Leafing through the yellowed pages of historical chronicles, we sometimes discover long-forgotten names for ourselves.
XII century. Morocco. The distant western outskirts of the then world, torn apart by wars, unrest and religious contradictions. In June 1325, from the small town of Tangier, someone named Ibn Battuta went on a hajj to distant Mecca. And here is the first riddle: gray-bearded old men, for whom the day of meeting with Allah was already close, was usually sent to the Hajj. And our "pilgrim" is only 22 years old … We know practically nothing about Ibn Battuta's parents and his family ties. It is only curious to note that in 1324 (just a year before the start of the Tangier's journey), the emperor Kanku Musa went as a pilgrim to Mecca from the West African Empire of Mali. He visited a number of cities in North Africa, possibly Tangier, which lies at the crossroads of trade routes, Egypt and Arabia, where he impressed everyone with his wealth and escort. According to unverified information,his predecessor (Emperor Kanku Musa) sent an entire squadron to explore the Western Sea and personally led one of the ships.
“I was alone, without a companion to rely on, without a caravan to join. But I was urged on by a strong determination and a passionate desire to see the deeply revered shrines."
Through all of North Africa, he reached Cairo, then climbed the Nile to Aswan. After visiting the great Pyramids and the Valley of the Kings, through Sinai, Palestine and North Arabia, he reached Mecca. Visited Medina and saw the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem, the third most important shrine of Sunni Islam. It would seem that by 1326 the Moroccan pilgrim had completely fulfilled his religious duty and it was time to return home. But instead he travels to Iraq, from there to Iran and through Diyarbekir (in Turkey), and Syria returns to Mecca again. Having completed this second Hajj, he spent almost three years (1328-1330) at the sacred Kaaba. And suddenly he again takes off and sets off with a caravan to the south - to Yemen, and then for the first time in his life he gets on a ship and makes a voyage to East Africa. He is trying to penetrate into the interior regions of East and Southeast Africa. And everywhere he meets sages and merchants. The most curious thing is that none of them mistook him for a spy scouting trade or military routes, for a dangerous competitor.
Returning from Somalia, Ibn Battuta visits Mecca for the third time through Arabia. This at the time, rarely anyone could boast. Home? No! Ibn Battuta is thinking about a hike … to the Arctic Circle. "There in the north live the wise" people of the Invisible "in the land of" Rijal al-ghayb "(" Midnight Sun ")"
Again Syria, Asia Minor, Black Sea, Crimea, Steppe, Lower Volga, Astrakhan. Thousands and thousands of dangers. Sarai is the capital of the vast Golden Horde.
On the ice of the frozen Volga (an extremely exotic way of travel for a medieval African) Ibn-Battuta goes to the ruins of the ancient Bulgar (near modern Kazan) and from here prepares for a trip to Pechora in Great Perm. But something changes his plans. Perhaps the consequences of the war? Shortly before Battuta's arrival, the Novgorodians or Mongols carried out a devastating raid on Biarmia. Ibn Battuta goes to Constantinople and returns to the Volga again. This is one of the few cases when a pious Muslim, moreover a Berber (and the Berbers fanatically hated Christians!) Hajji three times, decided to visit a Christian state.
Promotional video:
In 1312, Khan Uzbek introduced Islam as the state religion in the Golden Horde. Ibn Battuta visited the Horde during the Great Purge. All those who refused to convert to Islam, including 70 Chingizid princes, were executed. In the same era, the strengthening of the Moscow principality begins. At the same time, the maximum moisture is shifted to the upper reaches of the Volga, which at the end of the 13th century will cause a crisis in the nomadic economy and a gradual decline of the cultures and empires associated with it. Through the Samara Luka, Ibn-Battuta travels south through the waterless Kazakh steppes and reaches Central Asia. Khiva, Bukhara, Samarkand, Fergana. Then Turkmenistan, Afghanistan and, finally, North India … Ibn Battuta visited Central Asia in the troubled era that preceded the formation of the warlike empire of Timur the Lame (Tamerlane 1336-1405). During these years, the Delhi Sultan Muhammad Tugluka (1325-1351)) expanded his possessions and even conquered South India for a short time.
At the end of 1333, the Moroccan traveler arrives in Delhi - the pearl of the East, the trade crossroads of civilizations. He is 29 years old, and he has already traveled half of the world - the entire Muslim East. He has vast experience as a traveler, diplomat, knows many languages. In Delhi Ibn Battuta settled for eight long years. Here he lives, "absorbing" ancient wisdom, surrounded by wives, concubines, children, servants, teachers and students. His caravans from here go all over the world. He's clearly looking for something. But what? This is not in the west, where he comes from, not in the south, not in the north.
