Author’s Note
153 Words
Author’s NoteThe English exploring Europe in the eighteenth century travelled at considerable risk, not only to their purses but their lives and conditions were not much better by the nineteenth century.
William Beckford, a well-known political figure in eighteenth century London, was warned before going to Venice,
“Your route is sure to be very perilous – there lurk the most savage banditti in Europe.”
These words of warning were not unfounded. The winding coast road to Italy at the foot of the Ligurian Alps was beset with vagrant bandits and the country roads in Germany were also extremely dangerous.
Spain and Greece were considered even more perilous. In the nineteenth century legendary mercenaries, commonly known as the Pallikares, patrolled the Albanian mountains. Undoubtedly dangerous romantic legends also surrounded these handsome fire-breathing adventurers, originating from the ladies of King Otto’s court. However, their traveller victims described them very differently – that is, if they lived to tell the tale.
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