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Historia Mongalorum quos nos Tartaros appellamus
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Historia Mongalorum quos nos Tartaros appellamus

work by Giovanni
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Historia Mongalorum quos nos Tartaros appellamus is a significant work by Giovanni da Pian del Carpini, a Franciscan friar and one of the first Europeans to travel extensively within the Mongol empire. Written around 1247, it provides one of the earliest Western accounts of Central Asia and its inhabitants, whom Europeans commonly referred to as "Tartars".1

Giovanni's mission, dispatched by Pope Innocent IV, aimed to gather information about the Mongols and potentially forge an alliance against Islam. His journey took him across vast distances, including encounters with Mongol leaders like Batu Khan and ultimately to the imperial court in Mongolia.1

The Historia details the Mongols' country, climate, customs, history, and military tactics, offering valuable insights that challenged prevailing European myths about them. It is considered a crucial source for understanding the Mongol world from a medieval Christian perspective.1

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3 Britannica Sources
  1. Giovanni da Pian del Carpini
  2. history of Mongolia - Ethnography and early tribal history of Mongolia
  3. Mongol empire - Military practices

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