Zichmni
Encyclopedia
Zichmni is the name of an explorer-prince who appears in a 1558 book by Nicolo Zeno of Venice
, allegedly based on letters and a map dating to the year 1400 by the author's ancestors, brothers Nicolo and Antonio Zeno. Zichmni is described as a great lord of some islands off the southern coast of Frisland
a, a fictitious island claimed to be larger than Ireland and located south of Iceland.
According to the book, the letters provided a first-hand account of a voyage of exploration undertaken in 1398 by Prince Zichmni, accompanied by the Zeno brothers. The book claims that the voyagers crossed the North Atlantic to Greenland
. A few recent authors speculate that they may have reached the coast of North America
. Historians consider either the 1558 book or the letters on which it is based to be a hoax
.
Some proponents of the authenticity of the tale maintain that Zichmni was a Scottish
nobleman named Henry Sinclair. However, scholars point to many flaws in this identification and consider it extremely unlikely.
Venice
Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
, allegedly based on letters and a map dating to the year 1400 by the author's ancestors, brothers Nicolo and Antonio Zeno. Zichmni is described as a great lord of some islands off the southern coast of Frisland
Frisland
Frisland, also called Frischlant, Friesland, Freezeland, Frislandia, or Fixland, is a mythical island that appeared on virtually all of the maps of the North Atlantic from the 1560s through the 1660s...
a, a fictitious island claimed to be larger than Ireland and located south of Iceland.
According to the book, the letters provided a first-hand account of a voyage of exploration undertaken in 1398 by Prince Zichmni, accompanied by the Zeno brothers. The book claims that the voyagers crossed the North Atlantic to Greenland
Greenland
Greenland is an autonomous country within the Kingdom of Denmark, located between the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans, east of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Though physiographically a part of the continent of North America, Greenland has been politically and culturally associated with Europe for...
. A few recent authors speculate that they may have reached the coast of North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
. Historians consider either the 1558 book or the letters on which it is based to be a hoax
Hoax
A hoax is a deliberately fabricated falsehood made to masquerade as truth. It is distinguishable from errors in observation or judgment, or rumors, urban legends, pseudosciences or April Fools' Day events that are passed along in good faith by believers or as jokes.-Definition:The British...
.
Some proponents of the authenticity of the tale maintain that Zichmni was a Scottish
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
nobleman named Henry Sinclair. However, scholars point to many flaws in this identification and consider it extremely unlikely.