“It is not surprising that Marco, in the course of his years of Asian exploration on behalf of Kublai Khan, should have devoted some effort to searching for Prester John. Indeed Marco succeeded in turning up the traces of this elusive monarch; it would seem, in fact, that he located more than one to whom he could attribute that name. The first reference to Prester John appears fairly early in his book, in the section in which he describes Karakorum and explains how the Mongols acquired their empire and spread through the world:

‘Originally the Tartars dwelt in the north on the borders of Chorcha [in Manchuria].

Their country was one of great plains; and there were no towns or villages in it, but

excellent pasture·lands, with great rivers and no lack of water; in fact it was a very fine

and extensive region. But there was no sovereign in the land. They did, however, pay

tax and tribute to a great prince who was called in their language Unc Can, which simply

means Great Lord. This was that Prester John, of whose great empire all the world

speaks. The tribute he had of them was one beast out of every ten, and also a tithe of all

their other gear.

‘Now it came to pass that the Tartars multiplied exceedingly. And when Prester John

saw how great a people they had become, he began to fear that he should have trouble

from them. So he made a scheme to distribute them over sundry countries, and sent

one of his barons to carry this out. When the Tartars became aware of this they took it

much amiss, and with one consent they left their country and went off across a desert to a distant 

region towards the north, where Prester John could not get at them to annoy them. Thus they revolted from his authority and paid him tribute no longer. And so things continued for a time.

‘Now it came to pass in the year of Christ's Incarnation 1187 that the Tartars chose themselves a       king whose name was Chinghis Kaan. He was a man of great worth, and of great eloquence and       valor. And as soon as the news that he had been made king was spread abroad through those countries, all the Tartars in the world came to him and owned him for their lord. And right well did he maintain the sovereignty they had given him. What shall I say? The Tartars gathered to him in astonishing multitude, and when he saw such numbers he equipped them with spears and arrows and such other arms as they used, and set about the conquest of all those regions until he had conquered eight provinces. When he conquered a province he did no harm to the people or their property, but merely established some of his own men in the country along with a proportion of theirs, whilst he led the remainder to the conquest of other provinces. And when those whom he had conquered became aware how well and safely he protected them against all others, and how they suffered no ill at his hands, and saw what a noble prince he was, then they joined him heart and soul and became his devoted followers. And when he had thus gathered such a multitude that they seemed to cover the earth, he began to think of conquering a great part of the world. Now in the year of Christ 1200 he sent an embassy to Prester John and desired to have his daughter to wife. But when Prester John heard that Chinghis Kaan demanded his daughter in marriage he waxed very wroth, and said to the envoys, 'What impudence is this, to ask my daughter to wife! Wist ye not well that he was my liegeman and serf? eet ye back to him and tell him that I had rather set my daughter in the fire than give her in marriage to him, and that he deserves death at my hand, rebel and traitor that he is!' So he bade the envoys begone at once, and never come into his presence again. The envoys, on receiving this reply, departed straightway, and made haste to their master, and related all that Prester John had ordered them to say, keeping nothing back.

‘When Chinghis Kaan beard the brutal message that Prester John had sent him, such rage seized him that his heart came nigh to bursting within him, for he was a man of a very lofty spirit. At last he spoke, and that so loud that all who were present could hear him: he proclaimed that never more might he be prince if he took not revenge for the brutal message of Prester John, and such revenge that insult never in this world was so dearly paid for. And before long Prester John should know whether he were his serf or no!

‘So then he mustered all his forces, and levied such a host as never before was seen or heard of sending word to Prester John to be on his defense. And when Prester John had sure tidings that Chinghis was really coming against him with such a multitude, he still professed to treat it as a jest and a trifle, for, quoth he, ‘these be no soldiers.’ Natheless he marshalled his forces and mustered his people, and made great preparations, in order that if Chinghis did come, he might take him and put him to death. In fact he marshalled such an host of many different nations that 

it was a world's wonder.

‘And so both sides got them ready to battle. And why should I make a long story of it? Chinghis Kaan with all his host arrived at a vast and beautiful plain which was called Tenduc, belonging to Prester John, and there he pitched his camp; and so great was the multitude of his people that it was impossible to number them. And when he got tidings that Prester John was coming, he rejoiced greatly, for the place afforded a fine and ample battleground, so he was right glad to tarry for him there, and greatly longed for his arrival.

‘But now leave we Chinghis and his host, and let us return to Prester John and his people.

‘Now the story goes that when Prester John became aware that Chinghis with his host was marching against him, he went forth to meet him with all his forces, and advanced until he reached the same plain of Tenduc, and pitched his camp over against that of Chinghis Kaan at a distance of twenty miles. And then both armies remained at rest for two days that they might be fresher and heartier for battle.

‘So when the two great hosts were pitched on the plains of Tenduc as you have heard, Chinghis Kaan one day summoned before him his astrologers, both Christians and Saracens, and desired them to let him know which of the two hosts would gain the battle, his own or Prester John's. The Saracens tried to ascertain, but were unable to give a true answer; the Christians, however, did give a true answer, and showed manifestly beforehand how the event should be. For they got a cane and split it lengthwise, and laid one half on this side and one half on that, allowing no one to touch the pieces. And one piece of cane they called Chinghis Kaan and the other piece they called Prester John. And then they said to Chinghis: 'Now mark! and you will see the event of the battle, and who shall have the best of it; for whose can soever shall get above the other, to him shall victory be.' He replied that he would fain see it, and bade them begin. Then the Christian astrologers read a psalm out of the psalter, and went through other incantations. And lo! whilst all were beholding, the cane that bore the name of Chinghis Kaan, without being touched by anybody, advanced to the other that bore the name of Prester John, and got on the top of it. When the prince saw that he was greatly delighted, and seeing how in this matter he found the Christians to tell the truth, he always treated them with great respect, and held them for men of truth ever after.

