Born in central Italy, Giovanni da Pian Del Carpini (1185-1252), also known as John of Plano Carpini, was a
Franciscan monk and Papal envoy. John traveled to
Karakorum in 1247 on behalf of
Pope Innocent IV in order to persuade the Great Khan (
Güyük Khan) to convert to Christianity. He was a keen observer of his surroundings. Upon his return, John delivered to the Pope a letter from the Great Khan that vows to protect all Christians if the Pope submitted to the Mongol leader. Although the letter and John's report were greeted with skepticism, the notion of a letter sent from an arrogant eastern ruler offering strings-attached support of the church certainly resonated with similarly structured assurances from Prester John. John relates the story of his travel in his
Ystoria Mongalorum.View an
annotated map of Carpini's travels created by students from Washington & Lee University.
