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Layout of the City
At the time of my visit, workers were constructing a half-moon-shaped fortification in front of each city gate. In the center of the city,...
Languages of the Region
The Carniolians speak a dialect of Slovenian, but in some parts, they use a language called Lingua Fulana, or Friulana. People who speak Italian...
Quick-Silver Storage in the Castle
In the castle, I saw three thousand faumes of quick-silver, all stored carefully in barrels. Before storing, the quick-silver was first wrapped in double...
A Guarded Journey Through the Frontier Lands
On March 21, Count Souches kindly sent German musketeers to escort us. Their duty was to protect us while we traveled through the contribution...
The Lutheran School and Religious Life
In this town, the Lutherans once had a school or college, but it was destroyed along with many other buildings during past conflicts. Only...
Before the Judge A Matter of Travel and Duty
The Cadih (judge), after carefully considering the matter, sat cross-legged upon his carpet. He leaned his elbow on several large folio books placed beside...
Money Exchange and Trade in the Market
Exchanging Foreign Money
At first, I was somewhat uncertain about how we would exchange our money. We had brought with us ducats, dollars, and other...
Hairstyles and Customs of Different Nations
Distinctive Hairstyles Across Europe and the Ottoman Lands
People from different nations can often be recognized by the way they wear their hair. These customs...
The Fertility and Abundance of Thessaly
Proof from Ancient History
When we read that Mardonius, the Persian general of the great army of Xerxes, spent the winter in Thessaly, this alone...
The Fortress and the Road into Kosovo
From this place we continued our journey to Catschamch, a strong fortress that commands the narrow passage between the surrounding hills. Its position makes...
