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William of Rubruck

Type Figure Region Flanders Time c. 1210–1293 Also known as William Rubruck

A Flemish Franciscan who in 1253–1255 was sent by King Louis IX of France to the Mongol khan's court, writing an account of his journey east detailin…

Timeline

  1. 1253–1255Mongol court · Mongol EmpireSetting out from Acre, he reached the Mongols by land along the northern Black Sea coast, presented the French king's letter to Möngke Khan, surveyed steppe religions and politics, returned to Europe in 1255, and wrote a detailed report.
  2. 1261–1270Flanders · FlandersAfter returning from the Mongols he submitted his account to King Louis IX of France, then lived in a Flemish monastery. His descriptions of the Mongol Empire, Nestorians, and steppe society circulated in church and court circles in the 1260s, providing an important reference for later diplomacy and missions.

Sources