Prince Henry Sinclair Part VI

An important aspect to the spread of the Bronze Age was the development of a written language. First in Mesopotamia, with the Sumerians, using “Cuneiform” and this knowledge passed to the Egyptians using “hieroglyphs".

 From Egypt into North Africa and the Mediterranean with the Mycenaean ( Linear B) script, most commonly associated with early Greek, which pre-dated the Greek alphabet by several centuries.

 Tin is a very rare element in the world. There were areas in Asia but it was  primarily mined in Great Briton, in Devon and Cornwall, and South America . It was also to a lesser degree mined in Brittany France, Germany, Spain and Portugal.

The primary production area of Copper came from Indonesia, Chile, North America, and in ancient times Cyprus.

The word Phoenician means “Red Hair”. They built their cities on the coast of the eastern Mediterranean. They had two main colonies Phoenicia and Carthage. They became known as Carthaginians THEY WERE THE ORIGINAL CELTS.

After the end of the Trojan war they began to expand their horizons with voyages  into the Atlantic . In 1972  off the coast of Honduras a Carthaginian ship wreck was discovered containing a cargo of Roman amphorae.

Some believe that the Toltec Indians were Carthaginians who after being defeated in the Tunic wars by the Romans left the Mediterranean for North Africa, West Africa, the Iberian Peninsula. 

The group that went to West Africa, either on purpose or by being blown out to sea during a storm, by way of Trade Wind route made their way to South America, the Caribbean and Central America.

 They were conquered by the Aztec Indians and their leader Montezuma acquired their cargo of gold , precious metals, and scripts and other cultural items.  This became part of Montezuma's treasure which was later discovered by Cortez in present day Mexico City.

Montezuma was confused when the conquistadors arrived, he didn't know weather to associate them with the feathered serpent  sun god Quetzalcoatl which the legend stated that one day the god would return to the land of the Aztecs to claim his throne and he would be recognized by his shine hair and white skin.

The Phoenicians were also called Sidonians, which were one and the same.  They were considered masters of sorcery and magic.  They were the original occultists.  They came to possess a civilization that goes back 30,000 years. 

 Sidonian navigators were in great demand by Babylonians, Persians, Greeks and Egyptians. Navigation, mathematics,and the sciences were considered the occult and all religions of that time were its enemy. The Greek alphabet was taken directly from Sidonian script and applied to the sounds of the Greek Language, hence the word phonetic.

 Now that I am done digressing lets return to the Carthaginians expanding their horizons. One group went to Africa and eventually to central and South America. Another group went to the Iberian Peninsula, they founded Cadiz Spain. This group became known as “Celtiberians” by archaeologist's.

They migrated to the British Isles, where they were just referred to as Celts. In their migration through  the Mediterranean, North Africa, and the Iberian Peninsula, they accumulated many languages and alphabets. In 1200 AD The “Book of Ballymore” was written at a monastery in Ireland using African Script.

 In 1960 this script was shown to be an ancient North African script used in the time frame of 1000 AD. The Celts of Ireland, England and Wales, the “Ancient Britons”, used many different writing systems which they preserved in monasteries.

The Celts went from Ireland to the Shetland Islands then on to Iceland where they started some settlements, on to Greenland where they also started settlements. They always seemed to be one step ahead of the Vikings but by generations.

 They were well established in Greenland when Eric the Red  arrived in 982 A.D.  From there to Newfoundland and Nova Scotia, and several points on the eastern seaboard of North America. There is unquestionable Celtiberian influence in the Algonquian writing system.

 If the Celtiberian's brought African script to Ireland, which was used in the Book of Ballymore, it wouldn't be unheard of to bring North African hieroglyphic's to Nova Scotia.

 Algonquin legends state that some of the their Ancestors came from across the Atlantic and that white men lived among them in times long past. Celtic contact seems to have been massive and long standing. It makes one wonder about the legends of the white Indians of Narraganset Bay.

  Carthaginian began moving out of the Mediterranean starting around 700 BC.  Saint Brendan was suppose to have traveled to North America in the times of King Arthur.

  When Viking explorer's arrived in North America, they reported natives with auburn or lite brown hair.  They were told of a “white mans land” inland from the coast.  Part of this groups customs were to walk as a group in a procession chanting. Sounds like Irish Monks to me!

There is a Norse legend concerning an Icelander from around the year 1000 A.D., his name was Ari Marson, he was a explorer who was shipwrecked in the lands to the west, he was also baptized there.

There have been several discoveries in the New England area, of Phoenician sites with writing in a Celtiberian script known as Ogam. They are possible Temples to the Phonetician Sun God Baal.

  

Prince Henry Sinclair Part IV

  Antonio Zeno said that Prince Henry sent the fleet away and retained only rowing boats. He kept only those who wanted to spend the winter. That means his Templar's!

   It is said that 500 of the warrior Monks accompanied him with at least part of the treasure which is known as the Holy Grail. He spent at least one winter in Nova Scotia and perhaps two.

  Antonio says that Prince Sinclair conceived the idea to start a settlement, evidence shows that perhaps he started two or more. He made friends with the Micmac Indians which are indigenous to the area which are part of the greater nation of Algonquin Indians. 

  The Algonquin Nation extended into present day Maine and into New England at least into Massachusetts and Rhode Island to the area of Newport.

  These Indians were quite friendly, intelligent and were quite open to learning new methods. They had a advanced form of communication for this time.

 They would write symbols on tree bark or etch it into stones or wood and send it to another group of Indians that would respond in like, using the same bark or stone. Just like we would send letters or notes today. Prince Sinclair became part of their legends and history and they called him Glooscap;

"Glooscap being a handsome and very stately warrior

with the air of a great chief, was admired by all,

Especially by the women, so that everyone felt honored

whose wigwam he delighted to enter.

He read the thought of men as though they were the

strength of wampum seeing deep into everyone's heart

He was ever a boon companion and a right valiant smoker

In the entire world no man was who loved a well filled pipe

of good and fragrant pipe tobacco so heartily as he."

