Ambrogio Contarini (1429-99) was Venetian merchant and diplomat, author of a noteworthy report on Persia under the Aq Qoyunlu Uzun Ḥasan. He was descended from a patrician family and pursued a career in commerce. In his youth he lived in Constantinople as a merchant but had to leave after the start of the Ottoman-Venetian War in 1463. Seeking an alliance with Uzun Hasan, the Venetian Republic charged Contarini with a diplomatic mission to Persia. Contarini departed in February 1474, traveled through central Europe, passed through Kiev and Georgia, and reached Tabrīz in August. A written version was drawn up in the same year and published in 1486 in Vicenza by the printer Leonardo from Basel, with the title "Questo e el viazo de mister Ambrosio Contarin ambasador de la illustrissima signoria de Venesia al signor Uxuncassan Re di Persia." A second edition (Venice, 1524), entitled Itinerario del Magnifico et Clarissimo messer Ambrosio Contarini was included by G. B. Ramusio in the second volume of his collection Navigationi et Viaggi (Venice, 1559). Contarini’s report was translated into Latin and French in the l7th century and, under the auspices of the Hakluyt Society, into English in 1873. This excerpt is a modified version of the Haklyut edition.
On the 1st of July, 1474, we arrived at the mouth of the Fasso, and a boat came alongside filled with Mengrelians, who behaved like madmen. Leaving the ship, we went, in this boat, to the mouth of the river, where there is an island over which, it is said, reigned King Areta [Aeëtes] the father of the poisoner Medea. We slept there that night and were annoyed by so many gnats that we could scarcely guard against them.
On the morning of the 2nd, we went up the river in the boats of the country to a city called Asso, situated on the river and surrounded by woods. The river is as wide as two shots of a crossbow. When we had landed at the city I found a certain Nicolo Capello da Modone, who had settled there and become a Muslim; a Circassian woman, named Marta, who was the slave of a Genoese; and a Genoese, who was also settled and married there. I lodged with Marta, who certainly treated me well, and stayed till the 4th. Fasso belongs to the Mingrelians, whose chief is named Bendian [Bediani]. He has not much territory, as it may be traversed in three days, and consists principally of woods and mountains.
On the 4th, we left Fasso with the above-mentioned Nicole Capello as guide, and crossed a river named Mazo in a boat.
On the 5th, after passing through woods and over mountains, we arrived in the evening at the place where Bendian, the Lord of Mengrelia, was staying. This prince, with his court, was seated in a small plain under a tree. I made known to him by the said Nicole that I wished to speak to His Highness, and he had me sent for. He was seated on a carpet with his wife and some of his sons by his side, and he made me sit before him. When I had spoken to him and made him presents, he merely said that I was welcome. I asked him for a guide, which he promised to let me have, on which I returned to my quarters. He sent me, as a present, a pig’s head, a little beef badly cooked, and some bad bread, which we were compelled to eat from necessity, and I waited for the guide the whole day. In this plain there were a great many trees like box trees, but much larger, and all of an equal height, with a path in the middle of them. Bendian was about fifty years of age, rather handsome, but his manners were those of'a madman.
On the 7th we left, and travelled continually through woods and over mountains, and on the 8th crossed a river which divides Mingrelia from Giorgiania, and slept in a meadow on the fresh grass, without much provision.
On the 9th, we came to a small town called Cotochis [Kutaisi], where, on a hill, there is a castle built entirely of stone, containing a church [The Bagrat Cathedral?] which has the appearance of being very ancient. We afterwards crossed a very large river by a bridge, and lodged in a meadow in which were the houses of Pangrati [Bagrat], King of Giorgiania, the castle above mentioned belonging to him. We were allowed by the governor to lodge in these houses, and remained there the whole of the 11th, much annoyed by the Georgiani [Imeretians?], who are as mad as the Mengrelians. The governor wished me to dine with him. When I went to his house he sat down on the ground, and I sat beside him with some of his people and some of mine. A skin was spread before us for a table-cloth, on which there was a layer of grease, that I firmly believe would have sufficed to cook a large cauldron full of cabbages. Bread, turnips, and a little meat, prepared in their manner, were placed before me, as well as several other unsavoury things, which I certainly cannot recall. The cup went round, and they did all they could to make me as drunk as they were themselves, and as I would not drink, they held me in much contempt, and I left them with great difficulty. The governor provided me with a guide to accompany me to the place where the king was.
