The Turco-Mongol Invasions and the Lords of Armenia in the 13 ...

Accounts made by four 13-l4tb century travellers
have importance both for military, political and economic
history, and for the history of Armenia's lords. The
first of the travellers considered is William of Rubruck.
This French Franciscan friar visited and described various
parts of the Caucasus in the period from November 17, 1254
te the beginning of April, 1255. Returning from a frustrat-
ing, wearying journey on behalf of king Louis IX of
France to Sartakh-Khan who sent him to Batu, who sent him
all the way to Mongke-Khan in Qara-Qorum, Rubruck descended
into the Caucasus to attend to some final businessc He
visited Darband, Tiflis, Shamakhi, Uughan, Naxijjewan, Ani,
Kama* and Sebaatia/Sivas. Rubruck met and dined with the
lord of Ani, Sahnlah Zak'arean. His remarks on Sahnlah,
his observations of Armenian clerics in the Far East, and
his accounts of Turco-Mongol nobles make the journal an
invaluable source .
from a given area both in his own day, and in past times
as well4 providing a vivid picture of the general decline
of the Il-Khanid state in the 14th century. In addition,
Qazvini commented on the ruined condition of numerous
cities and towns, the relative size and the trade of
surviving cities, their noted religious sanctuaries, the
types of crops grown in the countryside, and much more.
W.W. Rockhill, The Journey of William of Rubruck to
the Eastern Parta'"o7 the World"^5?-^5 (london. 1900).
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