First Person Accounts of the Great Pre-industrial Cities
Outline some common characteristics and some notable differences between the great preindustrial cities as described by Marco Polo, Ibn Battuta, Bernal Diaz, and Albrecht Durer. (You may want to use the social/cultural/economic/political breakdown again.)
January 19, 2007
Comparing from the "First-Person Accounts of Great Cities"
Between the cities that these people visited, there was one main difference that was prominent throughout, and that was the cities’ priorities; priorities in social and cultural life and also in economic life. Marco Polo’s city in China had its cultural and social life revolving around city order and respect for everyone. On page 52, it states,
“The natural disposition of the native inhabitants of Kin-sai is peaceful, and by the example of their former kings, who themselves were unwarlike, they have been accustomed to habits of tranquility. The management of arms is unknown to them, nor do they keep any in their houses. They are friendly towards each other, and persons who inhabit the same street, both men and women, from the mere circumstance of neighborhood, appear like one family.”
This excerpt explains that people didn’t practice and completely disregarded any act of violence. People held each other in high esteem and treated each other as family. Another passage on page 52 explains the order and regulation in the city.
“By a regulation which his Majesty has established, there is a guard of ten watchmen stationed, under cover, upon all the principal bridges…As soon as the first hour of the night is expired, one of the watchmen gives a single stroke upon the wooden instrument, and also upon the metal gong…and so on progressively, increasing the number of strokes as the hours advance.”
Not only are these watchmen set as guards, but they also keep track of time. Kin-sai focused most on keeping order and regulation, and also treating each other with respect. The cities economic status was also strong. It was one of the first cities that made use of paper money. They also were active in trading and the manufacturing of silk. It seems as though these people believed that the most important thing to keeping a successful city is the act of respect. This leads to a tranquil environment, which may be why the king didn’t feel the need to carry weapons around at all times.
Ibn Battuta’s experience in North Africa was somewhat different. He started in Constantinople where he wished to enter the palace but was asked to wait. This is an example of how this society’s priority is protecting the king and his family. A sentence on page 53 states,
“Every person who enters the king’s presence be he noble or commoner, foreigner or native, must be searched.”
It is important to them that the king be protected at all times. When a guest appears before the king and shows him that he is a noble person, he may be honored by the king. Apart from the royalty, there is also the church which also holds much of the power, more so than the king, as explained in the passage on page 55.
“…and the Pope comes to it [the church] once in the year. When he is at a distance of four nights’ journey from the town the king goes out to meet him, and comes to salute him every morning and evening during the whole period of his stay in Constantinople until he departs.”
The economy of Constantinople differed from Kin-sai in that Constantinople power mostly belonged to the church, whereas in Kin-sai, the economy was free among the people.
Bernal Diaz del Castillo’s trip to the Capital of Aztec Mexico was the most expansive on their economy. From page 55,
“When we arrived at the market-place, called Tlalteloco, we were astounded at the number of people and the quantity of merchandise that it contained, and at the good order and control that was maintained, for we had never seen such a thing before.”
This shows that the economy of the Aztec society was very organized and was thus successful. They also had a good system of shipping goods from place to place. Docks were set up for cargo ships to come and to load and unload merchandise. I think these people took advantage of the resources they had. The main resource they had was water and they used that as a method of transportation. This is probably one of the main reasons why the Aztec people were able to create an exceptional system of shipping merchandise.
These three cities all show important aspects to running a successful society. Each had its own strengths. The people of Kin-sai believed that keeping high esteem and social standards for others was the basis of an exceptional society. Constantinople focused on high culture and held high esteem for the church to run their society. The Aztec people regarded their economy as the high point in their society. Using the resources they had, they were able to run a successful system of shipping merchandise.
Abha
Posted by Abha at 02:33 PM | Permalink | Add a Comment (0)
January 22, 2007
OBE 1-Increasing complexity and burgeoning stratification in pre-industrial cities
The pre-industrial cities of Kin-Sai, Constantinople, Tenochtitlan and Antwerp were each places of great organization and progress in many similar ways, yet each had signs of stratification or internal conflict that differed between cities. In terms of the social behavior of the first three cities, there is a sense of hospitality that can be seen in each, but to whom this hospitality is extended varies from city to city. In Kin-Sai, there is a general sense of friendliness and hospitality towards those “who visit the city in the way of commerce”(Polo 52). While the rulers of Constantinople and Tenochtitlan seem to be less concerned with the criteria of economic intentions in receiving their guests, they are also noted as being quite hospitable towards their guests, as seen in the first-hand experiences of Battuta and Castillo.
Although there are these instances of hospitality towards foreigners mentioned, at the same time both Constantinople and Tenochtitlan appear to also harbor somewhat negative sentiments towards foreigners, albeit to varying degrees. The division of Constantinople into halves for the use of the waterway serves a double purpose of segregation of the foreigners, who are taxed and often warred with when there are refusals to pay. Battuta’s account of the bazaars and churches as filthy and uninviting further paints a picture of the west side of the city as slum-like, inhabited by the foreigners whose main role in the society is an economic one, much like contemporary stratification that often has intersections along the lines of class and nationality in terms of residence within a city. In the case of Tenochtitlan, their treatment of foreigners had both economic and cultural elements to it, but was more violent as evidenced by the trading of Indian slaves as well as their use as sacrifices for religious ceremonies.
One of the notable differences that Polo accounted for in Kin-Sai was the existence of courtesan quarters that functioned as a sort of red-light district for the city, a facet that was not mentioned in any of the other cities. Although the account of Antwerp was brief, the bulk of the description that Durer puts forth is of a social event occurring, making this the only account that had the social element of the city as its focus.
