Help, please--pilgrim populations

[Joe & MJ]

Carolyn & other interested parties:

I've done some cursory checking, but don't have access to the articles that
MAY have the numbers you want:

Ilja Mieck, "Zur Wallfahrt nach Santiago de Compostela zwischen 1400-1650.
[Resonanz, Strukturwandel und Krise]" in Spanische Forschungen der
Gorresgesellschaft. Gesammelte Aufsatze zur Kulturgeschichte Spaniens, 29
(1978): 483-533. OR in its Galician translation: "A peregrinacion a Santiago
de Compostela entre 1400 e 1650. Resonancia, transformacion de estructura e
crise" in Seis ensaios sobre o camino de Santiago, ed. Vicente Almazan
(Vigo: Galaxia, 1992): 289-360.
    My notes indicate that this study looked at the kinds of statistics
available, and went on from there.

In reading some of the basics (Vazquez de Parga, etc.) no one really goes
out on a limb to say how many pilgrims there were in any given year.
Generally speaking the pilgrimage grew and changed, from (relatively) little
dissemination outside of France in the 10th century, broadening  in the 11th
century with pilgrims from Germany, Portugal, and increasing in the 13th
century throughout Europe (Sweden, Austria, Holland, England). The 14th
century is by many considered to be the apogee of the pilgrimage, as in the
15th century the nature of the pilgrimage begins to change from a pious
journey to an excuse to travel. By the 16th century the effects of the
Reformation are felt and the pilgrimage declines drastically.

We have some better ideas about how many came from England because of the
studies of ship manifolds which list passengers and their destinations
(those going to La Coruna would probably carry pilgrims), although English
pilgrims travelled primarily by the land route from France through the 12th
century.

Among the difficulties in knowing the numbers of pilgrims travelling the
route are the fact that during the middle ages the "great unwashed" were
largely ignored...if a king is travelling with his retinue, are the servants
considered pilgrims also?... how can we match up statistics of those who
started out with those who actually arrived, versus those who died en route,
versus those who left with no intention of actually going to
Compostela...what percentage of documents have been lost?... what percentage
of folks travelled without documenting their departure or their arrival?

Sorry not to be of more help. If I find some of the general stats, I'll send
them on.
Maryjane

  -----Original Message-----
  From: Road to Santiago Pilgrimage [mailto:GOCAMINOapete.uri.edu]On Behalf
Of Carolyn Wiggins
  Sent: Sunday, July 15, 2001 10:25 PM
  To: GOCAMINOapete.uri.edu
  Subject: Re: Help, please


  We are giving a little presentation on the camino at the retirement
community
  where my mother lives this week, and, in anticipation of this, would like
to
  ask if anyone can give us the number of pilgrims who walked the camino in
any
  one year's time during the middle ages.  I know that there may not be any
  statistics on this, but I thought I'd ask.  Thanks, in advance.  Carolyn
  Wiggins
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