‘And after both sides had rested well those two days, they armed for the fight and engaged in desperate combat; and it was the greatest battle that ever was seen. The numbers that were slain on both sides were very great, but in the end Chinghis Kaan obtained the victory. And in the battle Prester John was slain. And from that time forward, day by day, his kingdom passed into the hands of Chinghis Kaan till the whole was conquered."

(122-125)

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“The second reference to Prester John appears a few chapters later in Marco's book, after he has finished his description of Mongolia and has begun to speak of the provinces that lie just west of China proper:

‘Tenduc is a province which lies towards the east, and contains numerous towns and

villages; among which is the chief city, also called Tenduc. The king of the province is of

the lineage of Prester John, George by name, and he holds the land under the great

khan, not that he holds anything like the whole of what Prester John possessed. It is a

custom, I may tell you, that these kings of the lineage of Prester John always obtain to

wife either daughters of the great khan or other princesses of his family ....

‘The rule of the province is in the hands of the Christians, as I have told you; but there

are also plenty of idolaters and worshippers of Mahomet. And there is also here a class

of people called Argons, that is to say 'halfbreeds,’ who are a blend of the race of the

idolaters of Tenduc and that of the worshippers of Mahomet. They are handsomer men

than the other natives of the country, and having more ability, they come to have

authority; and they are also excellent merchants.

‘You must know that it was in this same capital city of Tenduc that Prester John had the

seat of his government when he ruled over the Tartars, and his heirs still abide there;

for, as I have told you, this King George is of his line, in fact, he is the sixth in descent

from Prester John.

‘Here also is what we call the country of Gog and Magog; they, however, call it Ung and Mungul, after the names of two races of people that existed in that province before the migration of the Tartars. Each of these two provinces was inhabited by a separate race: in Ung lived the Gog, in Mungul the Tartars. And therefore the Tartars are sometimes called Munguls.’”

(126)

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“Much farther on, in his account of China proper, Marco refers to Prester John a third time, offering a story new to Europeans:

‘On leaving Pianfu [P'ing-yang-fu, in the province of Shansi] you ride two days westward and come to the noble castle of Caichu, which was built in time past by a king of that country, whom they used to call the Golden King, and who had there a great and beautiful palace. There is a great hall of this palace, in which are portrayed all the ancient kings of the country, done in gold and other beautiful colors, and a very fine sight they make. Each king in succession as he reigned added to those pictures.

‘This Golden King was a great and potent prince, and during his stay at this palace there used to be in his service none but beautiful girls, of whom he had a great number in his court. When he went to take the air about the fortress, these girls used to draw him about in a little carriage which they could easily move, and they would also be in attendance on the king for everything pertaining to his convenience or pleasure.

‘Now I will tell you a pretty tale concerning the Golden King and his dealings with Prester John, as it was related by the people of the castle.

‘It came to pass, as they told the tale, that this Golden King was at war with Prester John. The Golden King was subject to that Unc Can who, as I have already told you, called himself Prester John, but through arrogance and presumption he rebelled against his master. And the king held a position so strong that Prester John was not able to get at him or do him any harm; wherefore he was in great wrath. So seventeen gallants belonging to Prester John's court came to him in a body, and said that they were ready to bring him the Golden King alive. His answer was, that he desired nothing better, and would be much bounden to them if they would do so.

‘So when they had taken leave of their lord and master Prester John, they set off together, this goodly company of gallants, and went to the Golden King, and presented themselves before him, saying that they had come from foreign parts to enter his service. And he answered by telling them that they were right welcome, and that he was glad to have their service, never imagining that they had any ill intent. And so these mischievous squires took service with the Golden King; and served him so well that he grew to love them dearly.

‘And when they had abode with that king nearly two years, conducting themselves like persons who thought of anything but treason, they one day accompanied the king on a pleasure party when he had very few else along with him: for in those gallants the king had perfect trust, and thus kept them immediately about his person. So after they had crossed a certain river that is about a mile from the castle, and saw that they were alone with the king, they said one to another that now was the time to achieve the purpose for which they had come. So they laid hand to hilt, and told the king that he must go with them and make no resistance, or they would slay him. The king at this was in alarm and great astonishment, and said: 'How then, good my sons, what thing is this ye say? and whither would ye have me go?' They answered, and said: 'You shall come with us, willy-nilly, to Prester John our lord.’

‘And On this the Golden King was so sorely grieved that he was like to die. And he said to them: 'Good my sons, for God's sake have pity and compassion on me! Have I not done you honor enough under my roof, that you should wish to betray me into the hands of my enemies? Assuredly, if you do this, you will be guilty of great wrong and great disloyalty: But they answered only that so it must be, and away they had him to Prester John their lord.

‘And when Prester John beheld the king he was right glad, and told him that he had earned a cold welcome. The king answered not a word, as if he knew not what to say. So Prester John ordered him to be taken forth straightway, and to be put to look after cattle, but to be well looked after himself also. So they took him and set him to keep cattle. This did Prester John of the grudge he bore the king, to heap contempt on him, and to show what a nothing he was, compared to himself.

‘And when the Golden King had thus kept cattle for two years, Prester John sent for him, and treated him with honor, and clothed him in rich robes, and said to him: 'Now, Sir King, art thou satisfied that thou wast in no way a man to stand against me?' 'Truly, my good lord, I know well and always did know that I was in no way a man to stand against thee: And when he had said this Prester John replied: 'I ask no more; but henceforth thou shalt be waited on and honorably treated: So he caused horses and harness of war to be given him, with a goodly train, and sent him back to his own country. And after that he remained ever friendly to Prester John, and held fast by him."

(127-129)