The Travels of Sir John Mandeville

About this book

This famous medieval book presents itself as the account of an English knight, Sir John Mandeville, who left England in 1322 and travelled for thirty-four years through the Holy Land, Egypt, Persia, India and China, serving, he says, the Sultan of Egypt and the Great Khan. He describes the holy places of Jerusalem and the pilgrim routes, includes a surprisingly respectful chapter on the beliefs of Muslims, and tells of marvels: the land of Prester John, people with their faces in their chests, the fountain of youth and a lamb that grows on a tree.

Context and significance

Written in French around 1357 and soon translated into many languages, the book was one of the most popular of the Middle Ages, and Columbus is said to have read it. Its author was probably not a traveller at all but a skilful compiler of other travellers' accounts. This edition was published by Macmillan in 1900. Compare The Travels of Marco Polo.

About the author