In terms of the economies of each of these cities, all but Antwerp were mentioned as making abundant use of waterways to transport goods and their cities were designed around these rivers and bodies of water. In addition to this, the existence of foreign goods being available in the markets is mentioned in Kin-Sai and Tenochtitlan, signaling that they participated in foreign trade. Not only did they have foreign goods, both of these cities made use of the surrounding landscape to bring in various goods unique to their region. The evidence of specialization was apparent in each city, with each craftsman or artisan having their own separate spaces for work or sale of their goods or services. What differed between them was some of the details in who these specialized groups consisted of and how they organized. In Battuta’s account of the bazaars of the east bank, he noted that, “the majority of the artisans and sellers in them are women”(54). This is a division we do not see in any of the other cites. Kin-Sai had a few notable unique economic characteristics, the most notable being the use of paper currency, the only mention of currency in any of the accounts. Another difference was that many of the shops occupied the lower parts of the large dwelling houses, creating less of a division between residential and manufacturing sectors of the city. Durer noted in his viewing of the procession the existence of guilds, a feature that was not seen in the specialization of the other cities. Tenochtitlan differed in how their goods were regulated by magistrates and executive officers, creating a standard of what goods could be sold in the marketplace.
The cultural element of Constantinople and Tenochtitlan that was mentioned was primarily that of the church, which had an influence upon the political climate of each city. The church on the east bank of Constantinople was described in detail by Battuta and was very large and elaborate, employing many people and being of primary importance to the Sultan and his family. Their reverence to the Pope reinforces this heavy influence of the church in the city, as does the mention of the Pope resolving conflicts between the occasionally warring banks. The existence of cues throughout Tenochtitlan also demonstrated the importance of religion in the politics of the city, with Montezuma personally participating in the sacrifices of the Indians. The church was a large influence in Antwerp as well, which can be seen in Durer’s accounts of the various figures of the church that held prominence in the procession. In addition to this are the various wagons depicting scenes from the New Testament as well as the variety of people dressed up as various saints, further indicating the large cultural presence the church had in the city.
Religion is mentioned very briefly in Polo’s accounts, stating that they are idolaters, but nothing besides this is discussed. Kin-Sai’s political climate seemed to be less influenced by religion and more by a totalitarian rule by Khan and his large numbers of multipurpose officers that functioned to suppress dissent, fight fires, regulate light usage, enforce curfew, and keep the time. Constantinople also is described as having large reserves of guards on hand, but their primary concern seems to be that of protecting the palace and less of regulating other matters. The citizens of Kin-Sai were noted as disliking the officers, missing their former rulers, yet any signs of successful dissent are not mentioned. In this regard Kin-Sai shares a similarity with Constantinople in terms of internal political conflict, but the conflict within Kin-Sai is between the native citizens against a foreign ruler, while the struggle in Constantinople is the opposite, the foreigners are the ones noted as expressing dissent. The presence of any officers in Antwerp is briefly mentioned, but their function is not described, while in Tenochtitlan there is no mention of officers in Castillo’s account.
These qualities discussed by each author give us a brief look into these societies and how the various developing institutions were simultaneously fostering growth and complexity while also creating stratification and internal conflict.
Posted by Justin S. at 05:26 PM | Permalink | Add a Comment (1)
Comments
All these cities seem to have very strong authority figures. The role that religion plays in maintaining the balance of power seem quite varied. In Polo's description of Kin-Sai (as the author of this OBE stated above) religion seems to hold little importance in Khan's ability to dominate the city. I wonder if leadership styles of outsiders who govern rely less on religion because they are more revered on the merit of being an outsider who has conquered. Whereas a person who attempts to govern from within a generally homogeneous group must create and support a mythology that gives them the right to govern. I would imagine that the most homogeneous group of the groups explored were the Aztecs. This group also had in my opinion placed the most deistic qualities on to their leader, Montezuma.
Posted by: Sean McPherson | January 22, 2007 10:12 PM
A Small Note
I am going to go out on a limb here, and not try and sound super smart like everyone else who has posted (not saying that you all are trying to sound smart...you probably actually are..but you know what I mean). Anyway, while I was reading the first passage of "The First-Person Accounts of Great Cities" about the Chinese city of Kin-Sai, the imagery that came to my mind was that of Venice, Italy. This city is surrounded by water and has a large marketplace with many things people can purchase. The tone of the people in Kin-Sai was said to be peacful and free from jealousy. While I was in Venice, the feeling I had there was quite the same: tranquil and at ease. It was one of the most beatiful places I have ever seen, and I feel as if Marco Polo was felt the same way about Kin-Sai.
Posted by Kate C at 09:02 PM | Permalink | Add a Comment (4)
Comments
I'm jealous you have been to Italy, looks like an amazingly beautiful place. As you mentioned the marketplaces and such, it shows the differences in the way of life compared to most American cities. Everybody seems to enjoy each other and their goods they bring to market, resluting in a harmonious atmosphere that is really enjoyed by all.
Posted by: Dave N | January 22, 2007 10:08 PM
I agree with you, that in the descriptions of the cities, there is great beauty in the simplicity: the marketplace, the temple or great church, the bridges and canoes that connect people over the ever-present waters. Although there are mentions of divisive walls and segregation, the cities seem to have a very central focus that define their purpose, such as the economy of the marketplace. This is very much unlike Minneapolis, because our downtown (the city) is not very functional to the everyday needs of the majority of the urban population.
I also enjoyed Marco Polo's comment:
"From the sea, which is fifteen miles distant, there is daily brought up the river, to the city, a vast quantity of fish; and in the lake also there is abundance, which gives employment at all times to persons whose sole occupation it is to catch them." (p.51, Polo)
Posted by: Chrissi Barber | January 22, 2007 10:36 PM
I like the comparison to Venice. I have never been, but have always really wanted to go. The account I hear from others (not unlike Marco Polo's views on Kin-Sai) is pretty idealic. However, I wonder if that idealism of these cities comes from being a tourist in the city and never really living there. It's like anything in life, once you get to know it, you realize things aren't always exactly what they seem. That said, I really don't know much about Marco Polo, Kin-Sai, or Venice, so this is all just speculation.
Posted by: Rachel Bickel | January 22, 2007 11:15 PM
Marco Polo seemed to paint a picture in his description of the city of Kin-sai; I felt as if I was there. While the feeling of tranquility was present in his account, I could still sense the hussle and bustle of the markets. His attention to detail seems to do the city justice in displaying its magnificence and grandeur.
On one hand, Kin-sai sounds like an ideal city. On the other hand, it all sounds a little too good to be true. Travelers and visitors to a new place tend to (I hate to generalize, but I'm going to go for it here) view things through rose-tinted glasses. The imperfections and hardships that a city might face are masked by the excitement of a new experience. So, although Polo's experience seems to bathe the city in a good light, there may be a dark side to the city that Polo does not experience (or maybe chooses not to express) in his adventure.
Posted by: Allison | January 22, 2007 11:36 PM
The thin line between merchant and conquistador.
In reading these accounts I am reminded of the glories(sharing culture and knowledge is pretty sweet) and pitfalls(some outsourcing and all child labor is poopy) of globalization. Marco Polo describes Kin-Sai with the wonder-filled eyes of a child, but also with the intent of trade and profit. The two can certainly exist in harmony. There can be a symbiosis between nations and individuals in trade and commerce. However, I can't help but think about who Polo was writing this account for and whether some who read it may have seen a chance for exploitation. It's obvious that the account from Bernal Diaz comes from a perspective of an admirer looking to take what he's found and make it his own but in Polo's account I would argue that it's possibly just more subtle.
Posted by Tav at 09:36 PM | Permalink | Add a Comment (0)
Antwerp, Music and Notation
Right now I am also taking History of Western Music 800-1600 currently. Right now in that class I'm reading about the history of musical notation and how Charlemagne being crowned the King of the Holy Roman Emperor on Christmas Day had a huge impact on the unification of Mass ceremonies across Europe. The benefits of unifying all Church services enabled a indoctrination of ethics and practices that helped maintain unity in a fragmenting kingdom. The alternating choirs that Albrecht Durer speaks of were one of the stylistic innovations that was permitted by the creation of musical notation. In the other selections we read for this "Cities" class, the importance of the written word is paramount is obvious in the societies, particularly for those who trade with other groups et cetera. But in Durer's group the organizational abilities of musical settings in aligning and organizing a society are more clearly on display.
The economic showiness of the church is apparent in the sentence "Twenty persons bore the image of the Virgin Mary with the Lord Jesus, adorned in the costliest manner, the honour of the Lord God." p. 57. The showyness of the Church has often been used to create demand for the Church services as an example of what is available to those people who observe said religion.
Posted by Sean McPherson at 10:13 PM | Permalink | Add a Comment (1)
Comments
Thanks for the history lesson. This is another good example of the cultural complexity afforded bourgeoning cities. It makes you wonder if there is something that can be found in music that is related to religion. Perhaps they both strike a metaphysical chord that resonates with the human soul. Pure speculation. But I think we can definitely talk about different societies and the types of knowledge and understanding they produce. What kind of knowledge does the society we live in today produce?
Greg
Posted by: greg | January 24, 2007 10:41 PM
January 23, 2007
Utopia?
As I was reading the article I couldn't help but notice how perfect Kin-sai seemed to be. Everyone treats people with respect, foreigners are shown hospitality, women are not of an unequal status etc. Yet, as I read on I became a little more skeptical. The people in Kin-sai do not have a concept of arms management. If the people ever wanted to rise up against their ruler they could not since only the king's army and guards wield any sort of weaponry. Also, the guards that patrol the streets and mark doors seem quite dodgey; even secret police-like. If a person stays up past their bedtime they are punished, branded even. So while this capitol of peace seems ideal it could easily become a personal prison for someone who wants change but doesn't have a way to go about it because of fear from their own government.
Posted by Dorian Stanasel at 12:19 AM | Permalink | Add a Comment (3)
Comments
having procrastinated in turning in my registration for waitlisted students, i can't get an official entry on...however, what i would've written goes on your same theme. The first segments on Kin-Sai were impressive and inspiring...until you get to the curfews and forced work. These all-around "do-gooding" soldiers that reside under the bridge would embody a pretty mixed sense of safety, i would assume, for the citizens of Kin-Sai. On one hand, they'll save your personal effects from a burning house but on the other is this passive-aggressive mark on the door if you're reading past curfew? They'll put you in a hospital if you're sick but also remind you of your obligations and duties with every stroke on the wooden time telling..device. Makes me appreciate the specialization (key word, yeah?) in our own society - maybe we're not as hospitable towards strangers but at least i know where/to whom i can direct my anger (and gratitude) towards...
then again, thats a silly point to make.
Posted by: Bethanie | January 23, 2007 12:57 AM
I think it is interesting to bring up the idea of a supposed utopia being an oppressive enviroment for change. I agree that such a structured and "safe" life does not leave much room for social change. Maybe this has to do with a neolithic social aspect being maintained in an Urban enviroment. In class we discussed the "equalization of social status (egalitarianism). Could this mean that by keeping everyone so staunchly equal it did not allow for the radical thinking that comes from the strife of social stratification?
Posted by: Tim | January 23, 2007 12:19 PM
You know "Utopia" is exactly the same phrase that popped into my
head while reading Marco Polo's excerpt on the city of Kin-Sai.
He described the city in a manner that sounded very idealistic to
me, almost too good to be true. Perhaps it was because Marco Polo
was an outsider that he gained this sort of perspective on the city.
I always got the impression that oppression and degradation and
just in general social unrest always laid sort of under the surface
in many Asian countries, but maybe that's just me. I was also
thinking that because this excerpt was written so long ago, when the whole idea of "progress" and all the wonderful promises that
came long with it was just beginning to take people under its
spell, that people such as Polo were wanting to confirm their
hopes that the city was this new, great civilization that would
change the world only for the better. Is it really possible that the negative consequences of city living only came about after it had been established for hundreds of years? I doubt it.
Posted by: Erica Jensen | January 23, 2007 01:23 PM
Guards' Significant presence in Kin-sai
I agree with Dorian on his remark about Kin-sai seeming to be a Utopian society, yet Marco Polo still gives hints to this perhaps not being the whole story. Such an example is when Polo is speaking of officers watching over the guards and being able to punish them ‘at their own discretion’ should the guards be negligent. He also mentions the people not being particularly fond of the guards’ presence, yet claims that the people remain peaceful. There are also guards patrolling at night and controlling the use of light and fire in people’s private homes. Polo is not clear on what the punishment is for these crimes, which is something I think would be an interesting detail for the description of this city. It appears that the officers and guards of his Majesty yield a great deal of power, which is not at all emphasized in this account, yet appears to be significant.
On a final note- at one point Marco Polo says, “From the sea, which is fifteen miles distant.” And then at another time claims, “At the distance of twenty-five miles from this city, in a direction to the northward of east, lies the sea.” I was unable to find a decent map of Kin-sai. Is he referring to the same sea? Or is Kin-sai on a peninsula of some sort?
Posted by Angela Mulcahy at 09:52 AM | Permalink | Add a Comment (1)
Comments
With all of these first person accounts of different cities, it is important for one to consider the tourist aspect of seeing and interpreting a city. When traveling to other cities especially ones out of your own county you exist as a tourist and really focus on the things that are different and exciting in the new place. There is this sense of wonder and amazement that takes over as you explore. The faults and downsides of each city tend to be unnoticed or unknown until you actually live within the society and culture for extended periods. This could have played a role in Marco Polo's label of Kin-Sai as Utopian-like, but the issues with government control and unknown punishments for seemingly stupid crimes, could shine a completely different light on this society .
Posted by: Tyler | January 23, 2007 12:03 PM
Some more than others...
After reading Marco Polo's description of Kin-Sai I can't help but feel like I am reading some sort of constitution. To me his accounts consisted of a long list of factual rules. I guess he may have done this because he was in the city during the time of the annual report, but I feel that the city could have been described more eloquently to bring out the true beauty. The other articles were better when it came to descriptions of these magnificent cities. The common factor linking all of these medieval cities together is there structure. All have a marketplace or bazaar that connects its people together socially through interaction, culturally through art, music, and dance, and economically through trade. All of the writers also mention the structure of the cities built around water, which to me was essential for food, travel, and life. Another prominent structure in the cities toward above all other buildings, the temples or the churches formed a common bound among people and also was a focal point of politics, and the church and state often worked interdependently during medieval times. The readings were enjoyable, but I enjoyed some more than others.
Posted by Kari Johnson at 12:56 PM | Permalink | Add a Comment (0)
A comparison...OBE #1
It was very interesting to compare all of the cities. Polo, Battuta and Diaz all seemed to have a couple common themes. Although these themes are probably true of all cities it was interesting to compare them to one another. I think some of you may have already touched on some of these, but they all talked about marketplaces, guards, and some body of water.
WATER
Polo: “ … the waters, by a number of canals, large and small, are made to run through every quarter of the city, carrying with them all the filth into the lake, and ultimately to the sea. This furnishes a communication by water, in addition to that by land, to all parts of the town.” (50)
Battuta: “…It is (the city) enormous in magnitude and divided into two parts, between which there is a great river in which there is a flow and ebb of tide just as in the wadi of Sala in the country of the Maghrib” (54)
Diaz: “…and we saw the fresh water that comes from Chapultepec which supplies the city, and we saw the bridges on the three causeways which were built at certain distances apart through which the water of the lake flowed in and out from one side to the other, and we beheld on that great lake a great multitude of canoes...” (57)
So…about water. It is present everywhere. It is a means of both communication and economy. Even when dirty and filthy, whether it be a lake or river, it aids in the community of the city.
MARKETPLACES
Polo: “There are within the city ten principle squares or market-places, besides innumerable shops along the streets…warehouses built of stone, for the accommodation of the merchants who arrive from India and other parts with their good and effects. They are conveniently situated with respect to the market places. In each of these, upon three days in every week, there is an assemblage of from forty to fifty thousand persons, who attend the markets and supply them with every article of provisions that can be desired.” (51) He goes on to talk about the plethora of fruits and other foods and crafts found throughout the markets. This part of the city appears to be quite community based.
Battuta: Speaking of the city on the east side of the river, called Astanbiil: “…Its bazaars and streets are spacious and paved with flagstones, and the members of each craft have a separate place, no others sharing it with them. Each bazaar has gates which are closed upon it at night, and the majority of the artisans and sellers in them are women.” (54) On the west side there are also bazaars and trading occurs. “The bazaars in this section are good, but overlaid with all kinds of filth, and traversed by a small, dirty and filth-laden stream” (54).