  The Indians were amazed at his tireless exploration of the country. Micmac legends state that he crossed the Nova Scotia peninsula to the Atlantic and returned to the Bay of Fundy. He crossed to the Atlantic by first paddling southwest along the Bay of Fundy to the site of present day Digby.

 From Digby he followed the shore to modern day Annapolis where he discovered the mouth of the Lequille Stream. He would following this as far as possible by canoe “ a short but rugged portage” would have brought him to the Liverpool head lake.

The lake was a long system running the length of the peninsula and drained by the Mercy River which drains into the Atlantic at present day Liverpool.

 The route was all by water except for the short portage This was the easiest way across the widest part of the Nova Scotia peninsula. Nova Scotia is a peninsula not an island. There is a 17 mile land bridge connecting it to the continent.

 He very well may have crossed at its narrowest point by following the shore of Mahone Bay to the south he would have noticed a medium sized island about 2 miles to his left and would Probably have stopped to explore it and perhaps spent the night.

 About 20% of the island had spruce trees growing, the rest of it was mainly flat with a lot of underbrush and bramble, perhaps some berry bushes like most lake islands.

 They probably hiked the shore line before entering into the interior of the island. On the north shore of the island, looking across Mahone Bay to the western shore of the Peninsula, there were a couple of small islands, not much more than mudflats.

  Past them to the south is an expanse of water which is the entrance to the Gold River, leading to the interior of the peninsula. Prince Sinclair probably would have followed this river because there was a very high point that he would have been able to climb and get quite an expansive view of the peninsula and both bodies of water.

  Half way down the island was an indentation at the narrowest point of the island, with a swamp crossing it from shore to shore. He probably went to the center of it and commenced an expanding rectangle search pattern noticing the quality of soil, signs of wildlife, and any signs of habitation.

  He probably split his crew into several groups each taking a section of the island. The crew taking the southern portion of the island came across a depression of earth with a covering of branches and old brush that didn't look natural, more like it was a pile of brush, walking across it, the feel of the ground was distinctly different.

  Probing the ground with a walking stick they encountered a large flat stone. Strange because there weren't any stones or rocks that size and type anywhere around it.

  They pried it off the ground and to their surprise it was covering an entrance. They cleared rubbish out of the entrance and about two feet down there was another flat stone protecting the entrance.  They proceeded to remove that stone also and then there was blackness, one of the men dropped a stone down and no sound was heard.

 The tunnel was very exciting to the crew, but Prince Henry decided to re-secure the sight and planned for further investigation, they retired to their camp site and planned for an early departure at oh dark thirty the next morning.

  They departed across Mahone bay from the north shore of the island, and 2 miles later they were traveling with the incoming tide up the Gold River.

   They traveled along the river making a map as they proceeded along the very scenic river banks lined with oak and elm maple and spruce trees.

 After a 17 mile trip they made camp at the foot of a very tall rocky hill which they planned to climb in the morning to catch the view from the top.

 At daybreak the following day they climbed the hill arriving at it close to noon, and what they found was quite interesting. A Castle, falling apart and in disrepair, but a fortress none the less.

  With a working well none the less. With an incredible view up and down the peninsula and both the Bay of Fundy and the Atlantic were also plainly visible and cape D' Or was visible to the north.

 The island they were at in Mahone Bay was also plainly visible, along with the river called the Gold River, which came to an end at the foot of the hill, where they made a camp site last night.

  Interesting enough, just a short distance off, it started up again and flowed into the Bay of Fundy. This River is called the “Gaspereau”. Interesting though, another island lay a short distance off the mouth of the river draining into the Bay of Fundy.

  OK time for me to digress, first with the hilltop castle. The Zeno map of the north shows two settlements marked by castle's on the Zeno map.

  One at the river hilltop site which is called the cross and the other in the northern part of the island on the bay called Pictou. The Indians call it the “ town of a hundred wigwams”.

  The location of the castle at the cross is now part of a hilltop village. It is owned by a couple who are descendants of Eric the Red and also of Robert the Bruce through the Stuart dynasty.

 They came over from England specifically for this property. They have tried to have the site professionally excavated by the government but it’s being delayed by politics, they don't want to have to rewrite the history books.  Just wait till I start beating up on John Cabot!

  Just to satisfy their curiosity they started a very small dig. The property still has the crumbling walls of the castle with rubble stone construction. They dug down four feet and noticed that the stone had changed to squared stone, that was fitted together and squared.

  At four feet in depth they still hadn't reached the foundation. They decided to halt the dig at that point to maintain an undisturbed site. They recovered a few stone implements. They recovered a stone called a herm, a roughly man made cut stone which was on the property.

  It had a Celtic style known as a petromantic. There was also a portion of a flaked stone knife, it appeared to be Celtic from the Neolithic period as late as the Julian conquest of Gaul.

 They also had a very corroded pin or “fibula” and a portion of a sword blade, also a dagger blade. The sword blade could just as easily be from a piece of farm implement, but never the less significant.

                     To be continued

Prince Henry Sinclair Part III

Prince Henry Sinclair with Admiral Antonio Zeno as his fleet commander set sail from the Shetland islands in 1398. Antonio had been in his employ for the last seven years ever since he arrived at the request of his late brother Nicolo. Nicolo was ship wrecked and saved by Prince Sinclair. The Zeno's have been in his service ever since, for the last eight years. During this time they were preparing to explore the lands to the west, which was primarily based on Prince Sinclair getting his affairs in order.

Frequent conflicts with England, fighting pirates in the Shetlands and re enforcing Norway as the sovereign power in the islands. Which means collecting taxes from a group of people that were fiercely independent, of the viking stock and for generations hadn't paid taxes at all.

The cannon was a new concept at this time and had with in the last few years been used in naval conflict. The first engagement that the cannon was used shipboard was at the battle of Chioggia for the freedom of Venice.

