Page 26 - Lanzarotto Malocello from Italy to the Canary Islands

26 from Italy to the Canary Islands

th
o mark the 7 centenary of the discovery of Lanzarote and the
Canary Islands by the Italian sailor from Genoa, Lanzarotto Malo-
cello, which will see the commitment of two separate Committees
for the organisation of commemorative events both in Italy and in Spain,
we really felt the need and saw the opportunity to focus our attention - in-
cluding for informative purposes - on this important historical-geograph-
ical event which marked the beginning of the modern history of the most
important group of islands reached in the Middle Ages by sailors who
were trying to get to the Indies by sailing around Africa, and also on the
figure of its honourable protagonist.
We can quite honestly define Lanzarotto Malocello as one of the great
pioneers of Atlantic sailing.
Malocello, who took to the seas on the tracks of the Vivaldi brothers,
had the courage to challenge and therefore debunk the legend of the Pillars
of Hercules, binding its image to his epic venture and to the later cartogra-
phy which allowed the opening of the Atlantic routes.

The need to examine in greater detail this legendary character, who has
unfortunately remained without a face in history, has now been met, but
is also highlighted with the publication of this book, which, being a com-
pendium of everything we know from the scarce documentary and literary
references available, represents the starting point of a path of investigation
upon which scholars may opportunely set out.
The seventh centenary of the event, marked in 2012, confirms the an-
cient link, not merely moral or virtual, between Italy and the Canary Is-
lands, Spanish islands where a large number of families of Italian origin
still live to this day, whose presence has been traced back to the times of
Spanish colonisation.
We could see it as an opportunity to highlight and underline the close-
ness - not only geographically speaking - between Italy and Spain.

Mr Leonardo Visconti di Modrone
Italian Ambassador to Spain