Hans Jacob Breüning Von Buchenbach (1552-1616) belonged to an old noble family of Tübingen and received a classical education. He met Jean Carlier de Pinon in London and in Paris. They went on the pilgrimage to the Holy Land together in 1579.

They left Venice on April 30th 1579, carrying with them the works of Greek and Roman geographers as well as earlier travel chronicles. After stopping over at the Ionian and the Aegean islands, they reached Istanbul on the 22nd of June. They stayed at the Ottoman capital for approximately a month, visited Egypt and finally arrived at the Holy Land. Breuning returned to Marseilles in December 1579.

In 1584 he became a judge and an administrative official in Obervogt region. We also know that he was head of a diplomatic mission to the court of Elizabeth II of England in 1595.

His travel chronicle, illustrated with numerous engravings, was published in 1612. Breuning is interested in the particularities of the ethnicities he came to know during his journey, is fond of description and a keen observer. These features differentiate his work from Carlier de Pinon’s chronicle of the same journey.

Written by Ioli Vingopoulou

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  Plan of the columns of Yerebatan Cistern.

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  Inscriptions from the Patriarchate of Constantinople.

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  Jacob Breuning and his companion Carlier de Pinon in costumes typical to wealthy French merchants of Istanbul.

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  The Janissary and the interpreter that accompanied Jacob Breuning and his companion Carlier de Pinon around Istanbul. Jacob Breuning and his companion Carlier de Pinon in costumes typical to West European merchants in the Ottoman Empire.

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  Frontispiece. Portrait of the author, Hans Jacob Breuning, at the age of fifty-eight, surrounded by allegoric figures: Truth prevails over Slander and Envy.

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  Map of the Dardanelles.

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  The Janissary and the interpreter that accompanied Jacob Breuning and his companion Carlier de Pinon in their trip from Istanbul to Egypt. Jacob Breuning and his companion Carlier de Pinon in costumes typical to Istanbul and Egypt.

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  Jacob Breuning and his companion Carlier de Pinon on their way from Alexandria to Rosetta, accompanied by their Jewish interpreter, Raphael. In the background Egyptians collecting dates.

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  Lizard from Cairo region. Fish of the Nile.

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  Jacob Breuning and his companion Carlier de Pinon in Ottoman costumes on their way to the Pyramids, and accompanied by Janissaries and their Jewish interpreter. In the background Sycamores and Cassias

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  View of the Giza Pyramids. View of the Spinx.

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  Rendering of the lost painting of the Calumny of Apelles.

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  View of Mount Sinai with Saint Catherine's Monastery, as well as other monasteries and chapels.

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  The Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. In the foreground, a Turk charges the pilgrims their entrance to the church.

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  Jacob Breuning and his companion Carlier de Pinon in Ottoman costumes at Tripoli, Lebanon. Also depicted their escorts, a local interpreter and a Janissary.

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  Jacob Breuning his companion Carlier de Pinon, and their escort, a local interpreter and a Janissary, on their way to Tripoli, Lebanon.

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  Bovid of the Gazelle or Oryx genus, that Jacob Breuning saw at the castle of Cairo.

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  Frontispiece of the fifth travel of Jacob Breuning, return to Europe.

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  Map of Mesopotamia.

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  Frontispiece of the fourth travel of Jacob Breuning, in Palestine, Tripoli and Syria.

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  Escutcheon of the House of Breuning von Buchenbach surrounded by emblems of the Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem

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  Emblem of the Order of the Holy Sepulchre. Τhe escutcheon with the full wheel is mostly carried by Knights of the Order that besides Jerusalem have made their pilgrim to Mount Sinai as well.

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  Emblem of the Order of the Holy Sepulchre.

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  Interior view of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.

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  Jacob Breuning, his companion Carlier de Pinon and their guide on their trip from Egypt to Palestine. Jacob Breuning and his companion wear Ottoman costumes, yet their hats are similar to those of Christian pilgrims. In the same context, their guide carries a pilgrim as well as a rosario.

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  Frontispiece of the third travel of Jacob Breuning, from Egypt to Palestine.

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  Pilgrims inscriptions on Mount Sinai, Egypt.

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  Moses' rock on Mount Sinai.

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  Rock from the ossuary in Saint Catherine's Monastery on Mount Sinai, Egypt, on which the figure of Saint Cathrine is sketched.

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  Jacob Breuning, his companion Carlier de Pinon, and their escorts on their way to Mount Sinai.

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  Chameleons from Cairo.

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  Jacob Breuning, his companion Carlierde Pinon, and their escorts setting off to Mount Sinai (from Cairo).

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  Embalmed tapir from South America, seen by Jacob Breuning in Cairo.

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  The embalmed serpent seen by Jacob Breuning in Cairo, which at the time was shown as specimen of a "flying serpent".

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  Mummies from Giza, Egypt.

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  Genet that Jacob Breuning Saw at the castle of Cairo.

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  Bovid from Egypt, most probably of the genus Bos indicus or Zebu.

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  Giraffe that Jacob Breuning saw at the fortress of Cairo.

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  Crocodiles from Cairo region.

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  Chameleon from Egypt.

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  Egyptian mongoose ( Herpestes Ichneumon).

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  Civet in Alexandria.

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  Costumes of Jewish people from Rhodes island, worn by Jacob Breuning and his companion Carlier de Pinon. On the left, their Jewish guide, Abraham.

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  Coats of arms of the Knights Hospitaller from the medieval city of Rhodes.

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  Costumes from the Ottoman capital, with "Armenian" turban, that Jacob Breuning and his companion Carlier de Pinon wore during their trip from Istanbul to Egypt.

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  Frontispiece of the second travel of Jacob Breuning (from Istanbul to Egypt).

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  Jacob Breuning and his companion Carlier de Pinon in typical Greek and Albanian costumes (a combination of Greek and Turksih costumes).

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  The costumes of Jacob Breuning and his companion Carlier de Pinon when traveling from Venice to Istanbul.

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  Title page of the first voyage of the author.

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  Coat of Arm of the House of Breuning von Buchenbach. Poem dedicated to the author, Hans Jacob Breuning.

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  Dedication of the author to the Duke John Friedrich of Württemberg.

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  Title page. Allegoric representation of the four continents: Europe, Asia, Africa and America.

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  Jacob Breuning and his companion Carlier de Pinon in traveling costumes during their return journey to Europe (from Tripoli in Lebanon to Marseille, France).

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  Ottoman costumes that Jacob Βreuning and his companion του Carlier de Pinon wore in Istanbul and Egypt. On Janissary costumes their guides.

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  Vatican Nile.