How the Two Brothers went to the Court of the Great Kaan

How the Two Brothers took the Envoys’ counsel, and went to the Court of the Great Kaan.

So when the Two Brothers had made their arrangements, they set out on their travels, in company with the Envoys.

They journeyed for a whole year, going northward and north-eastward, before they reached the Court of that Prince.

And on their journey they saw many marvels of divers and sundry kinds, but of these we shall say nothing at present, because Messer Mark, who has likewise seen them all, will give you a full account of them in the Book which follows.

Chapter 5

How the Two Brothers arrived at the Court of the Great Kaan.

When the Two Brothers got to the Great Kaan, he received them with great honour and hospitality, and showed much pleasure at their visit, asking them a great number of questions.

First, he asked about the emperors, how they maintained their dignity, and administered justice in their dominions.

How they went forth to battle, and so forth. And then he asked the like questions about the kings and princes and other potentates.

Chapter 6

How the Great Kaan asked all about the manners of the Christians, and particularly about the Pope of Rome.

And then he inquired about the Pope and the Church, and about all that is done at Rome, and all the customs of the Latins. And the Two Brothers told him the truth in all its particulars, with order and good sense, like sensible men as they were; and this they were able to do as they knew the Tartar language well.{1}

Chapter 7

How the Great Kaan sent the Two Brothers as his Envoys to the Pope.

When that Prince, whose name was Cublay Kaan, Lord of the Tartars all over the earth, and of all the kingdoms and provinces and territories of that vast quarter of the world, had heard all that the Brothers had to tell him about the ways of the Latins, he was greatly pleased, and he took it into his head that he would send them on an Embassy to the Pope.

So he urgently desired them to undertake this mission along with one of his Barons; and they replied that they would gladly execute all his commands as those of their Sovereign Lord. Then the Prince sent to summon to his presence one of his Barons whose name was Cogatal, and desired him to get ready, for it was proposed to send him to the Pope along with the Two Brothers. The Baron replied that he would execute the Lord’s commands to the best of his ability.

After this the Prince caused letters from himself to the Pope to be indited in the Tartar tongue, and committed them to the Two Brothers and to that Baron of his own, and charged them with what he wished them to say to the Pope.

The contents of the letter were to this purport:

He begged that the Pope would send as many as an hundred persons of our Christian faith; intelligent men, acquainted with the Seven Arts, well qualified to enter into controversy, and able clearly to prove by force of argument to idolaters and other kinds of folk, that the Law of Christ was best, and that all other religions were false and naught; and that if they would prove this, he and all under him would become Christians and the Church’s liegemen.

Finally, he charged his Envoys to bring back to him some Oil of the Lamp which burns on the Sepulchre of our Lord at Jerusalem.