Ibn Battuta - Lies - Extra History
Added 2020-04-17 17:30:01 +0000 UTCRecommended Reading
- The Travels of Ibn Battuta by H. A. R. Gibb
- The Adventures of Ibn Battuta: A Muslim Traveler of the Fourteenth Century by Ross E. Dunn
- Fordham Medieval Sourcebook
- The Travels of Ibn Battutah by Tim Mackintosh-Smith
- Travels with a Tangerine by Tim Mackintosh-Smith
- Ibn Battuta: The Man Who Walked Across the World (Documentary)
Timestamps
4:14 - Ibn Battuta liked things?
4:43 - Patron questions!
6:25 - Episode 1
8:36 - Episode 2
9:28 - Episode 3
14:50 - Episode 4
17:10 - Episode 5
21:19 - What's Next
23:25 - No Walpole fact?!?
And that's it for Ibn Battuta! See you all next week with the first of our series on Dividing the Middle East. Also, I decided to use broader, less specific timestamps for this episode instead of timestamping each individual question. Let me know which style you prefer! - A
Comments
Thanks for the catch!
Extra History
2020-04-18 16:37:32 +0000 UTCThe link for the Rose E Dunn links to Tim Mackintosh-Smith 's book btw. Might want to update that.
Herkles
2020-04-18 13:33:59 +0000 UTCHere's the whole thing; I hope you fellows have been reading or I'd feel as though my efforts had been wasted. I hope EH doesn't mind that I did borrow some information off of the Ibn Battuta series. 1300 In the Kingdom of Vinland, by this Time, Vinland has Settled the Entire Great Lakes Region and has also Explored the Southern Half of Hudson's Bay, which, in this Timeline, will Bear the Name “Thorstein’s Bay.” Vinland will never Settle any further Southwards than OTL Maine and Northern New York as the hot Climate is not Congenial to them, and the Iron ~ Working Native American Tribes in this Region were less Devastated by the Smallpox Pandemic and are better Able to Resist Vinlandic Encroachment. 1325 In the Kingdom of Morocco, a 20 ~ Year ~ old Law Student, Ibn Battuta, sets out from his Home in Tangier, Tanger-Tetouan-Al Hoceima, on a Hajj to Mecca, Hejaz, Expecting to be gone only for 16 Months; it will be another 24 Years before he sees Morocco again. 1326 In the Egyptian Empire, the Islamic Scholar Ibn Battuta Arrives in Alexandria, Cattle Land Nome, and Heads Inland for Cairo, Bows Land Nome. During the Journey, he Meets a Wandering Ascetic who Prophecises that he will only Reach Mecca via Damascus, a Route that has an Added Bonus: because of the Holy Places that Lie along the way, Including Hebron, Jerusalem and Bethlehem, a Route that the Egyptian Authorities have been keeping Safe for Pilgrims ever since the Time of the Crusades. He also takes Time to Visit the Great Pyramids of Giza, the Ruined City of Memphis, and a short Detour to see the Valley of The Kings. While staying in Cairo, he Hears Stories about the African Emperor Mansa Musa’s Hajj in 1324, and how the Mansa had, through his Generosity, Caused an Economic Collapse in Egypt. In the Arab and Islamic Kingdom of Hejaz, the Islamic Scholar Ibn Battuta, having Spent Ramadan in Damascus and Impatient to get going, Finally Joins the Official Route of the Hajj. Guarded this Time by Egyptian Soldiers, he Joins a large Caravan Heading South for Medina, the Site of the Al-Masjid an-Nabawī Mosque, which had been Built over the Tomb of the Prophet Muhammad. After Four Days Praying in front of the Tomb, he Journeys to Mecca and there takes Part in the Rituals of the Hajj: Circling the Ka'bah Seven Times, Bowing to the Shrine of the Footsteps of Ibrahim, standing on the Plains in front of Mount Arafat, Reciting Prayers and Listening to Religious Teachings for a full Day. He also takes the Honorific Status of El-Hajji. Rather than Return Home, he Decides to continue on, at First choosing as his next Destination the Ilkhanate, a Mongolian Khanate, to the Northeast. 17th November In the Arab and Islamic Kingdom of Hejaz, the Islamic Scholar Ibn Battuta Joins a large Caravan of Pilgrims Returning to Iraq from Mecca across the Arabian Peninsula, but Instead, turns Back and Heads to the City of Constantinople. Making the most of his Education, he Persuades Byzantine Basileus Ivan Alexander to Employ him as an Agent for a Diplomatic Mission to Rome. 1330 In the Byzantine Empire, for some Time now, the new Patriarch of Constantinople, John XIV, has, just like his Predecessor, been Calling for a “Crusade” to Liberate the Oppressed Orthodox Christians of Rus’ from the Mongolian, Islamic Golden Horde, and the Byzantines have Concluded an Alliance with King Magnus III of Svealand. the Byzantines and the Svealanders Negotiate with the newly ~ Rebuilt Rus City-States, but most are Unwilling to Risk the Wrath of the Golden Horde for a Second Time, the only Exception being Ivan IV, Grand Prince of Moscow. This Second Grand Alliance of Christendom takes the Field, Heading for Moscow, Hoping to Link up with Grand Prince Ivan IV’s Forces. The War of The Second Grand Alliance has begun. 