Diaz comments a great deal on the marketplace. “When we arrived at the market-place, called Tlaltelolco, we were astounded at the number of people and the quantity of merchandise that it contained, and at the good order and control that was maintained, for we had never seen such a thing before.” (55)
About the market-place: Clearly the marketplace is a section of the city that builds economy, but it also provides a huge deal of community. Everyone requires an entry into the marketplace because everyone is a consumer and so this public place is vital to the city. In all of these cities, the market place large and so it makes sense that the market place would cater to all kinds of lifestyles.
GUARDS
Polo: “By a regulation which his Majesty has established, there is a guard of ten watchmen stationed, under cover, upon all the principle bridges, of whom five do duty by day and five by night.” (52) I thought it was interesting that these watchmen (well some of them) were technically human clocks! Others played more of a “patrolling” role, but their military guardsmen appeared later on in the reading… “In cases also of tumult or insurrection amongst the citizens, the services of this police guard are necessary; but independently of them, his Majesty always keeps on foot a large body of troops, both infantry and cavalry, in the city and its vicinity, the command of which he gives to his ablest officers.” (52)
Battuta: “When we reached the first of the gates of the king’s palace, we found it guarded by about a hundred me who had an officer of theirs with them on top of a platform…” (53) Although they wouldn’t let them in at first, I felt very interested in the fact that throughout the reading, Battuta conveyed a level of respect, or reassurance that everyone in Constantinople showed him.
Diaz: “Gazing on such wonderful sights, we did not know what to say, or whether what appeared before us was real, for on one side, on the land, there were great cities, and in the lake ever so many more, and the lake itself was crowded with canoes, and in the Causeway were many bridges at intervals, and in front of us stood the great City of Mexico and-we did not even number four hundred soldiers.” (55)
About guards: It was interesting how the authors gave such diverse descriptions of the guard/patrol people and yet as a reader you got the essence that each guards group was huge and uniform. I could just picture each man walking into the city and approaching these large uniformed and overpowering groups of militarized men. Hmm…
Albrecht:
Although the other authors touched on religion or church, it was Albrecht who really themed his description, in my opinion on religion. “The Church of our Lady (the Cathedral) at Antwerp is so very large that many masses are sung in it at one time without interfering each other…The church has many devout services, much stone-work, and in particular a beautiful tower.” (57) As he continues on with the procession, each of his characters relates some part of the city but the primary characters are those of the church. He does talk about the marketplace and also of troops but does so as he describes the people of the procession and only mentions that they exist.
sorry if this goes in twice...i'm not very great with this computer blog thing! :)
Posted by Kait at 01:46 PM | Permalink | Add a Comment (1)
Comments
Nice work Kaitlin. I like the way you have really gone to the text to make these comparisons come alive. TG
Posted by: Teresa G. | January 23, 2007 11:17 PM
audience?
In the editors’ introduction to the first-person accounts, they say that Marco Polo may have employed a bit of “exaggeration and self-aggrandizing.” I think that this is pretty true for all the accounts we read, which makes we wonder what the intended forum and audience for these writings were.
For example, Polo says of Kin-sai that its bridges are high enough for boats with masts can pass under them but that they are attached to the streets with such a shallow slope that foot traffic and carriages can still pass over them. This seems like an engineering feat predicated on obscenely wide streets, which I can’t quite imagine and don’t really see buttressed by the rest of his text.
Ibn Battuta opens his piece by saying that the church gongs made “the very skies shake,” and only a sentence later says that the palace is guarded by one hundred men. His use of fantastic language juxtaposed with plainly spoken fact makes me feel like it would be hard to take any facts he’s reporting difficult to take at face value. Maybe I’m just more cynical than his contemporaries.
My point is I wonder whether these men were commissioned to write what we’ve read, or if they were personal accounts that just happened into the public sphere. And, if they were commissioned, where they more aimed toward a sort of history textbook context with accurate facts, or more toward and US Weekly situation with delightfully over-the-top imagery and fantastical stories?
Posted by Sean Doe-Simkins at 02:08 PM | Permalink | Add a Comment (1)
Comments
I agree that all of the stories exaggerated to a certain extent, but Polo’s description of Kin-Sai seemed almost imaginary to me. The way that he spoke seemed to flow with the intent to entertain people with the history and knowledge of Kin-Sai whether the information is true or false. I believe that this presentation of history, even though it is embellished, allows some facts in a way that could attract a more populous audience and gain interest in the subject.
Posted by: AbbyS | January 24, 2007 10:37 PM
Class Notes for Tenochtitlan
Physical Characteristics:
Lake
Buildings like towers
Great temples
Market place
Great courts and walls
Draw bridges
Political and Religious leadership:
Great Montezuma
Cortes
Idols: Tezcatepuca and Huchilobos
Chieftains and priest
In this city there is a joint leadership of both political and religious. The Great Montezuma acts as the link for the humans to the gods, and Cortes is the leader of the city.
Working of trade and its relative importance
Merchants sold
Gold, silver, precious stones, feathers, Indian slaves (both women and men)
Traders traded
cloth, cotton, a special sweet cooked root, tiger and lion skins both tanned and not tanned, beans, vegetables , herbs, Women made dough and sold cooked food...the point is that they had a significant amount of trade and their society was based on it.
Social Organization
This city was organized around slaves. (Refer to political and leadership also)
Posted by Karah Barr at 11:30 PM | Permalink | Add a Comment (1)
Comments
I got the notion that some people thought Cortés was part of the indigenous population. Hernan Cortés was the conquistador, in the text referred to as Captain by Diaz. Both Cortés and Diaz were part of the third expedition to the Aztec Empire from Cuba. Cortés held no official position in the city until after Moctezuma was executed and the revolts put down. Diaz's edited account was a trifle unclear regarding this, but it is an important distinction that showed just how much reverence Moctezuma showed Cortés, who he believed to be the Quetzalcoatl.
