History

20 Jul 1418

Nompar II, Seigneur de Caumont et de Chastelnuef, a Gascon noble of illustrious descent, travelled from Famagusta to St Hilarion castle

Nompar II, Seigneur de Caumont et de Chastelnuef, a Gascon noble of illustrious descent, travelled from Famagusta to St Hilarion castle: 

Now when I had stayed with the said king two or three days I returned by the very same road I had taken to the city of Famagosta whence I had started, and where the ships awaited me. Be it known that it is a country of very great heat, so that the people hardly dare to ride by day, for the great power of the sun, but by night only. And foreigners can scarcely remain there long in health. And in this country the grapes are generally black, and the wines are all white.

Item, at Famagosta I took the sea and journeyed along the coast of Cyprus to Cape S. Andrew, a distance of seventy miles.

Item, from that Cape S. Andrew to the town of Carpas, twenty-five miles.

Item, from Carpas to the Castle de la Candera, thirty miles.

Item, from the Castle de la Candara to the Castle of Leonde, otherwise called Buffavent, thirty miles.

Item, from Buffavent to the Castle and town of Cherines, ten miles: this is a seaport, and the strongest fortress in Cyprus. It was the greathearted Achilles, who was king of Thessaly, who built it.

Item, from this Cherines to the Castle of S. Hellarion, five miles.