In 1342, the Delhi Sultan needed to send an ambassador to distant China, and for such a difficult and dangerous journey, a special person was needed. The choice fell on Ibn Battuta, and he did not refuse. Leaving his home and accumulated wealth, in July 1342 the Moroccan crosses all of India by land and sea, for some reason visits the Maldives and Ceylon, where he climbs the sacred Adam's peak. (The place where, according to Eastern beliefs, man first set foot on Earth). Then a trip to the islands of Indonesia. (Much later the princes Shcherbatovs will travel by fragments of his path). Then rebellious Vietnam and, finally, South China. Here he again sends expeditions. But the Far East does not have what he needs.
Not long before the appearance of Ibn Battuta in China, this country was "covered" by a whole "bouquet" of terrible disasters: floods, then drought, famine, and then plague, which claimed almost five million lives. (The beginning - 1333 - the year of Ibn Battuta's arrival in Delhi). Having fulfilled the order of the Sultan, Battuta hurries to return to India. How many adventures he had to experience on the way back, stretching for years! He was robbed by pirates, twice suffered shipwrecks, escaped only by a miracle, took part in the siege of Sindapur in South India, was captured by Indian Buddhists, etc. Until the beginning of modern times, Ibn Battuta was the only (from reliably known) people who for a dozen years crossed two continents, Africa and Asia, visited Central Europe, sailed in the waters of three oceans: the Atlantic, on the coast of which his hometown Tangier stands,Indian (many times) and Quiet. From India, Ibn Battuta makes a return circle. Slowly, meeting with friends and students, he travels to Arabia, Iraq, Iran, Syria, Palestine, Egypt, inconspicuously visits Mecca and Egypt again. Returns to Morocco via the Mediterranean.
In November 1349, Ibn Battuta, along with his large family, arrived in the city of Fee (the capital of Morocco). By order of the ruling caliph of Morocco, all the geographic information collected is recorded by the court secretaries. So in December 1355, a book-guide to the travels of Ibn Battuta appeared, equal to which the Middle Ages did not know. In 1349, the traveler is only 45 years old, and he is full of strength and energy. Having visited his native Tangier and having visited the grave of his mother, he goes to Spanish Granada. Ibn Battuta leaves for Europe when the "Black Death" (1347-1351) has already gone out on the "hunt." During these years, firearms were used for the first time in Europe, which subsequently dramatically changed the picture of the world. Arab-Spanish culture - the Almanzor empire anticipated modern science, discovered experimental research methods and their practical application. They are especially good at chemistry. Their 12th-century manuscripts even contain schemes for combat missiles. “If the empire of Almanzor had advanced as far in biology as in technology, if the plague had not become an ally of the Spaniards in the destruction of this empire, then the industrial revolution, perhaps, would have taken place in the XIII century in Andalusia, and the XX century would have been the era of Arab interplanetary adventurers colonizing the Moon, Mars and Venus,”noted Eac Bergier and Louis Povel in their book“Morning of the Magicians”.colonizing the Moon, Mars and Venus”, - noted Eac Bergier and Louis Povel in their book“Morning of the Magicians”.colonizing the Moon, Mars and Venus”, - noted Eac Bergier and Louis Povel in their book“Morning of the Magicians”.
The Almanzor empire perished in fire and blood, but at this time Ibn Battuta was already far away and, probably, he did not leave empty-handed. In 1351, he returned to his homeland to try to cross the great arid Sahara desert and visit the Negro empires of Mali and Bornu.
The trip to West Africa was fairly calm. The Sultan provided his famous subject with considerable funds for all kinds of travel expenses. After 24 days of fast camel riding, Ibn Battuta arrives in Mali, where he meets "friends" from distant … China. (This fact once again testifies to the stability and scope of medieval communication systems). Moving south, the Moroccan comes to the shores of the deep Niger. In the capital of the Mali empire, Timbuktu, Ibn Battuta lived for almost a year. There were also many of his old friends from Egypt and Syria. Ibn Battuta visited the Mali Empire during the years of its decline. The country split into a number of practically independent principalities-provinces. The most powerful of these was the eastern principality of Songhai, which in subsequent years formed the new West African Empire, Songhai (1350-1600).
On February 27, 1353, he went to Central Africa and ended up in the city of Gao, further - the impenetrable jungle. After a month of unsuccessful attempts to advance east, Battuta turns North. He wants to get into the mysterious kingdom of the Tuareg (the place where some researchers placed the kingdom of the Atlanteans). But in the Atlas Mountains, his caravan was caught in a heavy snowfall. (According to the traveler's notes, he did not see such snowfalls neither in Central Asia, nor in Kazakhstan, nor on the Volga). The caravan turns home. And at the beginning of 1354, the great traveler returns to Fairy, where he ends his days in abundance and honor in 1377.
"New Aquarius" №28. Igor PAVLOVICH