Posted by: Dave H | January 25, 2007 12:21 AM
January 24, 2007
Kin-Sai: Social Control & Social Unrest
Marco Polo’s account of Kin-Sai has been discussed heavily in other blog entries, and many important points have been addressed by our classmates. In attempts not to beat a dead horse but instead to bring a different perspective into the mix, I think it’s important to notice the understated clues that are given about what could be going on socially in this Chinese city. Obviously Kin-Sai is a center of flourishing markets with a heavy emphasis on trade, and the reader gets the impression that citizens take not only an active role in their markets but also take great pride in their efforts and take great care of their trading visitors. Polo further suggests that the natives are very peaceful people, as they do not own weapons of any sort, and they “dislike the sight of soldiery (52).” Men and society treat their wives with great respect, and there seems to be peaceful social cohabitation between the classes and the sexes. On the flip side, though, the heavy surveillance and strict curfews that dominate the lifestyle of those living in Kin-Sai suggest that the trade-oriented community is not as stable as it may appear from the outset. The vision of guards stationed throughout the city gives me the feeling that there is some sort of unrest going on within the city and its people that needs to be monitored constantly. Polo remarks that the police guard is a necessary presence in case of tumult or insurrection amongst the citizens, despite previously addressing the nonviolent nature of the city’s inhabitants. The courtesans that occupy the city in apparently such vast numbers would suggest that Kin-Sai can sell sex just as well as it sells the spices, drugs, trinkets and pearls that Polo discusses. This alone does not constitute enough for suspicion of instability, but considering that so much as a flirtatious glance or remark towards a married woman is not tolerated, it is troubling that such a drastic and public discrepancy in treatment towards women occurs in a city that Polo depicts as peaceful, friendly and respectful. Most telling, but also possibly most understated, is Polo’s remark about why those citizens of Kin-Sai dislike soldiery and arms, “for they remind them that they were deprived of the government of their native kings and rulers (52).” It would appear to me that while Polo is giving a rather cheery and sometimes travel brochure-esque depiction of Kin-Sai, perhaps his fixation on the profitability of the markets and trade located there distracted him from further investigating the more pressing social issues that were rising around him.
amber
Posted by Amber Melaney at 02:39 PM | Permalink | Add a Comment (2)
Comments
I really like your entry, and it is important to keep in mind that Marco Polo was definitely not an unbiased person (in the intro it even says that he often refered to himself in the arrogant third person). Perhaps he was too new to the scene to know about any unrest, and his arrogance probably caused him to make his observations at face value and impeded him from discussing any possible insurrection with the "commoners" of the city. His interpretations of non-violence among the cities inhabitants could simply have been the result of oppressive government forcing occupants to be non-violent. Glamor and razzle-dazzle always seem to stick out when one is confronted with situations, and the ugly side of things tend to be ignored at first. Since we cannot travel back in time to actually observe Kin-Sai ourselves all we have to fall back on is this biased account, and obviously an arrogant egotistical man like Marco Polo would not bother himself with extensive investigation into commoner life.
Posted by: Eric Tissot | January 25, 2007 01:24 PM
p.s. I'm imagining Marco Polo saying "Marco Polo's gotta do what's best for Marco Polo"
Posted by: Eric Tissot | January 25, 2007 01:25 PM
Constantinople: Physical Characteristics and bits of the other categories
Battuta’s account of Constantinople gives an impression of a highly segregated city both with respect to the city and the outside world, and also in regard to areas within the city itself. In particular, he recounts that “when we reached the first of the gates of the king’s palace, we found it guarded by about a hundred men.” The guards were hesitant to permit their entry as they supposed Battuta and his companions to be Muslim. This paranoia towards strangers is perhaps in part due to the geographical location on which Constantinople sits. It is one of the few passages between the eastern and western worlds having the Black Sea to the north and the Marmora Sea to the south. Because of this location, they received many visitors not all of whom were kind including crusaders set on claiming the area. Battuta remarks that “the city is at the foot of a hill that projects about nine miles into the sea, and its breadth is the same or more. On top of the hill is a small citadel and the sultan’s palace. This hill is surrounded by the city wall, which is a formidable one and cannot be taken by assault on the side of the sea.”
A part from barriers separating Constantinople from the outside world, Battuta describes areas within the city serving to partition it. For example, the river is used as a natural barrier separating the slums of foreigners from the “sultan, his officers of state, and the rest of the population.” He describes the slums of the west side in writing: “The bazaars in this section are good, but overlaid with all kinds of filth, and traversed by a small, dirty and filth-laden stream. Their churches too are dirty and mean.” He notes that there once used to be a bridge traversing the river but it had fallen and now transportation between the east and west sides is done solely with boats. It is possible that they did not rebuild the bridge for economic reasons but it could also be the case that they chose not to rebuild it to make crossing it that much more difficult thus perpetuating the segregation of the two river banks. Tension between the two sides of the city is remarked when Battuta, regarding the Christian Franks in the slums of the east, writes “They are required to pay a tax every year to the King of Constantinople, but they often rebel against his authority and then he makes war on them until the pope restores peace between them.” This statement raises a political characteristic of Constantinople and is revealing of a hierarchy in which the pope sits over the king in power and influence. Another excerpt revealing of the political structure of Constantinople follows: “When he [the pope] is at a distance of four nights’ journey from the town the king goes out to meet him and dismounts before him; when he enters the city, the king walks on foot in front of him, and comes to salute him every morning and evening during the whole period of his stay in Constantinople until he departs.” Battuta describes a separation of role and location of men and women in the city. He notes that the majority of the venders and artisans are women. The fact that women are primarily involved in the production and sales of goods is perhaps indicative of most men taking on the role of military, religion, and politics. With respect to physical separation of men and women, Battuta writes: “inside it [the great church] is another church exclusively for women, containing more than a thousand virgins consecrated to religious devotions and still a greater number of aged and widowed women.”
