There seems to be a lot in Baudolino that relates to real events or real writings about not-quite-so-real events.
I've finished the book (ahem - had a couple of long waits at airports last week) and I want to know what was real and what was made up, so I've got on over to
Wikipedia's entry on it. I've tried not to link to anything that will spoil the story.
As you would expect,
Frederick 1 is a real character, and so is
Beatrice, who has quite a few children and "encourag[ed] chivalric ideals". The canonisation of Charlemagne happened, and all the business with popes and antipopes.
The city of
Alessandria exists (I'd never heard of it) and according to
this review, it was the birthplace of one Umberto Eco. Here are
some pictures. The original Cathedral (which may or may not have some significance in the Grail quest) was
pulled down by Napoleon, and was replaced in 1810. Baudolino's father is based on an Alessandran legend.
Frederick does indeed die mysteriously, according to Wiki, though perhaps not as mysteriously as in the book (for those who've got to that bit).
The Poet, Boron and Kyot are all real (or nearly real) characters who wrote stuff. The Poet
apparently wrote some of the text for the
Carmina Burana (or did Baudolino write it?).
Otto of Friesing was indeed a fan of
Prester John, and the Letter of Prester John apparently has Hebrew influence (so that's why Solomon comes in).
I haven't found a medieval Zosimos yet, but there is a
3rd century Greek gnostic of that name, who seems to have dreamt of barbers, and blood... (and there was a
Pope Zosimus in the 5th century).
But what about Abdul? Ardzrouni? Hypatia? Sciapods? Only Google and Wiki can tell us the answer. Unless they are lying...
There's a
nice interview with Eco here.
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