Travels in Asia and Africa, 1325-1354'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. |
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When I made ready to leave Khwarizm I hired camels and bought a camel-litter. The servants rode some of the horses and we put rugs on the rest because of the cold.We entered the desert which is between Khwarizm and Bukhara, an eighteen days' journey through sands, with no settlements on the way except the small town of Kat, which we reached after four days' march. P.171
Contents
INTRODUCTION | 1 |
BOOK I | 43 |
CHAPTER III | 106 |
CHAPTER IV | 123 |
CHAPTER V | 167 |
BOOK II | 183 |
CHAPTER VII | 214 |
CHAPTER VIII | 241 |
CHAPTER XI | 282 |
CHAPTER XII | 301 |
CHAPTER XIII | 311 |
CHAPTER XIV | 317 |
NOTES | 341 |
385 | |
395 | |
CHAPTER IX | 261 |
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ad-Dfn amfr amongst Anatolia Arabic arrived asked Baghdad Basra bazaars beautiful brought built Calicut Caliph called camels capital caravan century China Chinese Christians clothes commanded companions custom Damascus darwfshes Delhi dinars dirham district dynasty Egypt entered foot fortress four garments gate gave gift gold governor Greeks halted hand honour horses hospice hundred Ibn Battuta Ibn Juzayy India infidels inhabitants Iraq Islam island journey khatun Khurasan king Koran land large numbers large town leave Mecca merchants miles Mongol mosque mountain Muhammadan Muslim night palace Persian person pilgrim pilgrimage pious port prayer principal qadf reached replied river road robe ruins ruler sail sent Sharff Shaykh Shfraz Shi'ites ship slave Soninke stayed Syria thence theologians thousand three days Tlemsen told tomb took travelled trees Turks vessels village wazfr wearing women Yemen