On the 12th, I left here and travelled over mountains and through woods, and in the evening was made to dismount, by the guide, on a meadow near a castle, situated on a mountain, in which resided King Pangrati [Bagrat]. Here the guide went away, saying that he was going to inform the king, and that he would return immediately with another guide who would accompany me all over the country, and we were left in the middle of the wood in considerable fear, and we waited the whole night suffering much from hunger and thirst.
Early the next morning [13 July] he returned, accompanied by two of the king’s clerks, who said that the king had gone to Cotachis [Kutaisi[, and had sent them to look after the things which I had, to put them down in a letter, in order that I might be able to pass through the whole of the country without paying anything. They wanted to see everything, and to take a note even of the clothes I had on my back, which I thought very strange. When they had made their notes, they told me to get on horseback alone, and wanted me to go to the king. But, as I tried by all means to make them leave me, they began to abuse me, and after much trouble I was allowed to take my interpreter. I mounted without having had anything to eat or to drink, and rode with them to the said castle of Cotachis [Kutaisi], where the king was staying. Here I was made by the king to wait all night under a tree, and he only sent me a small quantity of bread and fish. My attendants remained in the custody of others, and were taken to a village and placed in the house of a priest. One may imagine the state of mind we were in.
In the morning [14 July] the king sent for me. He was in his house, seated on the ground, together with many of his barons. He asked me many questions, and among others, whether I knew how many kings there were in the world. I answered at random, that I thought there were twelve, on which he said that I was right, and that he was one of them ; and, he added, “And art thou come to my country without bringing me letters from thy lord ?” I replied, that the reason I had not brought him letters, was that I did not think I should have come to his country; but I assured him that he was well appreciated by my lord the Pope, who recognized him among the other kings, and who, if he had thought that I should have passed through his country, would have had great pleasure in writing to him. This seemed to please him, and he afterwards asked me many strange questions, which gave me to understand that that rogue of a guide who had brought me had informed him that I had many valuables with me. And, truly, if he had found this to be the case, I should never have been allowed to leave the place. The clerks, out of the few things belonging to me, which they had noted down, took whatsoever they pleased, and insisted that I should give them to the king. On taking leave, I begged the king to let me have a guide to conduct me safely out of the country ; and he promised to comply with my request, saying that he would also give me a letter which would enable me to traverse the whole of his dominions in safety. I then left him, and returned to my tree. I was obliged to importune the clerk very strongly, in order to get the guide and the letter, which I obtained at last, after much trouble.
On the 14th, I left the king and returned to the village, where my people were staying, who, in consequence of the bad account they had heard of the king, made certain that I should never return. They could not have been more delighted if they had seen the Messiah, and knew not what they did for joy. The poor priest seemed pleased, and prepared me food. We slept, that night, as well as was possible, and the priest made some bread to take with us, and gave us a little wine.
On the 15th, about tierce, we started with the guide, and travelled through the terrible woods and mountains of that accursed country, sleeping, at night, on the ground near water and grass, and being obliged to make fires on account of the cold.
On the 17th, we came to a place belonging to the same king, called Gorides [Gori] situated in a plain, and having a wooden fort on a hill. A large river passes by it, and it is a very convenient place. As soon as the governor of the town had been informed of my arrival by the guide, he made me enter a. house where I expected to have met with a good reception. After I had waited there a little time, however, he sent to inform me that the king had written to order that I should pay twenty-six ducats to him and six to the guide. And when I told him, with astonishment, that this could not be, as the king had received me well, and that I had already given him seventy ducats, and said much more which was of no avail, I was obliged, reluctantly, to give the money. He kept me till the 19th, and then allowed me to depart. I was very much annoyed during my stay, as the brutes appeared never to have seen men before. Giorgiania is, however, rather a better country than Mingrelia; but the customs and way of living of the inhabitants are the same, as are their religion and mode of celebrating it. We were told, when we had descended a high mountain, that in a large church, situated in a forest, there was an ancient image of Our Lady, guarded by forty calviri (or priests), which was said to perform many miracles. I would not go there, as I had a great desire to get out of that accursed country, where I certainly underwent great trouble and escaped many dangers, to describe which would take much time and only prove tiresome to the reader.
On the 20th, we left Gorides [Gori], and went on, still traveling over mountains and through forests. Occasionally, we came to a house, where we obtained refreshments. We rested in places where there was water and pasture for the horses, and our bed was the fresh grass. We journeyed in this manner all through Mengrelia and Giorgiania.
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