Nicolo Conti, A Fifteen Century Traveler In Malabar

Nicolo` de' Conti, a Venetian, embarked on a remarkable journey to India and the East that lasted 25 years, from 1419 to 1444. Upon his return from India, when he reached Mecca, Conti was forced to convert in order to save his family. Upon his arrival in Italy in 1444, Conti sought absolution from Pope Eugenius IV. This was granted on the condition that he would truthfully relate his travels to the Pope's secretary, Poggio Bracciolini. Bracciolini recorded Conti's voyages in Latin in his 'Historia de Varietate Fortunae'.

In 1419, Conti began his journey from Damascus, where he had lived for some years. The first Indian city he visited was Cambay in Gujarat. He also traveled to many places in India, including Bizenegalia (Vijayanagar), Pelagonda (Penugonda), Peudifetania (possibly Pulicat), Odeschiria (Udayagiri), Cenderghiria (Chandragiri), Malepur (Mylapore), and cities on the Malabar coast such as Quilon, Cochin, and Calicut in Kerala.

"Coylang," or Quilon, from 'Gedenkweerdige Brasiliaense Zee en Lantreize ...' by Johan Nieuhof, published by Jacob van Meurs, Amsterdam, 1682

Description of Coloen (Quilon, also known as Kollam)

The circumference of Quilon is 12 miles. This province, known as Melibaria (Malabar), is renowned for its trade of spices such as Ginger called "colobi", pepper, Brazilwood, and cinnamon called "crassa".

Serpents and Flying Cats

There are serpents without feet (possibly Pythons), six cubits in length, wild yet harmless unless provoked. There is another type of harmless serpent with four feet and an oblong tail resembling that of large dogs, which are hunted for food. In this area, there are also venomous serpents with 7 heads arranged along the body, one cubit in length and winged like bats. They live in trees and can swiftly fly. They have the ability to destroy men with their breath alone.


There are also flying cats (lemur or colugo), which have a small membrane attached to their bodies that extends from their front to hind feet. When they fly, they spread and move it like wings. These are also hunted for food.

Description of Jackfruit and Mango

A tree called Cachi grows abundantly here, with a trunk that produces fruits resembling pineapples but so large that they are difficult for one man to lift. The rind is green and hard, containing 250-300 sweet apples that resemble figs and are separated by follicles. The sweet apples have a kernel similar in hardness and flavor to chestnuts. The kernels are also be roasted like chestnuts. The external bark of the fruit is used to feed cattle. Sometimes, the fruit of this tree is found underground in its roots, which is considered even more flavorful and therefore presented to the king and nobles. The tree resembles a large fig tree with leaves intercised like a palm tree. The wood is similar to box wood and is highly valued for its versatility.


There is another fruit called Amba, green like a walnut but bigger than a peach. The outer rind is bitter, but inside it is sweet like honey. They steep them in water to remove the acidity before they ripen, similar to how we steep green olives.

Description of Cocym (Cochin)

According to Conti, the city of Cochin is 5 miles in circumference and situated at the entrance of a river, from which it gets its name. While sailing in this river, Conti saw lighted fires along the banks and assumed they were made by fishermen. However, those with him on the ship exclaimed, 'Icepe, Icepe'; these were fishes or monsters with human-like forms. They live in the water and come out at night to collect wood and make fire by striking stones together. The fishes attracted by the light swim towards it, which the monsters seize and eat. What Conti witnessed was actually a primitive form of fishing!

View of Cochin on the Malabar Coast of India, Johannes Vinckboons 1662-1663

In Cochin, Conti saw the same fruits as in Quilon. After visiting Colanguria (Kodungallur or Cranganore), Paliuria and Meliancota, he arrived at Calicut.

Description of Calicut, also known as Kozhikode

This coastal city, covering an area of eight miles, is a major trading hub for all of India, abundant in pepper, lac, ginger, a larger type of cinnamon, and many other aromatic spices.

In this region, women are allowed to have multiple husbands. The husbands collectively contribute to the wife's maintenance, even though she lives separately from them. When one husband visits her, he leaves a mark at the door which signals to others not to enter. Children are allotted to the husbands at the will of the wife. The father's inheritance does not pass to the children, but to the grandchildren.

Reference:

The Travels of Nicolo Conti, in the East, in the Early Part of the Fifteenth Century, as related by Poggio Bracciolini, in his work entitled "Historia de Varietate Fortune" translated by J. Winter Jones, In 'India in the Fifteen Century'