//Ed Note: Former Turkish diplomat Fuad Carım
compiled an interesting review of Marco Polo's and
İbn Battuta's contacts with the Turks during their
respective journeys through Anatolia and Central
Asia-China in the 13th and 14th centuries in 1966.
Carım's introductory remarks are presented here by
TNT but since he essentially translated the relevant
passages from the two travel logs into Turkish, TNT
is providing two very excellent links to the complete
English versions of the travel logs below.
After TNT's August visit to Ulan Bator, this
investigation of the Mongols is all the more
relevant. For a very good Turkish translation of
Marco Polo's travels get "Marco Polo
Seyahatname" published by Alfa and translated
by Leyla Tonguç Basmacı.//
Fuad Carım
Marco Polo and İbn Batuta
Most of what these two important world travelers
wrote concerned the Turks
wrote concerned the Turks
İstanbul Matbaası
90, Nuruosmaniye, İstanbul
1966
Two Important Travellers
Marco Polo and İbn Batuta were the two most
important travellers of the Middle Ages. Their travels were
made 54 years apart but both of them reached Beijing. Each
one’s travels spanned about 24 years – Marco Polo’s from
1271 to 1295 and İbn Batuta’s from 1325 to 1354.
important travellers of the Middle Ages. Their travels were
made 54 years apart but both of them reached Beijing. Each
one’s travels spanned about 24 years – Marco Polo’s from
1271 to 1295 and İbn Batuta’s from 1325 to 1354.
Both of them dictated what they had seen and
heard to master writers – Venitian Marco Polo to his prison-
mate Rusta or Ruticiano and İbn Batuta, who was from
Tangiers, to his friend İbn Cuzey.
heard to master writers – Venitian Marco Polo to his prison-
mate Rusta or Ruticiano and İbn Batuta, who was from
Tangiers, to his friend İbn Cuzey.
At first, their stories were not belived by people,
not even by scholars. The experiences of both of them
were read and listened to as fairy tales. Over time, though,
the value of their travel logs began to be understood and
after the 18th century both of their works became first-tier
sources for history and geography.
not even by scholars. The experiences of both of them
were read and listened to as fairy tales. Over time, though,
the value of their travel logs began to be understood and
after the 18th century both of their works became first-tier
sources for history and geography.
With regard to Marco Polo, in particular, there
may have been exaggerations as to things he considered
remarkable or stories that he heard that were, based on the
thinking of the times, incredible. Also, there were mistakes
and additions made by copyists. Nevertheless, neither of
the works has lost its high value, they are both instructive
and fascinating. Especially from the standpoint of Turks
because most of what they wrote about related to the Turks.
Yes, Kubilay, the grandson of Cengiz Khan, who ruled the
world’s largest empire, the Chinese-Turk Empire, was
Marco Polo’s patron. İbn Batuta’s patron was one of
Kubilay’s grandsons, Great Khan Doğan Timur. He came
to Turkey during the reign of Ottoman Sultan Orhan and
generally wrote many, many things about the Turks.
may have been exaggerations as to things he considered
remarkable or stories that he heard that were, based on the
thinking of the times, incredible. Also, there were mistakes
and additions made by copyists. Nevertheless, neither of
the works has lost its high value, they are both instructive
and fascinating. Especially from the standpoint of Turks
because most of what they wrote about related to the Turks.
Yes, Kubilay, the grandson of Cengiz Khan, who ruled the
world’s largest empire, the Chinese-Turk Empire, was
Marco Polo’s patron. İbn Batuta’s patron was one of
Kubilay’s grandsons, Great Khan Doğan Timur. He came
to Turkey during the reign of Ottoman Sultan Orhan and
generally wrote many, many things about the Turks.
Marco Polo’s Travel Log
As we stated, at first neither of these works was
found to be believable. So although most of what they
related was true, why were they not believed? Because at
that time, and for some time afterwards, the stories exceeded
the limits of what was known, seen, heard and
comprehended in Europe, Africa and the Near East. In
fact, for this reason, Marco’s countrymen, who came from a
long line of merchants, gave him the moniker ‘Sir Million’
and his work the name ‘Million’ because of the high numbers
Marco attached to his stories about various subjects. His
travel log was first published in “Langue d’Oil”, the
language spoken in ancient northern France, and later in
Tuscan Italian. In Italy the work is still referred to as
‘Million’.
found to be believable. So although most of what they
related was true, why were they not believed? Because at
that time, and for some time afterwards, the stories exceeded
the limits of what was known, seen, heard and
comprehended in Europe, Africa and the Near East. In
fact, for this reason, Marco’s countrymen, who came from a
long line of merchants, gave him the moniker ‘Sir Million’
and his work the name ‘Million’ because of the high numbers
Marco attached to his stories about various subjects. His
travel log was first published in “Langue d’Oil”, the
language spoken in ancient northern France, and later in
Tuscan Italian. In Italy the work is still referred to as
‘Million’.
