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Contemporaries of Marco Polo
Marco Polo was not the first traveler to visit the East; nor was he the only medieval traveller to give us a record of his journey. He was preceded by several travellers who visited the Mongol Courts and brought back to Medieval Europe vivid records of a strange Eastern Civilization. Marco Polo visited the court of the last great Khan, Kublai; but by that time the empire was already starting to disintegrate.
William of Rubruck and John of Pian de Carpini both visited the courts of Kuyuk and Mangu, the two great Khans before Kublai. Their journals preserve for the modern reader an intimate and striking portrait of the great Mongol civilization.
But even before these men, Rabbi Benjamin of Tudela journeyed further into the eastern countries than any of his predecessors. While Europe was going through the Dark Ages he found a culture which studied many of the Greek and Latin classics.
Finally, about twenty years after Marco Polo, Friar Odoric was sent east as part of an extended missionary movement. His narrative describes in detail many places that Marco Polo failed to mention.
Contemporaries of Marco Polo brings back into print the journals of these four medieval travellers. Flawlessly edited by Manuel Komroff, these journals provide a unique and invaluable glimpse into medieval times and lost civilizations, and are works of art in themselves.
William of Rubruck and John of Pian de Carpini both visited the courts of Kuyuk and Mangu, the two great Khans before Kublai. Their journals preserve for the modern reader an intimate and striking portrait of the great Mongol civilization.
But even before these men, Rabbi Benjamin of Tudela journeyed further into the eastern countries than any of his predecessors. While Europe was going through the Dark Ages he found a culture which studied many of the Greek and Latin classics.
Finally, about twenty years after Marco Polo, Friar Odoric was sent east as part of an extended missionary movement. His narrative describes in detail many places that Marco Polo failed to mention.
Contemporaries of Marco Polo brings back into print the journals of these four medieval travellers. Flawlessly edited by Manuel Komroff, these journals provide a unique and invaluable glimpse into medieval times and lost civilizations, and are works of art in themselves.
381 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1937
About the author
Manuel Komroff
110 books4 followersManuel Komroff (September 7, 1890 – 10 December 1974) was an American playwright, screenwriter, novelist, editor and translator.
He was born in New York where he began his working life as a journalist. He also spent some time in Russia during the Russian Revolution.
One of his most successful publications was his edited version of The Travels of Marco Polo, first published in 1926.
He was born in New York where he began his working life as a journalist. He also spent some time in Russia during the Russian Revolution.
One of his most successful publications was his edited version of The Travels of Marco Polo, first published in 1926.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
September 22, 2015
Somewhere I saw a recommendation that we should read “original sources” whenever possible, rather than just rely on later interpretations. This 3 Star book brings the stories of travel in the medieval world written by the original wanderers. Three of the travelers roamed from Europe to China before Marco Polo and one after Polo’s time. Not the most exciting writing but very instructive on the societies and how people lived. Three were Christian monks/friars and one was a rabbi.
First up (although his story was the last in the book—strange) was Rabbi Benjamin of Tudela, who spent the years 1160-1173 on the road. Leaving Saragossa, Spain he traveled extensively. His story started boring, a catalogue of Jewish communities as he made his way east. But the story picks up as we reach Greece:
The Jews of that age are treated horrendously by the Greeks (and others). He travels to Baghdad and describes a world that would soon disappear at the hands of the Mongols. But it is almost magical, the Caliph rules over such diverse territory. The Jews are a valued part of the community and are very numerous. One thing that stands out is that a traveling Jew would almost always find someone of his/her faith to stay with. The Diaspora is extensive.
John of Pian de Carpini is sent by the Pope to the Great Khan and arrives just as Kuyuk is elected Khan after Ogotai dies. His is a shorter account but gives a good idea of the desolation caused by the Mongols and the great amount of killing. His journey across the steppes is a good description of just how vast the territory is. He was 65 when he started out, pretty old for such a journey but he survives.
William of Rubrick comes next and his travel journal is the most extensive of the four. He really gives a good idea of how the Mongols lived. The most detailed accounts of the Mongols and their empire. Friar Odoric travels well after Kublai Khan and the Marco Polo era, about 25 years later. He spends 12 years on the road and goes the furthest.
Pretty decent reading, if you understand the Christian clerics have a far amount of looking at things through a religious lens. Well worth the time to read the people who saw and walked the territory. The one thing I want to learn is what the impact of the Mongols was on the Islamic world (besides devastating). You get a little on the status of the Persians and Arabs but not detailed. Need to find an Islamic contemporary of these contemporaries.
First up (although his story was the last in the book—strange) was Rabbi Benjamin of Tudela, who spent the years 1160-1173 on the road. Leaving Saragossa, Spain he traveled extensively. His story started boring, a catalogue of Jewish communities as he made his way east. But the story picks up as we reach Greece:
The Jews of that age are treated horrendously by the Greeks (and others). He travels to Baghdad and describes a world that would soon disappear at the hands of the Mongols. But it is almost magical, the Caliph rules over such diverse territory. The Jews are a valued part of the community and are very numerous. One thing that stands out is that a traveling Jew would almost always find someone of his/her faith to stay with. The Diaspora is extensive.
John of Pian de Carpini is sent by the Pope to the Great Khan and arrives just as Kuyuk is elected Khan after Ogotai dies. His is a shorter account but gives a good idea of the desolation caused by the Mongols and the great amount of killing. His journey across the steppes is a good description of just how vast the territory is. He was 65 when he started out, pretty old for such a journey but he survives.
William of Rubrick comes next and his travel journal is the most extensive of the four. He really gives a good idea of how the Mongols lived. The most detailed accounts of the Mongols and their empire. Friar Odoric travels well after Kublai Khan and the Marco Polo era, about 25 years later. He spends 12 years on the road and goes the furthest.
Pretty decent reading, if you understand the Christian clerics have a far amount of looking at things through a religious lens. Well worth the time to read the people who saw and walked the territory. The one thing I want to learn is what the impact of the Mongols was on the Islamic world (besides devastating). You get a little on the status of the Persians and Arabs but not detailed. Need to find an Islamic contemporary of these contemporaries.
October 6, 2024
This book comprises four travel journals from Europe into Asia and the Near East. The middle two had details I found fairly interesting.
The first journal I found a bit boring and skimmed much of it. The final journal was by a rabbi who seemed to merely chronicle the number of Jews in each city, sometimes giving details about their culture and practices.
The first journal I found a bit boring and skimmed much of it. The final journal was by a rabbi who seemed to merely chronicle the number of Jews in each city, sometimes giving details about their culture and practices.
October 21, 2023
Great if you're interested in that time and area. Slow read, but it is history.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews