In "Beyond Any Shadow of Doubt" I give the names of 25 experts from
various disciplines
and from 10 different nations, who add the weight of their authority to the
authenticity of
the Zeno narrative and the acccuracy of the Zeno map which, as Andrew
Sinclair points
out in his book and as I re-iterate and re-inforce in "Beyond Any Shadow of
Doubt".
Against this galaxy of savants, we have Fred Lucas, Cuthbertson and Smith -
neither
of whom have done any original research. I demolished Lucas. Jim Guthrie
demolished
Cuthbertson and Brian Smith is now clinging desperately to an untenable
situation.
The confusion seems to arise over Nicolo Zeno having been in
prison. Firstly, I have
seen no evidence of this and, in any event, the names Nicolo, Carlo and
Antonio cascade
down through the generations. Secondly, the evidence which I have seen
from the Zeno
family tree in the Zeno Palace clearly shows Nicolo as being one of the
brothers who
explored the lands beneath the "Polo Arctico". This is conformed by
Torfaeus, the Royal
Danish Historian in his "Lives of the Zeno Brothers". Evidence of their
voyages is also
shown on two enormous globes in the Museo Correr in Venice.
The Zeno Narrative was also signed by the Venetian State Secretary,
Ramusio, which
effectively gave it the seal of approval of the Doge and the Council of Ten
who governed
Venetian affairs. They would not have willingly, knowingly or deliberately
have debased
the accurate historical records of the Venetian State by endorsing a
forgery. Venetian
records are renowned for their accuracy. Venice was a maritime power
which, over the
centuries, withstood the power of Rome, the threat of the Austria-Hungarian
Empire and
the ambitions of Napoleon. Indeed, it is difficult for us to begin to
appreciate the influence
which Venice exerted in the Mediterranean. Cyprus, Corfu and Dalmatia were
Venetian
possessions - not merely enclaves. She dominated trade with the
Levant. The Zeno
family alone could have provided Henry Sinclair with his entire fleet. In
the 14th Century
(even after the scourge of the Black Death) Venice was still producing one
ship a day.
Over 400 ships left the Arsenale carrying troops in support of King Peter
of Cyprus's
Crusade against Alexandria in 1365. These were Venetian ships. (The
Venetian coat-of-
arms bears the croix pattee of the Knights Templar. And, as our film
shows, the well in
the Courtyard of the Zeno Palace carries the Zeno coat-of-arms on one side
and the croix
pattee of the Knights Templar on the other side.
As you are aware, I have spent many years studying the Prince Henry
Sinclair saga.
I have travelled where he travelled and with, each passing year, the
authenticity of his
voyage is less and less in doubt. My recent visit to Venice simply
reinforces earlier
certainties.
I am not a person who chases will o' the wisps or who is given to support
lost causes.
I am, however, a person who is determined to ensure that history is
corrected and that
Henry Sinclair and the illustrious Zeno Brothers are given their proper
place in history.
It is to be hoped that Laura Zola's voyage to re-trace the steps of the
Zeno brothers
will do a great deal to publicise a little known but significant episode in
the 'discovery
of the New World'. Significant because of the involvement of the Venetians
and the
Knights Templar. It wasn't significant in any other sense as such voyages
had been made for centuries
We read a lot about John Cabot (an Italian) sailing from Bristol in 1497 to
claim the
New World on behalf of the Hanovarians although beaver pelts rolled and
wrapped in
the manner of the Iroquois had been landed in Bristol since the beginning
of the 15th
Century. There is no evidence that he ever landed in the New World. His
voyage was
exaggerated for English national and political reasons just, as earlier,
the voyage of
Columbus had been used by the Church of Rome to extend its tentacles into
the New World.
In our study of history we should always be looking for "The Hidden hand of
History"
What was really taking place behind the scenes?. Who was pulling the
strings? Who
was writing history and for what purpose?
By the Treaty of Tordesillas, for example, Rome carved the World up between
Spanish
and Portuguese spheres of influence. In this carve up there was no place
for the Norse/
Norman. There was no place for the Anglo-Saxon. There was no place for
the indigenous
people of the World and, of course, there was no place for Henry Sinclair
who was a Knight
Templar and Knights Templar were anathema to Rome. Her clerics wrote their
own version of history which took on the sanctity of the gospel.
It is only now that people are beginning to look beyond this sanitized
version of history.
The Norse sagas, for example, are now being seen as some of the most accurate
accounts of history whereas, previously, they had been seen in the same
light as
Homer's Iliad or Odyssey i.e. to be taken with a pinch of salt. Wonderful
reading but
wildly exaggerated.
Well, there is nothing exaggerated about Henry's voyage. Such voyages had
been made
for centuries and, when we keep that in mind, the incessant querying and
questioning
might cease. Even the size of his fleet (12) was small given the size of
Leif Erikson's fleet
of 50 ships and King Peter of Cyprus's armada of 400 ships.
I hope this will help to get things into proper perspective.
Niven
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