Lodovico di Varthema, explorer and travel writer, ca. 1470-1517

The Italian explorer was the first Christian to visit the holy sites of Islam and leave a written account of his journey. In the guise of a Muslim, he travelled to Mekka and Medina in the early 16th century, visiting the grave of Muhammad and participating in the pilgrims' rituals. Necessitated to flee, he escaped via Persia to India. Varthema's account became a bestseller as soon as it appeared in 1510 and went through about twenty editions in various languages in the next fifty years. It provided many Europeans with their first glimpse of Islamic culture and of non-European cultures in general.

Lodovico di Varthema, explorer and travel writer, ca. 1470-1517

Varthema, Lodovico di. Hodaeporicon Indiae Orientalis; Das ist: Warhafftige Beschreibung der ansehnlich …Leipzig, 1608.

Varthema, Lodovico di. Die Ritterlich und lobwürdig reiß [...] Sagend von den landen, Egypto, …Strasbourg, 1516.

(Varthema, Lodovico di. The Navigation and v[o]yages of Lewes Vertomannus, Gentelman of the citie …London, 1577.

Varthema, Lodovico di. Die Ritterlich und lobwürdig reiß [...] Sagend von den landen, Egypto, …Strasbourg, 1516.

Varthema, Lodovico di. Die Ritterliche unnd Lobwirdige Reyß [...] sagend von den Landen Egypto, …Frankfurt/Main, 1548.

Varthema, Lodovico di. Itinerario de Ludovico de Varthema Bolognese nello Egitto, nella Soria, …Venice, April 1535.

(Varthema, Lodovico di. The Navigation and v[o]yages of Lewes Vertomannus, Gentelman of the citie …London, 1577.

Varthema, Lodovico di. Itinerario de Ludovico de Verthema Bolognese ne lo Egypto ne la Suria ne …Milan, 30 April 1523.

Varthema, Lodovico di / Jones, John Winter (transl.). The Travels of Ludovico di Varthema in Egypt, Syria, Arabia Deserta and …London, 1863.