John Carpini was a 13th century Italian explorer and Franciscan friar who is best known for his travels to the Mongol Empire. He was born in 1210 in the Italian city of Piacenza and was educated at the University of Bologna. He joined the Franciscan order in 1238 and was sent on a mission to the Mongol Empire in 1245.
Carpini was sent on his mission by Pope Innocent IV, who wanted to learn more about the Mongols and their culture. Carpini was accompanied by another Franciscan friar, Brother Benedict the Pole. The two men traveled through Hungary, Bulgaria, and the Ukraine before reaching the Mongol Empire. They were welcomed by the Mongols and were allowed to travel freely throughout the empire.
Carpini and Benedict spent the next two years traveling throughout the Mongol Empire, visiting cities such as Karakorum, Samarkand, and Bukhara. They also visited the court of the Great Khan, Guyuk, in Mongolia. During their travels, they collected information about the customs, religion, and government of the Mongols.
Carpini and Benedict returned to Europe in 1247. Upon their return, Carpini wrote a book about his travels, titled Ystoria Mongalorum (History of the Mongols). The book was an important source of information about the Mongols for Europeans. It provided detailed descriptions of the Mongol Empire, its people, and its customs.
Carpini's book was widely read and was influential in shaping European views of the Mongols. It was also used as a source of information by later travelers to the Mongol Empire, such as Marco Polo. Carpini's book was also used by the papacy as a source of information about the Mongols.
Carpini's book was not the only source of information about the Mongols. Other travelers, such as William of Rubruck and Giovanni da Pian del Carpine, also wrote about their travels to the Mongol Empire. However, Carpini's book was the most influential and widely read of these works.
Carpini's book was also important for its description of the Mongol Empire's religious beliefs. He wrote about the Mongols' belief in a single god, Tengri, and their practice of shamanism. He also wrote about the Mongols' belief in the afterlife and their veneration of ancestors.
Carpini's book was also important for its description of the Mongol Empire's political structure. He wrote about the Great Khan, the Mongol Empire's ruler, and the various other rulers who were subordinate to him. He also wrote about the Mongol Empire's military organization and its system of taxation.
Carpini's book was an important source of information about the Mongols for Europeans. It provided detailed descriptions of the Mongol Empire, its people, and its customs. It was also influential in shaping European views of the Mongols. Carpini's book was widely read and was used as a source of information by later travelers to the Mongol Empire, such as Marco Polo. It was also used by the papacy as a source of information about the Mongols. Carpini's book was an important source of information about the Mongols for Europeans and was influential in shaping European views of the Mongols.