Journey Map: Non-Flash Version

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Galleys of Aigues Mortes

The voyage to Aigues Mortes was irregular; in some years single ships went in the spring; in other years individual ships went at different times. They were expected back in December after a voyage of four to six months. The galleys stopped in Sicily and along Italy's west coast en route to Mediterranean coasts of France and Spain.

 

Points of Interest

Venice - Located on several islands in a protected lagoon at the head of the Adriatic, Venice was a republic, ruled by its noble families and an elected doge. Halfway between the eastern and western ends of the Mediterranean, it thrived as a trading emporium for goods moving in both directions, as well as over the Alps to Northern Europe.

Michael came to Venice in 1401. He left every year in the war galleys of the Venetian navy or the merchant galleys of the commercial fleet.

Aigues Mortes - This fortified city—once the king of France's only Mediterranean port—was one of a string of ports along the Mediterranean coasts of France and Spain visited by Venetian galleys which bore Eastern goods for transport to Paris and to the Champagne fairs.

The main product of Aigues Mortes was salt, but the Venetians also traded local produce as they traveled along Europe's southwestern coast, as far as Valencia and back.

Michael voyaged to Aigues Mortes once as comito in 1434.

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