 Antonio's older brother,, Carlo the”Lion” of Venice, was credited as the “ Savior of Venice” because after a long siege of Venice he had arrived with his fleet from a routine patrol in the eastern Mediterranean and was able to attack the Genovese with his newly refined cannons.

They had reforged the cannon for ship board use. Antonio was at that time a Galley Captain in the Navy of Venice, and had personal experience with the cannon in naval conflict. He transferred this knowledge to the Templar Navy of Prince Henry Sinclair.

 For the prior seven years before leaving on the Trans-Atlantic voyage to the New World, Antonio used the cannon to fight piracy in the Shetland Islands, and Norway's enemy the Hanseatic League in the Baltic.

A fisherman who was lost at sea for twenty years, returned with a very interesting story of lands to the west but history doesn't give the legend credit, so I won't go into the story at this point, only to say the fisherman was going to accompany the fleet as a “guide” but died three day s before the fleet was to leave in the early spring of 1398.

In  late March the fleet departed the Shetland Islands from the Island of Fer to the Faroes Islands which lay half way between Scotland and Iceland in the Norwegian Sea. They rested for seven days and fished and took on water to replenish their supplies.

From the Zeno Narratives: "Departing thence, we arrived on the 1st of April at the island of Ilofe;( Iceland) and as the wind was full in our favor, pushed on. But not long thereafter, when on the ocean, there arose so great a storm that for eight days we were in toil, and driven we do not know where, and a considerable number of vessels were lost to each other. At length when the storm abated, we gathered together the scattered vessels, and sailing with a prosperous wind, we sighted land on the west."

"Steering straight for it, we reached a safe and quiet harbor, in which we encountered a very large group of armed people, who came running, prepared to defend the island. Sinclair now caused his men to make peace to them, and they sent ten men to us could speak ten languages, but we could understand none of them, except one who was from Iceland.

Being brought before our Prince and asked what was the name of the island, and what people inhabited it, and who was the governor, he answered that the island was called Icari, and all the Kings there were called Icari, after the first King, who was the son of Daedalus, King of Scotland.

Daedalus conquered that island, left his son there for King, and gave them those laws that they retain to the present time. After that, when going to sail farther, he was drowned in a great tempest; and in memory of his death that the sea was called to this day the Icarian sea, and the Kings of the island were called Icari. They were content with the state which God had given them, and would neither alter their laws nor admit any strangers.

They therefore requested our prince not to attempt to interfere with their laws, which they had received from that King of worthy memory, and observed up to the present time. That the attempt would lead to his own destruction, for they were all prepared to die rather than relax in anyway the use of those laws. 

Nevertheless, that we might not think that they all together refused intercourse with other men, they ended by saying that they would willingly receive one of our people, and give him an honorable position among them, if only for the sake of learning our language and gaining information as to our customs, in the same way as they had already received those ten other persons from ten different countries, who had come into their island. To all this our Prince made no reply, beyond inquiring where there was a good harbor, and making signs that he intended to depart.

Accordingly, sailing round about the island, he put in with all his fleet in full sail, into a harbor which he found on the eastern side. The sailors went ashore to take in wood and water, which they did as quickly as they could, for fear that they might be attacked by the island men, who stood constantly prepared to beat us back, if we should attempt to come on land. 

Wherefore, Sinclair, seeing he could do nothing, and if we were to preserve in this attempt, the fleet would fall short of provisions, took this departure with fair winds and sailed six days to the westwards; but the winds afterward shifting to the southwest, and the sea becoming rough, we sailed four days with the winds aft, and finally sighted land.

As the seas ran high we did not know what country it was, we were afraid at first to approach it, but by God's blessing the winds lulled, and there they came on a great calm. Some of the crew pulled ashore and soon returned with great joy with news that they found an excellent country and a still better harbor. 

We brought our barks and our boats to land, and on entering a excellent harbor. We saw in the distance a great hill that pored forth smoke, which gave us hope that we might find some inhabitants in the island. 

Neither would Sinclair rest, though it was a great way off, without sending  100 soldiers to explore the country, bring us an account of what sort of people the inhabitants were. Meanwhile, we took in a store of wood and water, and caught a considerable quantity of fish and sea fowl. We also found such an abundance of bird eggs that our men, who were half famished, ate of them to repletion.

While we were at anchor there, the month of June came in, and the air in the island was mild and pleasant beyond description; but as we saw nobody, we began to suspect that this pleasant place was uninhabited. To the harbor we gave the name of Trin, and the headland that stretched out into the sea we called Cape Trin.

After eight days the 100 soldiers returned, and brought word that they had been through the island and up to the hill, and the smoke was a natural thing proceeding from a great fire in the bottom of the hill, and there was a spring from which issued a certain substance like pitch, which ran into the sea, and thereabouts dealt a great many people half wild, and living in caves. They were of small stature and very timid. They reported also that there was a large river, and a very good and safe harbor.

When Sinclair heard this, and noticed the wholesome and pure atmosphere, and fertile soil, good rivers, and many other convinces, he conceived the idea of founding a settlement. But his people, fatigued, began to murmur, and say they wished to return to their homes for the winter was not far off, and if they allowed it to once set in, they would not get away before the following summer.

 He therefore retained only boats propelled by oars, and such of his people as were willing to stay, and sent the rest away in ships, appointing me against my will, to be their Captain.

Having no choice, therefore, I departed and sailed 20 days to eastwards, without sight of any land; Then, turning my course to the southeast, in 5 days I sighted on land, and found myself on the island of Neome, and knowing the country, I perceived I was past Iceland; and as the inhabitants were subject to Sinclair, I took in fresh stores and sailed 3 days to Frislanda, where the people, who thought they had lost their Prince, in consequence of his long absence on the voyage we had made, received us with hearty welcome....

Concerning those things you desire to know of me, as to the people and there habits, the animals, and the countries adjourning, I have written about it all in a separate book, which please God I shall bring with me.

 In it I have described the country, the monstrous fishes, the customs and laws of Frislanda, of Iceland, of Shetland, the Kingdom of Norway, Estotiland and Drogio; and lastly I have written....the life and exploits of Sinclair, a Prince as worthy of immortal memory as any that lived, for his remarkable goodness.” And this is what the Zeno narratives say about the Trans-Atlantic voyage.