Jonathan Little
Posted by Jonathan Little at 07:01 PM | Permalink | Add a Comment (0)
Kin-Sai outline
Physical characteristics
-Situated between a lake of fresh and very clear water
-Canals run through the city
-12,000 bridges
-10 market places surrounded by high dwelling-houses
-Public bathing houses
-Offices buildings throughout
Political/Religious leadership
-Idolaters
-Great Khan
-Many patrol/police men acting as clocks, firefighters, watchmen, curfew attendant.
-Police guard when there were cases of tumult.
Workings Trade and Its Relative Importance
-The canals were key to communication and ultimately to trade
-Market places were central and they were led by merchants
-Traded everything from fruits and vegetables to pearls and drugs.
-Market place brought in 30-40 thousand people per day.
Social Organization
- Different kinds of power were distributed—different ‘social control’
-Market places provided much of the interactions and merchants are very central in this part of society. Merchants thus take much pride in their trade.
-Bathing houses
-Women were respected by their husbands and there was a completely different quarter for the courtesans.
-The natural disposition of the residents was a peaceful one.
Posted by Kait at 08:01 PM | Permalink | Add a Comment (2)
Comments
Just a couple insights that our group had in addition to this layout:
by reading about all of the fresh water and trade, we can guess that fishing may have been a big source of commerce or at least food for locals?
we also don't read much about religion from marco polo's viewpoint, but I wonder if we can attribute some of the seemingly peaceful qualities of these people to a religion. Perhaps Buddhist, but more generally a belief based on natural philosophies and an emphasis on health and cleanliness?
Just something to think about!
Posted by: Anonymous | January 25, 2007 02:12 PM
I'll throw in some more. The bridges and canals seemed to be an extensive system to increase the inter-connectedness of the entire city. The paper money that they used seemed to be unique at the time, I would assume that this would increase the mobility of trade in general due to its convenience and light weight. My group also noticed that the traveling merchants were highly welcomed.
Allison
Posted by: Allison | January 29, 2007 10:59 PM
Antwerp - A Few Notes to Consider
Here's what our group came up with.
The few physical features that were mentioned in Durer's brief account were primarily surrounding the church. He mentions a "beautiful tower" and "splendid stalls of sculptured stone work". Perhaps as an artist, these things stood out to him the most. A sort of main street is implied by the path of the parade and shops, and a marketplace seems evident.
The political atmosphere and religious leadership in Antwerp are such that the Church and State are fairly well intertwined, with the church holding sway over the state. The church is Catholic.This is apparent because of the importance of the Virgin Mary and the saints. The parade is meant to be a narrative about the church or perhaps a religious holiday but it is also a sort of portrait of the hierarchy in Antwerp which Durer frames nicely in his record of it. The parade starts with the musicians and workers and ends with soldiers, clergy and scholars. The religious icons are last which is an inference to the fact that the people, or at least the parade organizers, see Catholicism or the icons of Catholicism as the ultimate authority.
The importance of trade is shown in the luxurious imports like gold, and fine clothes that are part of the parade and used in the religious art work. At the same time however, the order of the parade shows that the workers and artisans who create trade goods are on a lower standing than those who consume them, trade them or decide which ones the church will consume.
Specialization is a part of Antwerp's social organization. There is a clear hierarchy visible in the parade order.
Durer seems to be explaining this event as one would explain a sunset or an eclipse. He makes allusions. to all the topics that we discussed but only because they are features of the parade. He is primarily subjective about the aesthetic qualities of the parade and the city and is not as analytical or opinionated( about things other than the beauty or mood of the event) as some of the other writers from this section.
I think it's important that Durer observed that "at Antwerp they spare no cost on such things, for there is money enough." This seems to be the only city we read about in which there is no mention of an underclass or extremely oppressed class. Although the church obviously rules and likely limits freedoms, and some obviously have more than others( I realize one could argue that inequalities of any sort imply oppression of some sort.), no one in this procession seems destitute. Even the widows whom Durer describes as "very sorrowful to see" are able to "support themselves by their own hands" and he observes a few he'd call "stately." Perhaps it is just the brevity of this writing, or something that Durer overlooked. Could Antwerp have been the most egalitarian city( or at least one without slavery, prostitution-which was probably similar to indentured servitude, or religious/ethnic/political conflict) or is it just that such issues are not the type that anyone wants to parade around town?
Posted by Tav at 08:01 PM | Permalink | Add a Comment (1)
Comments
I like your descriptions and your style when expressing your opinions of Antwerp. I have to agree that the city seems egalitarian, but also that the divisions are not necessarily noted or out in the open, but an accepted hidden part of society. I posted notes from our group too.
Posted by: Kari J.
Posted by: Kari J. | January 25, 2007 10:50 AM
MAPS OF CONSTANTINOPLE
Chrissi
Posted by Christina Barber at 08:27 PM | Permalink | Add a Comment (1)
Comments
Istanbul was Constantinople,
Now it's Istanbul not Constantinople.
Why did Constantinople get the works?
That's nobody's business but the Turks!
...Istanbul!
- They Might Be Giants
Thanks for the visuals Chrissi!
-Tav
Posted by: Anonymous | January 24, 2007 08:45 PM
Antwerp, Belgium Outline
This reading reflected mainly the events that occurred on a specific day. On this particular day, a parade was progress and all the towns people seemed to have been there. Because of the lack of physical discriptions for the categories, we generalized some thoughts.
