Der Niederrheinische Orientbericht, c.1350: An Account of the Oriental World by an Anonymous Low German Writer
Translated by Albrecht Classen
D.S. Brewer
ISBN: 978 1 84384 690 1
This German account of Egypt and the Near East seems to have been written by a diplomat. His work goes from covering the Sultan’s wedding to describing the region’s flora and fauna.
Excerpt:
Previous scholarship has uncovered a wide range of medieval travelogues, editing and analyzing them and often also translating individual narratives. The present volume adds a truly unusual voice to the gamut of available accounts now in English translation. It is not a travelogue in the narrow sense of the word; instead, we could categorize it as a learned report about the world of the Near and Middle East, maybe as an account produced by a diplomat for the archbishop of Cologne or another figure of authority from that area. We do not know the author’s name and can only guess his motivations for spending so much time abroad. This writer probably came from Cologne, situated on the bank of the river Rhine, though it is just possible (yet rather unlikely) that he hailed from Aachen, i.e., northwestern Germany, near the modern border with the Netherlands. At any rate, he was a speaker of Middle Low German (northern), which shows many similarities with Middle Dutch, and is very distinct from Middle High German (southern).
Who is this book for?
While readers might be familiar with some of the many medieval travel or pilgrimage accounts focusing on the Middle East, this work is a bit different. It’s tone is more of a nobleman visiting Egypt and offering up some of his experiences and adding in what he knows of the history of the region as well as its plant and animal life. Besides those interested in medieval travel or European views on the Islamic world, this primary source will be useful to those studying Mamluk Egypt.
It also gives a fascinating story about the Templars having a pet crocodile.
The Author
Albrecht Classen is Professor of German Studies at the University of Arizona. One of the most prolific authors in the field of medieval studies, he has written a vast number of topics. You can learn more about Albrecht Classen on his university webpage or follow him on X/Twitter @aclassen4
You can learn more about this book from the publisher’s website
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