Travels to Tana and Persia: A narrative of Italian travels in Persia, in the 15th and 16th centuries

About this book

The volume is a scholarly collection of six first‑hand accounts by Italian envoys who travelled through Persia during the reign of Shah Ismail in the early‑sixteenth century. It opens with a meticulous editorial note that explains the decision to preserve the original spelling, punctuation and occasional printing errors, while correcting only the most obvious typographical slips. The introduction, supplied by the Hakluyt Society, situates the narratives within the political upheavals of Shah Ismail’s consolidation of power, and explains why the three authors, most notably Josafa Barbaro, are presented together. After a brief biographical sketch of the 16th‑century translator William Thomas, the text moves to Barbaro’s own “Travels,” a patriotic comparison of England with foreign lands that frames his observations of Persian society, climate and customs.

The prose reflects the Elizabethan‑era English of a court clerk, marked by elaborate syntax, archaic spelling and occasional digressions into contemporary politics. Its tone is both descriptive and polemical, offering a window into Renaissance diplomatic travel writing. Readers who enjoy early modern historiography, the interplay of geography and politics, or the rare perspective of Venetian merchants in Safavid Persia will find the work rewarding, while those preferring streamlined narratives may be challenged by its dense, period‑specific language.

Opening lines

These are old texts, and part of their value includes preserving them as written with all of their inconsistencies intact. That said, some probable printing errors were identified and fixed; these are listed at the end. In addition, word spacing and punctuation have been amended without further note. The listed errata have NOT been fixed, again in the interest of preserving the original. …

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