Recently, Marco’s travel log was put into modern
French by the writer Albert t’Serstevens, who explained the
reasons for suspicions about Marco’s stories: “The treasury of
any country, including France, which at the time was
considered the wealthiest country in the world, did not amount
to 1/1000th of the Great Khan’s income. Consequently, it
should not surprise anyone that his countrymen teased him
lightly with the nickname ‘Sir Million’. And it should also be
remembered that the geographers of that era, such as
cosmographer Cardinal d’Ailly, could not be expected to
accept Marco’s somewhat exaggerated numbers.”
Marco Polo's routes of travel.
French by the writer Albert t’Serstevens, who explained the
reasons for suspicions about Marco’s stories: “The treasury of
any country, including France, which at the time was
considered the wealthiest country in the world, did not amount
to 1/1000th of the Great Khan’s income. Consequently, it
should not surprise anyone that his countrymen teased him
lightly with the nickname ‘Sir Million’. And it should also be
remembered that the geographers of that era, such as
cosmographer Cardinal d’Ailly, could not be expected to
accept Marco’s somewhat exaggerated numbers.”
Marco Polo's routes of travel.
The publishers of Marco Polo’s entertaining and
sought-after work adorned it with invented aspects in order
to increase circulation. The Italian writer Ranieri Alulli, who
examined the original work as a conversation between two
people, gave the following example of this situation: “I recall
seeing a copy in the Venice Library, which had been
generated from a manuscript written in the Venetian dialect
and printed in 1496. In the first section of the book, some silly
remarks are attributed to Marco such as ‘I met a fellow who
was herding 40,000 partridges; as the man walked along, the
birds in the air followed him; and these birds had the
temperment whereby when the fellow napped, they would
set down and wait like chickens.’”
sought-after work adorned it with invented aspects in order
to increase circulation. The Italian writer Ranieri Alulli, who
examined the original work as a conversation between two
people, gave the following example of this situation: “I recall
seeing a copy in the Venice Library, which had been
generated from a manuscript written in the Venetian dialect
and printed in 1496. In the first section of the book, some silly
remarks are attributed to Marco such as ‘I met a fellow who
was herding 40,000 partridges; as the man walked along, the
birds in the air followed him; and these birds had the
temperment whereby when the fellow napped, they would
set down and wait like chickens.’”
Russian K. Kounine, who wrote the forward to a
book about Marco Polo written by Russian writer Victor
Chklovski, said that “Europeans of the 13th and 14th
century were not developed enough to comprehend the
things that Marco Polo related. As a result, the statements
of the Venetian were not considered to be true and his
work did not make the impact it should have on the
geographic knowledge of that period. There was quite
a gap between his somewhat exaggerated statements
and the knowledge of his readers. In other words, the
information in Marco’s travel log was incomprehensible
at that time. For that reason the work was considered a
fairy tale and a novel. In fact, had the stories not be
entertaining and funny, the manuscript would probably
have been lost.”
İbn Battuta
book about Marco Polo written by Russian writer Victor
Chklovski, said that “Europeans of the 13th and 14th
century were not developed enough to comprehend the
things that Marco Polo related. As a result, the statements
of the Venetian were not considered to be true and his
work did not make the impact it should have on the
geographic knowledge of that period. There was quite
a gap between his somewhat exaggerated statements
and the knowledge of his readers. In other words, the
information in Marco’s travel log was incomprehensible
at that time. For that reason the work was considered a
fairy tale and a novel. In fact, had the stories not be
entertaining and funny, the manuscript would probably
have been lost.”
İbn Battuta
There is another point we should make before
moving on. In order to understand Marco Polo’s travel
log one must take heed of this aspect: Polo dictated his
work in the Venetian dialect and Rusta recorded it in the
Tuscan dialect. Then it was published in “Langue d’Oil”
French. In addition, one must remember that the Turkish
and Chinese words were altered as they were translated
into European languages and written down. So Semerkand
or Samarkand became ‘Saint Mercan’ and ‘San Mercan’.
moving on. In order to understand Marco Polo’s travel
log one must take heed of this aspect: Polo dictated his
work in the Venetian dialect and Rusta recorded it in the
Tuscan dialect. Then it was published in “Langue d’Oil”
French. In addition, one must remember that the Turkish
and Chinese words were altered as they were translated
into European languages and written down. So Semerkand
or Samarkand became ‘Saint Mercan’ and ‘San Mercan’.
Nevertheless, European scholars who pursued the
work eventually came up with common sense explanations.
In particular, the two-volume explanation/commentary by
French writer M.G. Pauthier, published a century ago, is
quite valuable.
İbn Battuta's routes of travel.
work eventually came up with common sense explanations.
In particular, the two-volume explanation/commentary by
French writer M.G. Pauthier, published a century ago, is
quite valuable.
İbn Battuta's routes of travel.
marco polo click here for a nearly 500-page
treatment of Marco Polo's adventures, written
in Victorian English in 1907.
ibn battuta click here for the full English/Arabic
text of İbn Battuta's travels.
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