Michael Baizerman Author

Yesterday, October 2, 2026, I uploaded the final draft of my paper,  " Pioneering the Atlantic Route:  The Genoese Vessels Unlock the Maritime Route to the North Sea," on Academia.edu.  https://www.academia.edu/176668099/Pioneering_the_Atlantic_Route_The_Genoese_Vessels_Unlock_the_Maritime_Route_to_the_North_Sea   The sections on lateen-rigged ships, cogs, and early carracks have undergone major revisions. I enlisted AI to check controversial statements. I requested and received permission from an American sailor and a journalist to reproduce his photo of a modern shoal-[shallow-] draft vessel deliberately going aground. The same practice as used by cogs in my story. The account comprises 15,500 words and 96 notes, including explanations of nautical terms. I added a conclusion that repeats the same ideas in a different, more nuanced tone. Most additions make this piece readable for both history students and history enthusiasts.   This is the first article o...

My blog's popularity has grown by leaps and bounds. By September 9th, nearly 15K viewers have visited it,  with the total approaching 60K. As usual, I am not sure why, but want to thank you all for your interest. After a long preparation, I have stated writing the first draft of the first chapter of a new cycle about the Flanders galleys. The chapter, titled " Pioneering the Atlantic Route: The Genoese Vessels Paving the Way to the North Sea," will focus on how and why Genoese mariners launched a new maritime route linking their homeland with Flanders and England.  The chapter will  include the following topics: a. The Rise and Passing of the Champagne Fairs b. Unlocking the Bottleneck c. Ligurian Round Ships d. North-European Cogs e. The advent of the early carrack The extract about the Champagne Fairs will present the business opportunities of the land route between Genoa and Champagne and explain why the Fairs became the focus of international trade and finance...

 The introduction to my third project, "The Fright and Frill of Navigation," focuses on the main topic of discourse: the two watercraft brands plying the waters of the medieval and renaissance Mediterranean. It is impossible to start covering the subject without preliminary notes about similarities and distinctions between the galley and the round ship.  My introduction embraces three aspects--the galley, the round ship, comparing and contrast--and ends with the reappraisal, reinforcing the primary outcomes. Since I am still waiting to be ready to upload the paper on my website yet (see my website https://independent.academia.edu/BaizermanMichael), I will present its outline.  A: The Galley a. The two brands b. The galley’s performance c. Low freeboard d. Propulsion e. Choppy seas f. Hugging the coast g. Wintering h. Provisioning B: The Round Ship a.        Propulsion b.        Lack of wind c.   ...

  I continue uploading chapters from my second book, "The Enchanting Encounter with the East," on Academia. The latest contribution is John of Plano Carpini. https://www.academia.edu/92996408/John_of_Plano_Carpini_docx The paper follows the traces of one of the first European medieval travelers to the Far East. The Franciscan monk returned, having endured painful hardships, to tell a fascinating story about the Mongols' habits and mores. He also provided food for thought for the imminent threat of a military assault against Western Europe and advocated for European mutual security. Tags: John of Plano Carpini, Pope Innocent, Great Khan Guyuk. My work on the third project, "The Fright and Thrill of Navigation," is in full swing. I have recently finished updating the drafts of the two initial chapters, The Galley vs. the Round Ship and The Early Light Galleys.  The outline of Chapter 1 remained more or less the same, comprising six parts:  The Galley ( Landlubber,...

 Chapter 1 of my third manuscript, " The Fright and Thrill of Navigation:  Seafaring in the Medieval and the Renaissance Mediterranean", is over. At least, its the first draft. I have erased most of the obvious errors with the aid of Grammarly. I am considering hiring its Premium version to become a better writer.  This chapter compares and contrasts the two medieval and renaissance watercraft types in the Mediterranean considering their functions, navigation, and more. I also added about 60 notes and two illustrations:   The first is a  fourteenth-century lateen-rigged Byzantine galley, whereas the second is  a ninth-century Byzantine ship sporting a settee sail.  The paper needs time to "dry up". It might endure some further corrections and require a fresh look. Meanwhile, I have started collecting material for the second chapter. It will focus on warships and comprise several parts. For example, the development of gunpowder ordnance on board. 

 T he maiden chapter of a new project is nearly over. I will carry out the content editing at a later stage. Yet, I need to review the vocabulary section created for the extract to fish for novel ideas.  The chapter gives a general idea of medieval shipping in the Mediterranean by depicting two broad types of watercraft. Even at this initial stage, I make use of contemporary travelogues written mostly by landlubbers. Besides galleys and round ships, I will speak about the main developments in the construction of ships and the sailors' diet.  In the coming week, I am planning to revise an old article, The Ten Tribes and Other Monsters, from Unit IV of my second project, "The Enchanting Encounter with the East". Authorhouse UK is preparing this manuscript for publication. I wrote a few more letters asking for reusing of photos as book illustrations but meanwhile received only three positive replies. I hope that in some other cases the images do not require copyright permiss...