„Gdyby podczas takiej kłótni wtrącił się pisarz galery [...], pielgrzymi rozerwaliby go na strzępy” (Feliks Fabri). Zagrożenia związane z transportem pielgrzymów do Ziemi Świętej w późnym średniowieczu
“If a Galley Scribe Had Interfered During Such a Quarrel [...] He Would Have Been Torn to Pieces by the Pilgrims” (Felix Fabri): The Dangers of Transporting Pilgrims to the Holy Land in the late Middle Ages

Summary/Abstract: Sea travel, long and short, has always been dangerous. In the Middle Ages, the navigation routes across the Mediterranean Sea were not safe at all. Storms, contrary winds, pirates, the unstable political situation – all this meant that any voyage could end tragically. Inaccurate maps and imper- fect navigation techniques made travelling, even in the familiar waters of the Mediterranean, dif- ficult. We can regard pilgrims going to the Holy Land as particularly dangerous passengers sailing on ships. Inexperienced, undisciplined and behaving irrationally, the pilgrims often posed a serious threat to the ship and its crew. In the travel accounts written by the pilgrims themselves, we can find descriptions of many dangerous situations caused by the pilgrims’ behavior. Texts written by the pilgrims, who probably did not want to portray themselves as dangerous and irresponsible, seem to be particularly reliable in this regard.

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