Michael Baizerman Author

 After uploading my latest article,  https://www.academia.edu/145269678/The_War_of_Chioggia I seem to have reached my full potential, with 16K views. To move forward, I need to conduct new studies. I will devote the first of them to the galleys of Flanders, i.e., Venetian and Florentine merchant ships, which set sail from Venice or Porto Pisano to Sluys and London. I have collected a lot of material in the first file, and now I will process the data to see what is missing. I will cover the crisis in the Italian merchant marine in the late fifteenth century, the change in terminals, and the shift in customers' attitudes. However, it is too early to outline the future article. I have to understand the facts and opinions that I have found.  I will also translate one of my previous articles for a new Zoom lecture for Russian-speaking listeners.  https://www.academia.edu/130330389/The_Battle_of_Meloria_August_6_1284_

 I am happy to present my new article: https://www.academia.edu/145269678/The_War_of_Chioggia This is my last contribution to the issue of the tactics of naval warfare in the medieval Mediterrranean.  You can view previous seven articles on my page in Academia: https://www.academia.edu/122683998/The_Battle_of_Ad_Decimum https://www.academia.edu/124564608/The_Umayyad_Siege_of_Constantinople_717_718_ https://www.academia.edu/125356518/The_Battle_of_the_Gulf_of_Corinth https://www.academia.edu/126933976/The_Siege_of_Chandax_The_Byzantine_Recovery_of_Crete_960_961 https://www.academia.edu/127661416/The_Fall_of_New_Rome_Part_1 https://www.academia.edu/128273374/The_Fall_of_New_Rome_Part_2_The_Sack_of_Zara https://www.academia.edu/129233488/The_Fall_of_New_Rome_Part_3_From_Zero_to_Hero_and_Otherwise https://www.academia.edu/130330389/The_Battle_of_Meloria_August_6_1284_ https://www.academia.edu/130330389/The_Battle_of_Meloria_August_6_1284_ The last article in the cycle, "The Intric...

A few days ago, I uploaded the final version of my article on the battle in which the Catalan-Sicilian fleet, led by Admiral Roger de Lauria, achieved victory over the Angevin armada. https://www.academia.edu/144389334/The_Battle_of_the_Formigues_Islands In my article, I discuss the background and implications of this battle—a series of conflicts that allowed the Crown of Aragon to regain its independence and repel foreign aggression. I also explain why the Crusade against Aragon ended in failure and highlight the strategies that helped Admiral Roger overwhelm his adversaries. This paper is the seventh in a series on the tactics of naval battles in the medieval Mediterranean. For the first time, I am citing sources and secondary literature written in languages other than English, primarily French, Italian, Spanish, and Catalan. In addition, I am preparing a Zoom lecture about the Fourth Crusade based on my findings. Just to clarify, there will be only one lecture, not three! https://w...

    The Battle of the Formigues Islands" is my seventh story in the cycle, "The Intricacies of Naval Warfare," which explores eight significant maritime conflicts in the medieval Mediterranean. The previous six stories are available on academia.edu:   https://www.academia.edu/122683998/The_Battle_of_Ad_Decimum https://www.academia.edu/124564608/The_Umayyad_Siege_of_Constantinople_717_718_ https://www.academia.edu/125356518/The_Battle_of_the_Gulf_of_Corinth https://www.academia.edu/126933976/The_Siege_of_Chandax_The_Byzantine_Recovery_of_Crete_960_961 https://www.academia.edu/127661416/The_Fall_of_New_Rome_Part_1 https://www.academia.edu/128273374/The_Fall_of_New_Rome_Part_2_The_Sack_of_Zara https://www.academia.edu/129233488/The_Fall_of_New_Rome_Part_3_From_Zero_to_Hero_and_Otherwise The last three articles comprise a single story. https://www.academia.edu/130330389/The_Battle_of_Meloria_August_6_1284_ The brief outline of my new account is as follows: 1. Setting the Sc...

