Of course, Narrenschiff is a literary word, which may come from Argo the legend of heroes in ancient times. At this time, this important mythical theme gained new vitality and spread widely in Bologna society. Fashion welcomes the story of these ships: these ships carry ideal heroes, moral models and social models and begin great symbolic voyages. By sailing, people on board will at least become the embodiment of fate or reason, even if they don't get wealth. Like SymPhorien ChamPier 1502 created the battle between five gentlemen and nobles, and 1503 created the boat of ladies. There are also healthy people's boats, 14 13 Jacob Warnst Warren's blue boat, sebastian brant's fool boat (used in 1494), and Josse Budd's woman fool boat. Of course, Bos's paintings also belong to this dream fleet.
However, among all these romantic or satirical boats, only fools' boats are real, because they did exist. This kind of boat transports those crazy passengers from one town to another. Because of this, crazy people live a relaxed and wandering life. The town expelled them; When they are not entrusted to business travelers or pilgrims, they are allowed to walk in the open countryside. This custom is especially common in Germany. /kloc-in the first half of the 5th century, 63 lunatics were registered in Nuremberg, of which 3 1 was expelled. In the following 50 years, it was recorded that at least some people were forced to leave. These are just patients arrested by the municipal authorities. They are usually handed over to boatmen. 1399, in Frankfurt, sailors were ordered to take away a naked patient wandering in the street. /kloc-At the beginning of the 5th century, Mainz expelled a crazy criminal in the same way. Sometimes, sailors just promise to come down and then turn around and send these troublesome passengers ashore. A blacksmith in Frankfurt was expelled twice, but returned twice until he was finally sent to hard labor. Many cities in Europe must often see "fool ships" sailing into their ports.
It is not easy to reveal the exact meaning of this custom. Some people will imagine that this is a very common means of extradition, and the municipal authorities use it to send wandering lunatics out of their own circles. This assumption does not take into account the following facts: even before the establishment of special crazy hospitals, some crazy people have been sent to hospitals or received similar care; The general hospital in Paris had already set up beds for them in the ward. Throughout the Middle Ages and Renaissance, most cities in Europe had detention centers for lunatics, such as Chastelet Castle in Moran and the famous Crazy Tower in Cannes. There are countless crazy towers in Germany, such as Chengguan in Lubeck and Notre Dame Tower in Hamburg. Therefore, a madman may not be fired. Some people will imagine that only lunatics from other places will be expelled, and cities will only take care of patients among their own citizens. Didn't we find records of patient welfare or donations to take care of patients in the books of some medieval cities? But ... the problem is not that simple. In places where patients are concentrated, most patients are not locals. The earliest places to receive crazy people were some holy places: Saint Mathurin de La Salle, Saint Hildville de Gunai, Besancon and Jill. Pilgrimages to these places are organized by cities or hospitals. It is usually funded by cities or hospitals. These stupid ships that disturbed the imagination of the whole early Renaissance are probably pilgrimage ships. Those crazy passengers with strong symbolic meaning are looking for their own rationality. Some ships go along the Rhine to Belgium and Gil. Other ships sailed along the Rhine to Jura and Besancon.