Travels in Asia and Africa, 1325-1354

Front Cover
Psychology Press, 2005 - Business & Economics - 398 pages

'One of the most fascinating travel books of all time' Times Literary Supplement
'He could not have been more 'modern' if he had been born in the twentieth century' Evening Standard
Ibn Battuta was the only medieval traveller who is known to have visited the lands of every Muhammadan ruler of his time and the extent of his journeys is estimated to be at least 75,000 miles. His work presents a descriptive account of Muhammadan society in the second quarter of the fourteenth century, which illustrates, among other things, how wide the sphere of influence of the Muslim merchants was.
Ibn Battuta's interest in places was subordinate to his interest in people and his geographical knowledge was gained entirely from personal experience. For his details he relied exclusively on his memory, cultivated by the system of a theological education. This edition, translated afresh from the Arabic text, provides extensive notes which enable the journeys to be followed in detail. Important historical and religious background to the Travels is also added by H. A. R. Gibb.

 

Contents

INTRODUCTION
1
CHAPTER I
43
CHAPTER II
78
CHAPTER III
106
CHAPTER IV
123
CHAPTER V
167
BOOK II
183
CHAPTER VII
214
CHAPTER IX
261
CHAPTER X
272
CHAPTER XI
282
CHAPTER XII
301
CHAPTER XIII
311
CHAPTER XIV
317
NOTES
341
INDEX OF GEOGRAPHICAL NAMES
385

CHAPTER VIII
241

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