The International Prester John Project: How A Global Legend Was Created Across Six Centuries

Odo of Rheims

Odo of Rheims (1118-1151) served as Abbot of Saint-Remi in Rheims. Sometime between 1126 and 1135 Odo composed a Letter  describing a strange occurrence he witnessed in Rome, in which an Indian Archbishop arrives with a retinue from Byzantium and begins to relate the marvels of his land. This text, along with another account of this event, comprise the earliest seeds of the Prester John legend in Europe.  

For Brewer (p. 41), the existence of Odo's Letter corroborates the supposition that the events described by the anonymous de Adventu were, indeed, based on a historical occurrence. 

"He claims to have been present when the mysterious John arrived in Rome and gave his narrations to Pope Calixtus II, as described in [De Adventu]. The De Adventu and this letter narrate the same event, but seem to be textually unrelated, which suggests that John's visit to Rome was a real occurrence, though little more can be said without dangerous excursions into speculation." 


 

This page has tags:

This page is referenced by: