Rabban Sauma - The Chinese Marco Polo: The Astonishing Travels of a Nestorian Monk from China to Europe

Rabban Bar Ṣawma, a Turkic Chinese monk turned diplomat of the "Nestorian" Church of the East in China, is known for his unique journey and writings. Born around 1220, he embarked on a pilgrimage from Mongol-controlled China to Jerusalem with one of his students, Rabban Markos, but due to military unrest along the way, they never reached their destination and instead spent many years in Ilkhanate-controlled Baghdad.

The younger Markos was eventually elected Yahballaha III, Patriarch of the Church of the East, and later suggested that his teacher Rabban Bar Ṣawma be sent on another mission as a Mongol ambassador to Europe. In his later years in Baghdad, the elderly monk documented his lifetime of travel, and his written account of his journeys is of unique interest to modern historians, as it provides a reverse viewpoint of the East looking to the West, prior to the return of Marco Polo to Europe.

During his diplomatic mission to Europe, Rabban Bar Ṣawma met with many of the European monarchs, as well as the Pope, in attempts to arrange a Franco-Mongol alliance. Although the mission bore no fruit, his writings give a picture of medieval Europe at the close of the Crusades, painted by a keenly-intelligent, broadminded, and statesmanlike observer.

Rabban Bar Ṣawma's life and travels are of great significance, as he was a Turkic Chinese monk who had a profound impact on the diplomatic and cultural exchange between the East and the West during the late 13th century. His journey and writings provide a unique perspective on the complex political and religious landscape of the time, and offer valuable insights into the interactions between the Mongol Empire, the Church of the East, and the European powers.

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