Overview

Few among even the most educated modern people recognize "Prester John," a mythical Eastern Christian king whose existence Europeans widely believed during the late Middle Ages. Fewer still appreciate the enormous impact this strange myth had on the history of the West, particularly inasmuch as it inspired the Portuguese expeditions that inaugurated the Age of Exploration. The story of Prester John's legend encompasses a vast panorama, stretching over a period of some 500 years beginning in the mid-twelfth century; taking place in lands from western China to Italy to Ethiopia; and involving figures as varied as Genghis Khan and Henry the Navigator.

Background

To understand the background of the Prester John story, one must start at the middle, when the tale first made its appearance, then move forward to examine its impact. Only when...