1332 In the Golden Horde, Khan Mohammed Ozbeg of the Golden Horde Sues for Peace with the Second Grand Alliance, thus bringing the War of the Second Grand Alliance to an End. A Peace Treaty is Signed and the Golden Horde Agrees to Withdraw from Rus'. The Border is set at the Rivers Daugava, Kama, and Ural [further East than the Original Rus' Principality, but the Defeated Mongols have no Choice but to Agree.] With Byzantine Support, Grand Prince Ivan IV of Moscow Declares himself the First Grand Prince of a Revived Grand Principality of Rus', but this is not Universally Acknowledged by the other Rus' Rulers. 1336 In the Kingdom of Denmark, the Islamic Scholar Ibn Battuta, after Criss ~ Crossing Europe for Several Years as a Byzantine Agent, who find his Accountancy Skills Invaluable, Arrives in Copenhagen. Learning of America from a Vinland ~ Bound Merchant, Ibn Battuta Persuades King Eric V of Denmark to let him Lead a Trading Mission to Vinland. [with Brief stop offs in London, Edinburgh, and Reykjavík along the way] 1337 In the Kingdom of Vinland, the Islamic Scholar Ibn Battuta Visits the Royal Court of Queen Kristjana IV before Moving on to Tenochtitlan. He finds Isafjordhur small and uncultured Compared to Copenhagen, London, or even Reykjavík, but he is Impressed by the hard ~ Working People. 12th September In the Aztec Empire, the Islamic Scholar Ibn Battuta, Heading Downstream from the River Mississippi, Hugging the Coast, and his Caravan are Twice Attacked by Bandits, but Ibn Battuta Escapes with his Life, although One of his Interpreters and the Cherokee Woman he had Picked up as his Wife are not so Lucky [something which Deeply saddens Battuta] and Arrives in Tenochtitlan, where he is Warmly Welcomed by the Aztec Ruler, Tenoch. In the Aztec Empire, the Islamic Scholar Ibn Battuta, while staying in Tenochtitlan as a Guest of the Aztec Tlatoani, Tenoch, Witnesses a Grizzly Spectacle: in One Day, Aztec Priests Ritualistically Sacrifice 10,000 Prisoners to their War God, Huitzilopochtli, Tearing their still ~ Beating Hearts out of their Chests as a Gruesome Offering to the God. Ibn Battuta Greatly Dislikes, and will later Write against the Aztec Religion, as well as many other Aspects of Aztec Life, but for now he keeps his Opinions to himself so as not to Offend his Aztec Hosts. 1340 In the Kingdom of Vinland, upon his Return from Tenochtitlan, the Islamic Scholar Ibn Battuta Presents Queen Kristjana IV of Vinland with Three Llamas and a Suit of Jaguar Warrior Armour. 1348 In the Emirate of Granada, the Islamic Scholar Ibn Battuta Arrives in Granada after Three Years of Travelling in North America to Sell his Wares: Gold, Silver, Exotic Spices, and Vinlandic Furs. He Discovers that Word of his Travels to the Aztec Empire, and the News of Land beyond North America has Preceded him, and, on the Suggestion of the Granadan Emir, Yusuf I, he starts to Dictate a Book about his Adventures: “A Gift to Those Who Contemplate the Wonders of Cities and the Marvels of Travelling,” a Title usually shortened to, “The Travels.” 1349 The Japanese Empire Ends its Tributary Relations with the Mongolian Empire Following the Dynastic Succession that Occurs in China. 8th November In the Kingdom of Morocco, the Islamic Scholar Ibn Battuta Returns to Tangier by way of Fez and Learns that his Father had Passed away 15 Years Earlier and his Mother a few Months before. After only a few Days in Tangier, he Decides to Travel through Morocco, stopping for a while in Marrakesh, which has almost become a Ghost Town Following the Decision to Move the Capital to Fez after the Black Death. 1349 8th November In the Kingdom of Morocco, the Islamic Scholar Ibn Battuta Returns to Tangier by way of Fez and Learns that his Father had Passed away 15 Years Earlier and his Mother a few Months before. After only a few Days in Tangier, he Decides to Travel through Morocco, stopping for a while in Marrakesh, which has almost become a Ghost Town Following the Decision to Move the Capital to Fez after the Black Death. 