockfish, the first leg of their journey took them to Trondheim. The stormy voyage, shipwreck, the stay at Røst and the homeward journey are recounted by Querini and two of the men who accompanied him.

What makes an impression is primarily the Italians' account of the daily life of the northern Norwegian coastal inhabitants, during the late Middle Ages. This remarkable meeting of cultures resulted in one of the few eyewitness accounts in existence, from the Middle Ages, of commonplace coastal culture in Norway. The Italians write of a primitive but contented people who lived in near pastoral harmony and innocence. Their travel narrative bears striking similarities to antique notions of the fabled Hyperboreans who resided in perfect virtue in the far north. The condescending tone of later observers, in references to the people and nature of the northern regions, is non-existent in the Venetians' recordings.

"The men of these islands are the most flawless individuals one can imagine; they have handsome appearances and their women, too, are beautiful. Highly trustful, they do not bother to lock anything. Not even their women are looked after by them. This was easy to ascertain since we would share a room with the husband, wife and children of each household; and, conspicuous to all, they would undress before going to bed naked", writes Querini about the inhabitants of the little island near "Culo Mundi" - the edge of the world. Further, Querini mentions that these people are devout Christians, and, in great detail, he describes their fishing and stockfish production.

Today this dramatic event, of more than 600 years, portrays Pietro Querini as the first exporter of stockfish. The incident is also used as a cause to strengthen the bonds of friendship and trade and industry between Italy and northern Norway.

   © University Library of Tromsø - 1999.
The Northern Lights Route is part of The Council of Europe Cultural Routes. The Cultural Routes are an invitation to Europeans to wander the paths and explore the places where the unity and diversity of our European identity were forged.
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