Question

Why do you think some of the passengers are carrying arms?

Answer 1

During the medieval period, travelling over long distances by land or water was highly dangerous, which made it necessary for passengers and merchants to carry arms. As described by travellers like Ibn Battuta, trade routes and rivers were heavily infested with highway bandits and pirates. These criminals frequently ambushed passing groups to plunder their valuable merchandise, animals, and money.

Because the central or local states could not provide constant military police protection along isolated desert paths or vast riverways, travellers had to take responsibility for their own safety. Caravans and boat passengers travelling together would arm themselves or hire armed guards to defend against these sudden attacks. This self-defence system allowed them to protect both their lives and their valuable cargo during long journeys.