Everything about Rabban Bar Sauma totally explained
Rabban Bar Sauma, also known as
Rabban Ṣawma or
Rabban Çauma, (Chinese:拉賓掃務瑪, around
1230-
1294, fl.
1280 –
1288), was a
Turkic diplomat of
Nestorian faith, sent by the
Mongol Empire to communicate with Western rulers such as Kings
Philip IV of France and
Edward I of England. Bar Sauma's written account of his journeys is of unique interest, as it gives a picture of medieval Europe at the close of the Crusading period, painted by a keenly intelligent, broadminded and statesmanlike observer. His travels occurred prior to the return of
Marco Polo to Europe, and give a reverse viewpoint of the East looking to the West.
Early life
Bar Sauma was born c. 1230 in
Beijing. According to Gregory
Barhebraeus he was of
Uyghur origin. Chinese accounts describe his heritage as "Wanggu" (
Ongud), a tribe of
Turkic origin classified as part of the
Mongol Caste of the
Yuan Dynasty.. He was a follower of the
Nestorian faith (see:
Nestorianism in China).
Pilgrimage to Jerusalem
Rabban Bar Sauma departed from China at a young age, accompanied by his friend and colleague Rabban Marcos, in order to start a
pilgrimage to
Jerusalem. He travelled by way of the former
Tangut country,
Khotan,
Kashgar,
Talas in the
Syr Darya valley,
Khorasan,
Maragha and
Mosul, arriving at
Ani in
Armenia. Warnings of danger on the routes to southern
Syria turned him from his purpose.
Rabban Bar Sauma was welcomed in Persia by the Patriarch of the
Church of the East,
Mar Denha I. Mar Denha I'd his seat in
Baghdad at that time, and requested Rabban Bar Sauma to visit the court of
Abaqa in order to obtain confirmation letters for his ordination as Patriarch in 1266.
Mission to Europe
His friend and fellow-pilgrim, Rabban Marcos, was elected to become the Nestorian patriarch
Mar Yaballaha III in 1281 when Mar Denha I died. He recommended Bar Sauma to the ruler of the
Ilkhanate or Mongol-Persian realm,
Arghun Khan, who sent him for an embassy to
Europe as part of an effort to develop a
Franco-Mongol alliance in the
Middle East.
The purpose of this mission was to conclude an alliance with the chief states of
Christendom against their mutual
Middle Eastern Muslim enemies, specifically the
Mamluk sultans, in order to take
Jerusalem:
Byzantine emperor, the Pope and the Kings of
France and
England. Bar Sauma received a large retinue of assistants and was loaded with presents for the Western kings, enough for 30 riding animals:
Crusading period, painted by a keenly intelligent, broadminded and statesmanlike observer. His travels occurred prior to the return of
Marco Polo to Europe, and give a reverse viewpoint of the East looking to the West.
Further Information
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