The Voynich Ninja

@JKP
How far is Rhodes from Bodrum ? And then look at the other castles.
Example:

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(16-03-2020, 11:30 PM)Aga Tentakulus Wrote: You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.@JKP
How far is Rhodes from Bodrum ? And then look at the other castles.
Example:

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Mamaris castle was constructed in the 1500s, and reconstructed in the 1520s, when Süleyman moved against Rhodes.


I've spent countless hours trying to determine which buildings had Ghibelline merlons in the early 15th century (they were all over the place by the 16th century) and from everything I have learned so far, they were in quite a limited geographical area.


In the 13/14th and early 15th centuries, adding Ghibelline merlons to your building was like flying a specific political flag. Not everyone wanted to reveal their political alliances so openly. It was dangerous. By the 16th century, this connotation was disappearing and so the merlons were less controversial and began to be seen as decorative items. By the end of the 16th century, they were spreading all over.


To understand this better, consider the fact that the Holy Roman Empire used to stretch all the way to Rome. But the supporters of the pope in Rome (against the other popes that rose up to challenge and against the Holy Roman Emperor) pushed back. Eventually the borders of the Holy Roman Empire receded north. When that started happening, the importance of the merlons as a political symbol began to decline.

I'm talking about Rhodes, and Bodrum.

There's no reason to think that there were Ghibelline battlements before 1500. But it is interesting to note that wherever there are crown battlements there is also something to do with Süleyman. The fashion trend did not come until after 1500, otherwise they existed in northern Italy as early as the 1100 .

(16-03-2020, 11:56 PM)Aga Tentakulus Wrote: You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.I'm talking about Rhodes, and Bodrum.

There's no reason to think that there were Ghibelline battlements before 1500. But it is interesting to note that wherever there are crown battlements there is also something to do with Süleyman. The fashion trend did not come until after 1500, otherwise they existed in northern Italy as early as the 1100 .

Agreed, although there MIGHT have been swallowtail merlons in Rhodes by the 1490s.

Yes, they existed in a limited portion of Lombardy for several centuries before they became decorative elements and spread to other places (16th century).

I assume people have seen Conrad von Grunenberg's drawings. These indicate that there were swallow-tail merlons in Rhodes as well as other places. However these drawings are late 15th century(1487?), so it is not clear if there were any in the early 15th century.

(27-09-2018, 10:10 AM)Paris Wrote: You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.

(05-02-2016, 12:01 AM)don of tallahassee Wrote: You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.May I suggest the three castles in Bellinzona, Switzerland might have had a resemblance to the buildings in the VMS in the early 15th Century (they still do now) and still have swallowtail merlons - always have, I think?

Thank you.

Don of Tallahassee

I think it's a good suggestion, don.

Bellinzona is a medieval city located in south of Switzerland and protected by three castles (Castelgrande, Montebello and Sasso Corbaro).

Once again the castle in VMS (Rosette page).


And now, two pictures of the three castles.



I'm not writing these castles are the same that the one in the VMS but just that the two kind of merlons can still exist in a same castle.


Last thing interesting, but it's probably a coincidence, the coat of arms of this city (Bellinzona) is :

This coat of arms makes me think to the snake in folio 43v.

I would assume that that is the coat of arms of Bellinzona as that was the emblem of the Visconti who controlled Bellinzona from Milan. I don't think you should assume it is a coincidence nor that the eagle root is a coincidence.

The battlements of Rhodes
It is an assumption that the specific battlements existed on Rhodes before 1500. This is only because of the drawing of Conrad von Grunenbergs ( Rhodes ).
On the drawing you can see normal or crown merlons. Apart from the towers. Only on the towers there are dovetail merlons. But exactly these are also crown merlons on the original buildings. Now it seems obvious that he drew dovetail merlons and not crowns because of space reasons.
There is no reference to the merlons on the wood engravings before 1500, nor on the Ottoman drawings.
In 1476 and 1481 the city was completely dismantled by the Turks. St. John's could barely hold it. That alone makes it questionable whether Conrad von Grunenbergs could have seen it that way. conquered by the Ottomans in 1520.
This is what the experts agree on.
Around 1900, preserved battlements were so worked on that one even speaks of historical mutilation.
Even the remains of the fortress of the Johanniter are not visible.
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[attachment=4105][attachment=4106][attachment=4107][attachment=4108]

and a lot more
[attachment=4109]

When I think of the swallowtail merlons, the Scaliger castles of northern Italy immediately come to mind. The numerous castles have the merlons that are characteristic of Northern Italy.

Castello Villafranca
[attachment=5037]

Scaliger castles in Upper Italy
[attachment=5038]

The Styx and the city of hell (Divina Commedia, Inferno, VIII) Biblioteca Guarneriana (S. Daniele del Friuli) You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. (p.51). According to the description, the ms dates to 1400 ca and was made in Florence.

I am not 100% sure these count as swallowtail merlons.

It's an Ashkenazi ms made in Germany before 1384 (You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.).