Galvano Fiamma

Galvano Fiamma was an Italian chronicler and dominican who was from Milan. He seems to have been the first Mediterranean European to describe the New World. His wrote numerous historical writings. He is also famous for making a map of Milan.

Highlights

He was chaplain to Lord Giovanni Visconti of Milan. He wrote several chronicles on the history of Milan and glorified the Visconti, who in his time had practically become his ruling dynasty. His book Cronica Universalis, written sometime between the years 1339 to 1345, contains a passage describing Markland, Greenland and Iceland.

Cronica universalis contains reference to Marckalada, which is found in western Greenland. This land is recognizable as the land of pith mentioned by some Icelandic scholars and sources have identified it as part of North America’s Atlantic coast. The references given by him, he had heard in Genoa probably from oral sources, is the first mention of the American continent in the Mediterranean and about countries outside of Greenland.

He also spoke about settlements more northwards of the polar star which is referenced to be Iceland. In this land there is no wheat, no wine, no fruit and the people live on meat, milk and fish. He also spoke about further west a called Marckalada. He mentions about this land having animals, green trees, and a host of birds.

Conclusion

There was no evidence that anyone outside of Northern Europe had heard of America prior to Columbus’s voyage in the year 1492, until in the year 2021 when this passage was discovered. In the year 1344 he died in the city of Milan.