Physical Characteristics: Large Catholic Church (Prominent and Visible in the city)
Established Roads (We pictured them as paved or maybe even cobblestone)
Prominent Market or Square
Political and Religious Leadership: The Church and the State are one
Political Culture is controlled by Religious Leaders
Workings of Trade: In terms of the parade, there is a display of the lower workers to the powerful merchants and
Religious leaders.
Social Organisation: Specialized Roles (e.i. goldsmith, painters, masons, sculptors...)
Religion appears to be homogenous and creates a common bond among all people.
A hierarchy forms as a result from the various roles.
Posted by: Kari J.
Posted by Kari Johnson at 08:35 PM | Permalink | Add a Comment (1)
Comments
Oops! I thought we were forgetting to post so I stepped in. Sorry if I stepped on your toes!
-Tavia
Posted by: Anonymous | January 24, 2007 08:53 PM
Constaninople represent...
The Absumi River divides Constantinople into two parts. On the eastern side resides the residency of the king, his officers, and the rest of the local population. The western side contains the Christians of the Franks, which include, Genoese, Venetians, men of Rome, and people of Paris. During the time of 1325-1354, the city was under the control of a king who was appointed by the pope. The king controlled the western side and had representatives chosen by the people to allow communication between the king and the west side. The western side was required to pay taxes to the king, but often rebelled, which led to wars that required the pope’s intervention to solve. The western side is described as being “overlaid with all kinds of filth,” and the churches are described as “dirty and mean.” On the Eastern side, the streets are described as being “spacious and paved with flagstones.” One of the largest and mot impressive Byzantine churches known as Aya Sufia (Church of holy wisdom), also exist on the east side. As the Roman Empire declined in the west, due to the invasion of the Celtic and Germanic tribes, power shifted to the Eastern Capitol (Constantinople). This process was completed during the reign of Justinian who made Constantinople the artistic and political capitol of the empire. This shift led to the building of Aya Sufia, which still exist today as a museum in Istanbul. During this time, the Christian religion played a huge role in the lives of the people. With the promising of an afterlife, a majority of the people followed the religion in hopes of salvation after death. There was a direct union of a political and spiritual authority and the king was considered divine. About 100 years after the travels of Ibn Battuta, Constantinople fell to the Turks who were Islamic and turned Aya Sophia into a Mosque, which now displays pieces of Christian and Islamic art and culture.
Posted by Tyler Hallett at 09:47 PM | Permalink | Add a Comment (1)
Comments
Well said, I think. I volunteered to submit our group's Constantinople information too but since I registered late for the class, or maybe because I'm not computer savvy enough to figure it out, I can't make real entries yet. So I'll just comment here and add on some other aspects our group came up with. Situated between a river and an only nine miles from the sea, the city had great water access (as did many early and great cities) that allowed for trade. Security was strong, with a "formidable" city wall and royal guards. The bazaars, at least on the east side, showed a class structure among the merchants. Also, with the "mean and dirty" west side, one gets an obvious feeling that there was class division among the two parts of the city.
That's about all that I've got to add...
Posted by: Bethanie Kloecker | January 24, 2007 10:13 PM
January 25, 2007
Social life and the People of Kin-sai
If you have difficulty finding the city of Kin-sai, it is located on the eastern coast of Asia (China).
This post is completely unrelated to the map, so I thought I’d just include it anyway for extra browny points. I really liked how Polo discussed more about social life in Kin-sai than the other travelers and I am most drawn by his account of the women of Kin-sai which I’m not too happy to read about but that’s another post for a women’s studies course.
“In other streets are the quarters of the courtesans who are here in such numbers as I date not venture to report. Not only near the squares, which is the situation usually appropriated for their residence, but in every part of the city they are to be found, adorned with much finery, highly perfumed, occupying well-furnished houses, and attended by many female domestics. These women are accomplished, and are perfect in the arts of caressing and fondling which they accompany with expressions adapted to every description of person. Strangers who have once tasted of their charms, remain in a state of fascination, and become so enchanted by their wanton arts, that they can never forget the impression. Thus intoxicated with sensual pleasures, when they return to their homes they report that they have been in Kin-sai, or the Celestial City, and look forward to the time when they may be enabled to revisit this paradise.” – pg. 51
This paragraph isn’t my most favorite description of the women of Kin-sai, but Polo does give insight to personal characteristics which the others don’t do. Polo also describes the physical features of the people of Kin-sai in the following sentence with more detail than the other travelers and the quotes stated gives you insight to how careful Polo observes and studies the people in his surroundings.
“The men as well as the women have fair complexions, and are handsome. The greater part of them are always clothed in silk, in consequence of the vast quantity of that material produced in the territory of Kin-sai, exclusively of what the merchants import from other provinces.”
Posted by Kathy Xiong at 11:33 AM | Permalink | Add a Comment (1)
Comments
Reading Polo's account of the women of Kin-sai (in the previous post in first quote) reminded me of the idea of "comfort women" which I've read partially in the book "The Rape of Nanking" and hearing about it from a friend of mine who studied the subject of comfort women in Japan. Comfort women were prominent in the early 1900s when women were used to comfort men in war with sex.
Reading the first quote of the previous post also brings up the question to how accepting the Chinese culture is when it comes to women and sexuality (comfort women) especially given real accounts of some Chinese women today who are also used to comfort business men in hotels. To this day, women in China are still highly sexualized and used as sexual commodities and reading Polo's account of the women in Kin-sai emphasizes the history of this sexual subculture.
This can also give you insight to where women stand in the social hierarchy of historical and present-day China. Not very high.
Posted by: Anonymous | January 25, 2007 12:03 PM
The views and opinions expressed in this page are strictly those of the page author. The contents of this page have not been reviewed or approved by the University of Minnesota.