The Travels of Ibn Jubayr

The Travels of Ibn Jubayr is a travelogue written by Ibn Jubayr, a Spanish Muslim born in Valencia in 1145. The book recounts his pilgrimage to Mecca, which he began in 1183 and completed in 1185.1

Ibn Jubayr's work is a valuable historical source, offering vivid descriptions of his Mediterranean voyages, interactions with customs officials, and observations of cities like Cairo under Saladin. He also details his journeys along the Nile, across the Red Sea to Mecca and Medina, and his return route through Iraq, Syria, and Sicily. Ibn Jubayr undertook two more journeys eastward without recording them, and a final trip in 1217 ended with his death in Egypt.1