  My recent contribution to the re-editing project of the initial chapters of my book, "The Enchanting Encounter with the East," has commenced. View it https://www.academia.edu/143090131/Where_is_the_Heart_of_the_World_The_Location_of_Jerusalem_on_Medieval_Mind_Maps The article places Jerusalem in the center of the papal vision of the Crusades, the pilgrim's desire to visit the Holy City, and the mapmakers' intention to establish the spatial center of the world.  The previous chapters are available: https://www.academia.edu/127139711/What_if_the_Earth_Is_the_Sphere https://www.academia.edu/127881027/How_to_measure_the_Earths_circumference https://www.academia.edu/128448718/How_Long_Spans_the_Inhabited_World https://www.academia.edu/129455182/The_World_as_the_Trefoil My upcoming Zoom lecture titled "The Siege of Chandax," based on the article of the same name, will take place on August 11 . View https://www.academia.edu/126933976/The_Siege_of_Chandax_The_Byza...

  I have just uploaded a new article, which is my sixth account of medieval naval battles. You can find it here: https://www.academia.edu/130330389/The_Battle_of_Meloria_August_6_1284_. The article includes five main points: 1. The Dogged Rivals 2. The Escalation of Violence 3. The Final Confrontation 4. The Outcome 5. The Re-imagining This version draws upon Matthew E. Parker's dissertation, "Sinking Pisa: The Decline of a Commercial Empire in the Thirteenth Century" (Saint Louis University, 2019). It also references "The Templar of Tyre," translated by Paul Crawford (Aldershot: Ashgate, 2003), which is an anonymous fourteenth-century chronicle.   You read the sixth article from the cycle devoted to maritime battles in the medieval Mediterranean. The Pisans and Genoese went face-to-face, battling for the hegemony of the key islands, and, by extension, of the entire western basin of the Inland Sea. Only one of them could taste victory, though the geopolitical ...

I have decided to revise the plan for my project, “The Fright and Thrill of Navigation.” Originally, I intended to cover shipping in the medieval and early modern Mediterranean. However, the wealth of information available, particularly regarding the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, would make my research excessively lengthy and difficult to read. Therefore, I will focus my investigation exclusively on shipping in the medieval Mediterranean. Here is the revised outline: “The Fright and Thrill of Navigation” Volume 1: Seafaring in the Medieval Mediterranean Prelude: I. A Tale of Two Brands Part 1: Galleys in the Medieval Mediterranean Part 2: Sailing Ships in the Medieval Mediterranean Part 3: The Galley vs. the Sailing Ship. Comparison & Contrast: Reappraisal (?)  The Vagaries of Navigation in the Medieval Mediterranean (?) The Sailor (?) The Port Unit I: The Age of the Galley 1.        The Early War Galleys 2.      ...

  We canceled the lecture scheduled for May 12 due to technical issues with my computer. After fixing the problem with the generous help from my neighbor, I conducted a short test session with my professor, who coordinates the Zoom lectures. The new date for the speech is May 26. This discourse will focus on the portage of ships across the Isthmus of Corinth and is based on my article, "The Battle of the Gulf of Corinth." https://www.academia.edu/125356518/The_Battle_of_the_Gulf_of_Corinth I have completed the editing of the third part of my article, The Fall of New Rome, subtitled From Zero to Hero and Otherwise. This section explores the challenges faced by the crusading army at Zara as its leaders deliberate on their next course of action. A controversial decision ultimately diverts the Crusade from its original planned route, directing it toward another Christian city. In the end, Christendom gained valuable insights from this ill-fated overseas venture. The paper is ava...

  I have become a member of the New Israeli Scientific Society, which was established in March 2025. I will continue giving Zoom lectures for the Department of History and Philosophy as well as for the general public. My next presentation will take place on May 12 and will focus on the portage of ships across the Isthmus of Corinth. This event highlights the efforts of the Byzantine fleet to eliminate corsair raids by the Emirate of Crete. I am currently editing the third and final part of my article, "The Fall of New Rome." I reviewed another version of the events of the Fourth Crusade titled "Enrico Dandolo and the Rise of Venice" by Madden. Additionally, I checked various facts and citations. I found evidence that Cardinal Peter Capuano absolved the Venetian participants of their crusading vows, allowing them to return home with a clear conscience – much to the Pope's displeasure. I will need to incorporate additional nuances into the text and save further de...

It seems that my notes have generated some interest among readers, and I feel it is important to update you on the latest developments. I have edited the second part of my new article, "The Fall of New Rome," which focuses on the events of the Fourth Crusade. This section highlights the role of the Venetian fleet in the siege of Zara (Zadar, Croatia) and delves into the tensions within the crusading camp, while discussing the campaign's ultimate goal. https://www.academia.edu/128273374/The_Fall_of_New_Rome_Part_2_The_Sack_of_Zara  I am in the process of editing the third and final part of my account. Additionally, I have uploaded the revised version of Chapter 3 of my book, "The Enchanting Encounter with the East." This updated chapter presents an enhanced version of the final chapter of Unit I: The Three Trick Questions of Mathematical Geography. It explores how medieval European scholars understood the extent of the inhabited world. Drawing on the calculations...

  I have uploaded the first part of my new article, The Fall of New Rome, https://www.academia.edu/127661416/The_Fall_of_New_Rome_Part_1 The paper discusses why the Fourth Crusade (1203-1204) chose Venice as its embarkation point. It also explores the factors that led to the signing of the Treaty of Venice in 1201 and examines the significant gap between the intentions expressed in the pact and the actual execution of those plans.  I have designed two additional parts that will be uploaded later.   In addition, I have retrieved an updated version of Chapter Two of "The Enchanting Encounter with the East." https://www.academia.edu/127881027/How_to_measure_the_Earths_circumference  This article compares the estimations of the Earth's circumference made by Greek, Arab, and European scholars, setting the "mean" value of ancient measurements to facilitate their conversion to modern equivalents. This paper has drawn the interest of many scholars, some of whom partici...

  I am working on a new unit in my project titled "The Age of Gunpowder." In this section, I will explore the introduction of firearms on ships in the fourteenth century, the development of heavy ordnance on galleys and sailing ships during the 1400s and 1500s, and the decline of oared armed vessels in the 1700s. I am currently gathering additional data and have just begun the development process. I read Anderson's "Oared Fighting Ships," focusing on his discussion of Mediterranean galleys, rowing alla sensile and al scaloccio, as well as the armament of the galleass. Rodger's paper, "The Development of Broadside Gunnery," is also highly informative. In it, he discusses the effectiveness of heavy guns mounted on galleys and describes how sailing ships slowly attempted to match these oared vessels in speed, agility, and the capacity to mount heavy artillery.   I am currently editing a new chapter on naval tactics titled "The Fall of New Rome,...

I am currently gathering data for a new unit in my project. I found John F. Guilmartin's book, "Gunpowder and Galleys," to be quite informative. It explains why navies took so long to incorporate artillery effectively and discusses the changes in ship construction that transformed galleys into floating artillery platforms. I have released an updated version of the first chapter of my book, "The Enchanting Encounter with the East:" https://www.academia.edu/127139711/What_if_the_Earth_Is_the_Sphere This chapter argues that the concept of a spherical Earth was accepted during the Middle Ages. However, many medieval scholars viewed our planet as the fixed center of a revolving universe, often reconciling their beliefs with experimental evidence. Keywords: John Gower, John of Hollywood, Venerable Bede, Gautier de Metz, John Mandeville, Martin Behaim, Christopher Columbus On February 2, I will deliver a new Zoom lecture in Russian based on my paper: https://www.acade...

My new paper is "out in print" after undergoing thorough editing. This chapter examines the history of Chandax, the capital of the Emirate of Crete (820s-961), and its recapture by the Byzantine army led by General Nikephoros Phokas. The author seeks to align the evidence gathered from both Byzantine and Arab chronicles. Additionally, he includes details about the use of trebuchets, the establishment of military encampments, and the methods used to undermine the walls of citadels. https://www.academia.edu/126933976/The_Siege_of_Chandax_The_Byzantine_Recovery_of_Crete_960_961 I have re-edited the opening chapter of my second book, titled "The Enchanting Encounter with the East." The paper "What If the Earth Is a Sphere" examines medieval geography and includes numerous examples and illustrations. It demonstrates that medieval scholars viewed the Earth as a spherical body at the center of a rotating universe. I plan to upload an excerpt from this paper in th...