 The Narrative was copied verbatim so the punctuation and run on sentences are driving my word perfect into overtime. This was written in the first person of Ant

Prince Henry Sinclair Part II

With as many titles as Prince Henry holds you might imagine he was a master of time management and that I am sure he was. But he also needed to take “business trips” sometimes for extended periods of time. He made regular excursion to Roslyn Castle, in addition to the rest of the five hundred properties that were contained in his estate.

In 1384 he visited Roslyn to arrange a donation of land for his cousin, Sir James St. Clair, Baron of Longformacus, the deed of donation was witnessed by five Nobles During 1385 he was also away from the islands for a prolonged period of time. A large English army under King Richard II marched on Scotland.

Prince Henry spent several weeks in this campaign. The Templar's under his command defended Scotland and followed the English into the northern provinces of England and laid siege to Carlisle Castle.

This defense of Scotland prevented Henry from returning to Orkney for several month's. When he did return he continued with his responsibilities to Queen Margaret, maintaining law and order among the rough and tumble islanders, arranging trading relationships managing infrastructure projects and making occasional excursions to his properties to the south.

Queen Margaret was ruler of Norway, Sweden and Denmark. Her infant son was King of these kingdoms but died as a child in 1389. She realized that her Royal subjects, mainly the men would rather be ruled by a man so she adopted a 5/yo boy named Eric of Pomerania as her heir. Then she persuaded the council of Electors, which Prince Henry was a member of, to recognize Eric as rightful heir to the three Kingdoms, which in effect left her in charge of the Kingdoms until he came of age.

The charter proclaiming Eric as heir to the throne of the three Kingdoms and was signed by Vinold, Archbishop of Drontheim; Prince Henry Sinclair Earl of Orkney; various bishops and nobles of the council. Prince Henry was at Helsingborg in Sweden on July 9, 1389 when Eric was acclaimed as King of the country and was also present in September in 1389 when Eric was crowned King of Norway.

Nicolo Zeno was a younger brother of Carlo Zeno who Prince Henry had met on the crusades, and earlier in Denmark in 1364. Nicolo was almost as skilled and experienced as his brother. He was a Captain of a galley in a war against the Genoese. He had served at one time as the Venetian Ambassador to Ferra in northern Italy.

His personal wealth that he used to build and outfit a ship for voyages to the northern waters, was such that he was one of the richest men in Venice. At all times he kept his family informed of his progress through a series of letters to Antonio and Carlo.

Two hundred and fifty years later a descendant edited and published and these became known to history as the Zeno Narrative. Nicolo describes passing through the straits of Gibraltar and on to Flanders and England. He continues with an account of a terrible storm that resulted in a shipwreck that I described at the Island of Fer.

Prince Henry is described as lord of the islands of Frislanda and Portlanda, which is the ancient Italian version of Fer Island, Portlanda being Orkney. He further describes Prince Henry as war like, valiant, especially famous in naval exploits, and a “great lord who ruled certain islands called Portlanda which laid to the south of Frislanda”

Besides being described as lord of these islands he goes further and describes him as Duke of certain estates in Scotland, Prince Henry invited Nicolo and his crew to serve aboard his fleet, and they shared navigational techniques and knowledge.

Nicolo and his crew served in Prince Henry's Navy in the Shetland Islands for a period of time, the Prince showed his gratitude by granting Captain Nicolo Zeno the honor of Knighthood and rewarded his crew with handsome gifts.

As part of the Zeno Narratives there is a letter from Nicolo to his brother Antonio, requesting him to commission another ship to come out to the islands and join in the expedition.

Since Antonio had as great a desire as his brother to see the world and it's various

nations, and to make himself a great name, he bought a ship and directed his course that way.

After a long voyage full of many dangers, he joined Sir Nicolo in safety and was received by him

with great gladness, as his brother not only by blood, but also in courage.

In 1392 Queen Margaret contacted King Richard II of England to arrange safe passage for Prince Henry Sinclair Earl of Orkney and Barron of Roslyn to travel to London to lease three warships to make good the deficiency in the Norwegian fleet.

On March 10^th, 1392 safe -conduct was granted to Prince Henry to enter England with a part of no more than twenty-four people. Anyone who was a fugitive from English law was excluded from the safe-conduct. This was good until September 29 of 1392.

It is safe to assume that Prince Henry brought some of his Italian sailors with him especially in light of what was about to take place. It is reasonable to assume that the Zeno brothers were compiling a list of nautical supplies needed for a trans-Atlantic voyage, while Prince Henry took care of state business for the crown.

After Prince Henry had the Shetland Islands operating to his standards he set a bought building a second Castle, perhaps fortress is more appropriate description. The foundation can still be seen to-day . near Lerwick Scotland in Bressay bay.

Captain Nicolo Zeno remained at Bressay and the following year, 1393, equipped three barks for a voyage of exploration.

He sailed north in July of 1393 and set foot on Greenland: here he found a monastery of the preaching friars. A church dedicated to St. Thomas by a hill which vomited fire like Vesuvius and Etna. There is a spring of hot water there which is used to heat both the church of the monastery and the chambers of the friars.

The water comes up into the kitchen so boiling hot that they use no other fire to cook their food. They also put their bread into brass pots without any water, and it is baked as if it were in a hot oven.

Dr William H Hobbs a geologist at the University of Michigan states that evidence of everything written in the Zeno Narrative has been discovered in that area of Greenland. As a result of the severe weather Nicolo encountered in Greenland He became ill and returned to the Shetland Islands where he died. His brother Antonio assumed his responsibility as Admiral of the Fleet and also inherited Nicolo's wealth and honor's.

The account of Nicolo's survey of Greenland and his death in the Shetland Islands were confirmed by Marco Barbaro in his work Discendenz Patrizie published in 1536, twenty -two years before the Zeno Narratives were published

Prior to the infamous voyage of 1398 Antonio Zeno writes a letter to Carlo's stating;

...this noble man (Prince Henry) is now determined to send me out with a

fleet towards these parts. There are so many that want to join on the

expedition on account of the novelty and the strangeness of the thing,

that I think we shall be very well equipped, without any public expense

at all

a descendant wrote two hundred years later: “ he set sail with many vessels and men, but he was not to be the commander, as he expected to be.” The Prince was in charge and three days before their scheduled departure the fisherman (guide) died. Despite that, however the expedition went ahead.

The Battle of Chioggia

Admiral Carlo Zeno came from one of the most prestigious, oldest, and revered families of Venice. Carlo was known as the “lion”.  The Zeno's were regarded with the same respect that the Sinclair's of Scotland were held in.

 The name Zeno can be traced to the highest offices of state.  In 1203 Marin Zeno took part in the conquest of Constantinople and became governor of the Venetian section of Constantinople in 1205.

  His son Pietro, was the father of Rineri, who was duke of Venice in 1282.  Renri governed for 17 years. Governor Renri Zeno carried on a successful campaign against the Genoese.  He was the grandfather of Pietro who in 1362 was the supreme naval commander of the league of Christians against the Turks.

 Pietro's nick name was the “Dragon”, which was turned into the family crest and emblazoned on the family shield.  The Dragon had three sons, Carlo the “Lion”, Nicholas II “Cavaliere” and Antonio.  It was during the voyage to the northern capitals of Europe by Admiral Carlo Zeno in 1364 that the association of the Zeno's and Prince Henry Sinclair became evident.

 On these voyages to the north the Zeno brothers would write extensive letters to each other and these very important letters became known to history as the “Zeno Narrative's”.  These became very important in documenting the pre-Columbian discovery of America by Prince Henry Sinclair in 1398.

 In January 1339, a peace treaty took place, and Venice acquired properties on the mainland of Italy.  Venice already had colonies in Greece and other cities throughout the Mediterranean.  Some were glorified trading posts, such as Acre.

 The properties on the mainland of Italy were very important to Venice because of the grains, corn and meat to be imported into the City of Venice essentially built in a lagoon with limited resources.

 The powers in the Mediterranean during this period of history were the Byzantine Empire, the Venetian, the Genovese, and the Turks.  A big vacuum was left in the Mediterranean with the suppression of the Order of the Temple of Solomon.

 The Byzantine Empire was coming apart at the seams because of theological dispute and political rivalry; it was now on the verge of bankruptcy.  The Venetian and Genovese had been at war for ages and weren't able to mend their differences to a point where they could join forces to hold the Turks in check.

 By 1340 the Turks were 60 miles from Constrainable with a flotilla of 230 ships.  This was not only threatening Venice but the entire eastern Mediterranean. Turkish dominance at this time contained most of Asia Minor.

 At this point Venice was at the height of commercial prosperity, they were erecting new buildings, art work and the outward trapping of prosperity.  In 1341 the restoration of the duke of Venice's palace began and this is the facade we see today 670 years later.

 The administrative seats of power in Venice were in stark contrast to that of Mainland Italy, where the government seat was protected by a moat and drawbridge to protect public officials from the wrath of her people.

 The Duke of Venice had no need to be protected from the people his palace was built to celebrate not to intimidate. It was built to celebrate the political stability, prosperity and serenity that Venice alone enjoyed.

 This was in contrast to the rest of Italy.  The palace is described as a dazzling fusion of grace, and color.  But they also lived in the real world!

 The bubonic plague arrived in 1348 and by the spring there were deaths of 600 per day. By the time the Black Death had run its course over fifty Nobel families had been wiped out.

 Venice had lost 60% of its population. Genoa had experienced similar loses, and the effect on these two powerful maritime nations was devastating.

 Conflict continued between the two countries, battle after battle Venice would win one then Genoa would win the next one without any gain but with significant loss of life and shipping.

  In 1355 a peace treaty was signed between the two arch enemies, then Venice was immediately at war with Hungary and a peace treaty was signed with them in 1358.

 This treaty cost Venice her Dalmatian colonies. By 1373 Venice and Genoa were at war again. The Genoese joined forces with the remnants of the Byzantine Empire.

  They commenced a forceful attack on Tenedos which controlled the entrance to the straits of Marmara. If Tenedoes were to be captured it would terminate Venice’s ability to trade with Constantinople, the black sea, and the remnants of the Byzantine Empire.

  This attempt failed, the battles fought however were on the home front of Venice off the coast of Anzio, Italy and in the Venetian Lagoon itself.

  A fleet under the command of Pisani was able to defend the Venetian Lagoon but a year later lost at the battle of Pola.  Pisani survived with only six of his ships.

   Pisani was imprisoned for five years and forbidden to hold public office.  This was devastating for Venice because their other leading naval commander Admiral Carlo Zeno was in the eastern Mediterranean with another fleet.

 With Admiral Carlo Zeno off the Turkish coast the only ships remaining to defend Venice were the six battered ships that Admiral Pisani returned with.

  Lucky for Venice Genoa had lost most of their leadership during the battle of Pola, and their offense was delayed waiting for a replacement admiral and his captains.

 With this brief break in the action the whole population of Venice rose to the call, strengthening the defenses of Venice. Some of the wealthy families put their entire treasury at the disposal of the state. Many nobles outfitted ships and subsidized the cost of reinforcing defensive positions.

 As the reinforcement of defenses was taking place, the Venetian lands on mainland Italy were also under attack by 5000 Hungarians and their Genoese allies.

 Soon an advance party of Genoese naval ships were in sight of the city, just outside Lido, which had been reinforced with very strong walls and a triple moat.

 Three heavy tree trunks were chained together lying across the entrance to the Lagoon and markers showing the channel leading into the Lagoon were removed to confuse the ships unfamiliar with the local waters.

 An army of 4000 mounted Calvary, 2000 infantry, and a large force of crossbow archers gathered at a point on a chain of small islands outside of the lagoon which were constantly patrolled by armed patrol craft to prevent any form of communication with the Genoese fleet and any scout parties shore side.

 The defenses were completed just in time whereas a Genoese fleet of 47 galleys appeared Aug 6th, 1377, under the command of Genoese Admiral Pietro Doria.

  The Genoese fleet appeared off of Chioggia which lay in the marshes in the southern end of the Venetian Lagoon.

 The Genoese fleet sailed down from the north, burning and pillaging its way down the coast, until it reached Chioggia where the line of barrier islands met the mainland, hopping to meet with a land based invasion force.

 Chioggia was guarded by a brigade of 3000 soldiers.  This brigade was defeated on Aug 16th 1377 after a long battle with great loss of life on both sides.

 This is the first time in Venetian history that a fortified city inside the lagoon commanding a deep water channel leading to the city itself was in the hands of the enemy.

 At this point the disgraced Admiral Pisani was released from prison and appointed supreme command of the cities defenses.  Moral was raised immediately among the citizens and work was started immediately on forty galleons and they were built and made ready in record time.

 A new defensive wall was completed within fourteen days. A boom was drawn across the western end of Grand Canal and this was also protected by ships with rockets on board.

 After giving considerable thought to the situation Admiral Pietro Doria decided to blockade the city instead of attacking it.  The Venetians were able to send a small group to patrol craft under the command of Commodore Giovanni de Cavalli, which intercepted three Genovese ships guarding a mainland fort, and destroyed them without taking prisoners.

 Commodore Giovanni de Cavalli then made a slow advancement along the island chain and recaptured Malamocco. When winter approached Admiral Doria pulled his fleet inside of the city of Chioggia.  This was an opportunity that Admiral Pisani was waiting for.

 Chioggia was almost land locked except for three narrow channels. Admiral Pistani sunk a large bolder in each of the three channels.  The Venetian blockading expedition set out on December 21, 1379.

 Admiral Pisani was on the lead vessel accompanied by the Duke of Venice, the operation sinking boulders into the three channels was successful and the Genoese fleet was bottled up inside the city.

 With the winter storms upon them the Venetians increased their patrols, not only of the three canals but also the northern entrance to the lagoon.  The Venetian forces were low on supplies, and were exhausted.

 On January 1st 1380, a welcome sight on the horizon as Admiral Carlo Zeno fleet sailed into view. The siege of Chioggia lasted into the spring when a new Genoese fleet arrived under the command of Admiral Marco Maruffo.

  Encountering Admiral Carlo Zeno fleet was too much for the Genoese Admiral to handle and on June 24th 1380 the 4000 starving Genoese sailors surrendered to the “Lion” Admiral Carlo Zeno.

 The entire city of Venice went totally crazy celebrating in the streets; the whole population took to boats and accompanied the Duke of Venice as he departed to meet Admiral Zeno’s fleet.  The victory of Chioggia was a victory for all the citizens of Venice, for the Duke of Venice, and especially for the “Lion” Carlo Zeno the savior of Venice.

Prince Henry Sinclair Part I

Baron of Roslyn, Baron of Pentland Moor, Baron of Cousland, Baron of Cardain Saintclair, Lord of Shetland, Earl of Orkney, under the King of Norway, Lord chief Justice of Scotland, Lord Admiral of the High Seas, great protector, keen defender of Prince of Scotland, Knight of the Order of St. Michael, Grand Master Scottish Rite Knight Templar, member Priory of Sion, of the Rex Deus, grandfather of William Sinclair 1^st Earl of Caithness builder of Roslyn Chapel, he was age 13 at this time around 1358.

In 1363, five years after ascending to the barony of Roslyn, Prince Henry was appointed Ambassador to Denmark. He moved to Copenhagen for two years. One of his first duties was to attend the wedding of Princess Margaret I of Denmark to King Haakon of Norway. This began a close friendship of Henry and Margaret I that would last until his death.

KNUTSON EXPEDITION

In 1354 Norwegian King Magnus dispatches Sir Paul Knutson to Greenland to check on the welfare of the village.

...we desire to make known to you Sir Paul Knutson that you are to select men that shall go in the koru (Royal Trading Vessel) ...from among my bodyguards and also from the retainers of other men, whom you wish to take on the voyage, and that Commandant Paul Knutson will have full authority to select such men that he feels are best qualified to accompany him, whether officers or men....

The objective of the expedition was to bring apostates back to Christianity.  They first departed for Greenland, where they found the village abandoned and then their fleet split into three groups. The first to remain between the St. Lawrence River and Hudson Bay.  The second group penetrated deep inland, and the third group, stayed at Leif Erickson’s original colony at Norembega.

In 1898 a Minnesota farmer was clearing trees on his farm when he discovered a rune stone with an inscription on it which has become known to history as the Kensington Stone. Hjalmar Holand translated the inscription

....We are eight Swedes and twenty two Norwegians on an exploratory journey from Vinland round about west. We had camp by a lake with two skerries one day’s journey north from the stone. We were out and fished one day.  After we came home we found ten of our men red with blood and dead.  Ave Virgo Maria save us from evil!  We have ten men by the sea to look after our ships. Fourteen day’s journey from this island in the year of our lord 1362.

According to Professors storm and Nansen who claim there is conclusive evidence that the remnants of the expedition returned to Norway in 1364.

Hearing of the Knutson expedition was one of many events in the young Prince's life that would be formidable. About this time he was married to Princess Florentine of Denmark, Queen Margaret younger sister. It was in 1364 that he made the acquaintance of Admiral Carlo Zeno of Venice, who was later to become savior of Chioggia.

Admiral Zeno was touring the northern cities with King Peter of Cyprus. In order to promote a new crusade.  They had two objectives, two raise funds for this very expensive undertaking and to recruit crusaders.

Henry was recruited by King Peter of Cyprus in 1365. The Sinclair's had given refuge to persecuted Knight Templar's during the purge in 1307. They formed into the army and navy of Scotland and they and their descendants formed into the Scottish Rite of Knight Templar’s under the patronage of the Clan Sinclair.

Henry departed on the crusade in 1366 leaving his new bride with her family in Denmark. He departed for Cyprus as part of a fleet with 300 ships, they moved on to Egypt where they pillaged Alexandria and from then on he was frequently called the Holy Henry Sinclair.

When he was away on the crusade his wife Princess Florentina died before reaching puberty. Upon his return he married his childhood sweetheart, Janet Halyburton, the daughter of Lord Dirleton. They had three children Henry II, John, and a daughter Elizabeth.

To strength his position and as is custom within the Rex Deus he arranged marriages for his children. Henry II married Egida Douglas, the granddaughter of King Robert II of Scotland. John married the daughter of King of Denmark, Ingeborg. Elizabeth married the Justice John Drummond of Cargill.

Henry had a direct lineal decent from Turf Einar, Earl of Orkney, and natural son of Rognvald the Mighty. He received the Earldom of Orkney on Aug 2^nd 1379. Prince Henry had his work cutout for him in the Orkney and Shetland Island where corruption was running rampant, the church was corrupt and stealing from the general populace and from the tax coffers, it was a haven for piracy, and tax's weren't being collected.

Henry built a Castle at Kirkwall, and brought law and order to the islands. The islanders were of Viking stock rough and tough. They included the families of Bernstane,Clouston, Cragy, Cromarty, Peterson,Petrie, Heddle, Halcro, Ireland, Kirkness, Linflater, Ness, Paplay, Rendall, Scarth,Scalter and Yenstay. All card carrying members of Clan Sinclair.

Hatred of the church was intense for years they had been illegally collecting rent, taxes, seizure of lands, every thing he did to oppose the bishop won popularity with the people. Then in 1382 there was a uprising and the bishop was killed by his flock. The bishop was a Scott. The flock were Norse. Henry consolidated his power restored the stolen lands to their rightful owners. The Avigon Pope put a proper Norse Bishop in the church, Robert Sinclair.

The Orkney and Shetlands each supported a population of 25,000. They were now a prosperous chain of islands. They exported large quantities of fish, pork, sheep and hides to Scotland, and the Hanseatic merchants. They imported timber, flax, pitch, salt, wax and pewter. The prosperity of the island ensured that the taxes were high.

Under Prince Henry's control the island were the most prosperous in this period. Prince Henry started to build a fleet to increase his control over the rest of the island chain. He imported pine and oak from his estate of Roslyn, and built a fleet of thirteen seaworthy ships. He built two galleys, undecked ship powered by oars, one long decked battleship and ten decked barks.

In 1390 when Prince Henry was at the Island of Fer, negotiating trade agreements, all the peoples arose went for their weapons and immediately departed for the coast where a ship had run aground on the rocky coast.

The inhabitants were not adverse to making a profit on the misfortune of others. They practiced a form of piracy called wreckers. Any cargo that washed up on shore was considered fair game any survivors paid with their lives.

Henry noticed that the mast had snapped probably on impact and the crew were hanging on to the rigging afraid to swim to the shore which was lined with murderous pirates. Prince Henry was able to disperse the pirates with his Templar crew and was able to make lines fast and rigged to the shipwreck.

Henry was able to rescue the crew and was able to communicate with the universal christen language, Latin. They came from Venice and the captains name was Nicolo Zeno!

Nicolo Zeno was the younger brother of the savior of Chioggia, Carlo Zeno, who Henry was on the crusade with and had met while in Denmark.

Henry knew that the Venetians made annual trips to Flanders and England but didn't usually venture further north because of the Hanseatic League who violently protected their turf. Henry also new that the Venetian trading pattern were changing because of the increasing pressure from the Turks in the eastern Mediterranean and continual conflict with the Genoese.

Carlo Zeno was seeking to increase trade with Scandinavia because of the influx of fish and furs from the lands to the west that were flowing into Norway. Carlo was in Norway when news of the Knutson expedition reached Norway. He was privy to information that arrived from Nicholas Lynn and was being dispatched from Norway to Rome. Carlo was very aware of the possibility of trade with the New World.

Venice needed to increase their trade and circumvent the Hanseatic League. Both Carlo and Henry were of the Rex Deus, they both met in Norway and were exposed to the possibility of trade with the New world. Because of their brotherhood in the Rex Deus, they were steeped in the Templar tradition of secrecy based on trust in the brotherhood which would form the basis of an excellent partnership.

They were also acutely aware that persecution and repression was a fact of life in European Christendom. The churches constant search for heresy. After the genocide of the Cathars, the arrest and torture of the Templar's, no one was truly save anywhere in Europe.

From the Rex Deus perspective, their was a need for a northern trading route, out of the reach of the Hanseatic League, and the reaches of the church, somewhere men of talent could prosper and practice their true beliefs in safety without fearing for their lives.

Henry would use his power, his money, his ships, with the Zeno's knowledge of the sea's and navigation. They would use the islands as stepping stones to reach the new New World ! They would go from the Orkney’s to Iceland, to Greenland. From Greenland they had several options, Labrador, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, or strait down to Martha's Vineyard. All of which were explored and traveled to for the last five hundred years by the Vikings.

Warrior Monks at Bannockburn--Knight Templar's Part IX

  When the warrior knights went to the mattresses they sought refuge in a string of safe houses, mountain hideaways, farms, vineyards, and boatyards along the path to their refuge point.  They sought the open arms of other warrior and non-warrior knights.

  Not all the warrior monks were exclusively warriors, there were farmers and shepherds, builders and blacksmiths, butchers and cooks, tavern owners and assorted government clerks and a great deal of money handlers.

   All a part of a massive intelligence network that had information on church and government activities well before they happened. When the knights of the Paris precepretory departed and headed for Scotland they made their way using a dozen save havens; going down the Seine River, by way of coastal cargo vessels which they had also loaded fifty horses and part of the treasure which was not removed by the Flemish Knight prior to the evacuation of the temple.