1351 In the Kingdom of Morocco, the Islamic Scholar Ibn Battuta sets out from Fez and makes his way to Sijilmasa, a Town Right on the Edge of the Sahara Desert, where he Buys Camels and stays for Four Months. 1352 In the Kingdom of Morocco, the Islamic Scholar Ibn Battuta again sets out with a Caravan and, after 25 Days, Arrives at the dry Salt Bed of Taghaza with its Salt Mines, that has Recently become a Part of the Empire of Mali. After a Ten ~ Day stay, the Caravan sets out for the Oasis Town of Bir el Ksaïb, where it stops for Three Days to Prepare for the Final and most Dangerous Leg of their Journey across the vast Desert. A Scout is sent ahead to Oualata to Arrange for Water to be Transported over a Distance of Four Days’ Travel where it will Meet the Thirsty Caravan. When, in Oualata, Ibn Battuta Meets the Local Malian Governor, Expecting to be given a Monetary Gift, feels Offended when, instead, he is given a Meal of Yogurt and Honey [as per Mali Tradition] and feels further Insulted when the Governor Speaks through a Herald rather than to him Directly. In the Mali Empire, from Oualata, the Terminus of the Trans-Saharan Trade, the Islamic Scholar Ibn Battuta Travels Southwards along the River Niger [which he Mistakenly Believes to be the River Nile] he both Marvels at the Empire’s Security, being Free to Travel without the Fear of Bandits, and is Shocked to Discover that, while the Ruling Classes have Embraced Islam, the Majority of the Population still Follow Traditional East African Religions, and, when he does Reach Timbuktu, he is Disturbed to see the Mansa’s Daughters Walking around the Palace Courtyards topless, which he Considers Unbecoming for a Muslim, and is even more Disturbed to see Soldiers standing before Mansa Suleyman Keita, Telling him of their Bravery in Battle while others twang the Strings of their Bows to Confirm they have seen the Deed. When Ibn Battuta Meets the Mansa, he is given a Gift: a Piece of Beef, Three Bread Cakes, and a Calabash of Sour Curds, and Bursts out Laughing at “the Mansa’s Legendary Generosity.” 1353 In the Songhai Empire, after his stay in Timbuktu, the Islamic Scholar Ibn Battuta Travels down the River Niger in a Canoe Carved from a Single Tree to Gao, an Important Economic Centre. During the Journey, he First sees a Hippopotamus. After spending a Month in Gao, he Joins a Caravan Heading for the Oasis Town of Takedda. During this Journey, he Receives a Message from Sultan Abu Inan Faris of Morocco Commanding him to Return Home. He turns around and sets off for Sijilmasa, Accompanying a large Caravan of 600 Female Slaves. 1355 In the Kingdom of Morocco, the Islamic Scholar Ibn Battuta Completes his Memoirs, “The Travels.” The Book, however, is not Perfect and, at First, Attracts very little Attention. Ibn Battuta had made no Notes and so has had to Work from Memory, and as a Result, sometimes gets Dates wrong or Events Mixed up. To try and fill in the Blanks, Ibn Battuta Copies Accounts by Earlier Islamic Travellers [in Particular Drawing upon the Works of Ahmad Ibn Fadlan] Leading to some of his Fellow Qadi to Accuse him of being an Uneducated Liar. He Settles down in Tangier as a low-Level Qadi, and gets Married again. 1369 In the Kingdom of Morocco, the Islamic Scholar and Explorer Ibn Battuta Passes away in his House in the City of Tangier, Tanger-Tetouan-Al Hoceima. He will be Remembered by Future Historians as One of the Greatest Travellers of all Time, and will often be Compared with the likes of Marco Polo, Ferdinand Magellan and Leif Erikson. His Book, “The Travels,” will be Considered an Important Account of much of the 14th Century World, as well as a way of Understanding the Breadth of Islamic Religion and Culture during the Medieval Age. It will also, however, be Remembered for being the Book that Spurs Western Europe into Building Ships Capable of Crossing the Atlantic, and for making China Aware of the Americas through Translations, a Copy of which will, Eventually, find its way into the Possession of a Muslim Eunuch Named Zheng He. The Mayans and the Aztecs themselves, Realising that their Goods are Coveted by Europeans after Ibn Battuta’s Visit, will start sending more Caravans Northwards.
Martin Verran
2020-04-18 13:30:15 +0000 UTCCadians, back to the all-pewter days.
Robert Rath
2020-04-18 05:11:04 +0000 UTCWoo! Notorious IG player!
Veteran of the Mushroom Wars
2020-04-18 03:12:10 +0000 UTCRobert: please let us do a fun topic. Patreons: with Extra History? NO WAY!
Bradley Ogilvie
2020-04-17 19:46:39 +0000 UTC
