You may be interested to know that I made a short film which highlighted
the activities
of the Zeno Brothers, Nicolo and Antonio. I will send you a copy of this
if you will be
good enough to let me have your mailing address.
Nicolo arrived in Orkney in 1390 to join Henry Sinclair, the 'jarl' of
Orkney and Shetland.
He assisted Henry in bringing the Shetland under control and, in 1393 set
sail to carry out
a survey of Greenland from where he returned to Orkney in 1395. He died
shortly
afterwards but not before he had asked his brother, Antonio, to join him
from Venice.
Antonio was made Admiral of Henry's fleet with which they set sail to the
New World
in 1398. Antonio is known to have returned to Venice in 1404.
I have a copy of the Zeno narrative in Italian and this, too, I will send
to you once I have
your address.
As you may know, I gave an address at the Naval College, Arsenale, Venice
on 16th
December, 1999.
Laura Zola, the renowned Italian yachtswoman, will be leaving Venice on her
attempt
to re-enact the voyage of the Zeno Brothers tomorrow,6th December. She had
intended
to leave Venice at 0001 hours on 1st January, 2000 but, as the Italian Navy
wished to
escort her out to the open sea, this was deferred until January 6th which
also happens
to have some religious significance about which I am unaware - tradition of
the Three Kings?
You may be able to fill in this gap in my knowledge. Religious
significance? Superstition ?
Whatever the reason, I wish Laura well on her brave adventure.
Niven Sinclair
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