  The Templar fleet of 18 vessels had departed le Rochelle France, the evening of march 12th, and was waiting for the coastal cargo vessels at the mouth of the Seine River and took the cargo of knights, horses, and  treasure.

  They made their way nonstop for the western shores of Ireland, some of the knights stayed at various way points moving up the coast, sometimes going up the rivers to castles under the control of the Temple.

   Some or the Irish knights joined them in their journey, they blended in with the locals working Templar lands farms, fisheries, and lending their building skills on properties as they went.

 They blended in with the warrior monks in the North of Ireland, the Herbicide islands, the Isle of Mull, and the north of Scotland in the area of Argyle.
 

   They were welcomed by Robert the Bruce, William Sinclair, and Angus OG Macdonald all warrior monks of the Poor Knights of Solomon’s Temple.

   Earl Henry Sinclair was the Master of Templar's in Scotland he was getting on in years, his two sons his two sons William and John were officers in the army of King Robert I, the Bruce.

  The Sinclair’s gave refuge on their five hundred estates to the escaping warrior monks, where they resettled, became involved in commerce using their combined skills in farming, fishing and building trades.

  They were all professional soldiers, and they married the local women and had families. During the Battle of Bannockburn William Sinclair was commander of all Templar’s under Robert the Bruce who was also a warrior monk of the Temple.

   Clan Logan was both of the Scottish highlands and the lowlands; they were part of the Stewart dynasty and close personal friends of both Angus Ox Macdonald and the Sinclair’s.

  They were associated with the Knight Templar contingent at the battle of Bannockburn. Robert Logan served under Sir Robert Keith, and Walter Keith served under Angus Og.

  Sir Robert & Walter Logan were part of the honor guard escorting King Bruce’s heart to the Holy Land and died at the battle of Teba; their remains were recovered by Sir William Keith and interred at Edinburgh Scotland.

  At the Battle of Bannockburn Earl Henry Sinclair was too old to be involved, his son William commanded the entire Templar contingent, with his brother John serving as his squire.

 Templar Angus Og from the Herbicide Isle of Islay was commander of the Highlanders, and the spear men of the Herbicide islands, he was also a good friend of King Bruce.

  Angus Og offered refuge and friendship to the King when his wife and daughters were kidnapped by King Edward I and imprisoned for seven years.

 Robert the Bruce’s three brothers were also killed in 1304, this was a very dark chapter in the life of the Bruce, a time when you are able to sort out who your real friends are.

  When Angus Og arrived at the Battle of Bannockburn and reported to William Sinclair as part of the Templar contingent, King Bruce welcomed him saying “My hope is constant in thee”, which became the motto of Clanranald.

   Angus Og had formed a “schilltron formation” in a diamond shape kneeling on the ground, with long pikes anchored in the ground pointing outward.

  A technique mastered by the Flemish Templars at the battle of Courtrai in 1302, when the French were defeated.  We will be discussing Flanders further in my discussion on the Flemish Knight.

 It was this formation that followed the “fresh force” under the command of Sir Robert Keith, and set the army of King Edward II, into a panicked retreat, with Angus Og's foot soldiers attacking the thirty thousand strong English army.

  In their panicked retreat they tried to cross the Bannockburn River falling over themselves as they slid down the steep banks and drowning in the river.

  It is said that you could cross the river dry-shod, or walk across the river without getting wet upon the dead bodies in the river.  Included in the English losses were one Earl and thirty eight Barons.

  For his services Angus Og was awarded the Earldom of Lochabel and the McDonald clan was to serve in a place of honor to the right flank of the King for the next several centuries.

   Angus Og died in the battle of Teba in Spain while escorting King Robert the Bruce’s heart to Jerusalem in 1330. His remains were brought back to the herbicide islands by Sir William Keith, and buried at the Abbey at Iona.

  Sir Robert Keith, was a Knight Templar, diplomat, Marischal of Scotland, and a senior General in the Army of Robert the Bruce.  Sir Robert Keith was commander of the “fresh force” of five hundred Templar's who led the assassin’s assault at the battle of Bannockburn, which created the panic and rapid retreat that changed the course of the battle and created an independent Scotland for the next 289 years.

  Prior to Bannockburn Sir Robert Keith was co-commander as was Sir James Douglas, of a reconnaissance force providing intelligence on the movement of King Edward II forces to both Edward and Robert the Bruce.

 After the war of Scottish Independence Sir Robert the Keith served the crown as a diplomat.  In 1320 Sir Robert the keith signed a letter to the Pope, vindicating Scottish independence; afterwards he held several diplomatic posts finally serving as peace commissioner to England in 1323.  He also ratified the Treaty of Corbeil in 1326 with the King of France.

 Sir Robert Keith was killed fighting for the child, King David II of Scotland, at the battle of Dupplin Moor in 1332.

  Sir Robert’s son William keith was also a knight Templar and served in the “fresh force” under his father’s command at Bannockburn. He was also a commander of Templar's under Sir James Douglas at the capture of Berwick in 1318.  He was part of the Templar honor guard escorting King Bruce’s heart to Jerusalem and was the only survivor of the battle of Teba.

  The Saracens permitted Sir William to recover the silver casket containing Robert the Bruce’s heart, the remains of Sir James Douglas, Sir Robert and Walter Logan, Sir William and John Sinclair, and Angus Og Macdonald.

  Sir William prepared the remains as was the custom at the time by boiling the bodies in vinegar and separating the flesh from the bones, and buried the flesh in an undisclosed location probably on the property of King Alphonso VI.

 The bones would be placed in a bone box or small casket, the femur bones were crossed under the skull. Angus OG’s remains were returned to the Abby of Ione in the Herbicide Islands, Sir James Douglas, AKA the Black Douglas, AKA the Good Sir James, was returned to Scotland and interred at St. Bride’s chapel at Lancashire, Scotland.

 William and John Saint Clair were interred at the family Castle in Roslyn not to be confused with Rosslyn Chapel which wasn’t  built for another  100 years.