Bibars nudged the Envoy Mohiuddin (who
tells the story) with his foot to give up the point, and the treaty was
made. On their way back the Sultan laughed heartily at their narrow
escape, "sending to the devil all the counts and princes on the face of
the earth."
(Quatremere's Makrizi, II. 92-101, and 190 seqq.; J. As. ser. I. tom.
xi. p. 89; D'Ohsson, III. 459-474; Marino Sanuto in Bongars, 224-226,
etc.)
NOTE 4. - The ruling Master of the Temple was Thomas Berard (1256-1273),
but there is little detail about the Order in the East at this time. They
had, however, considerable possessions and great influence in Cilician
Armenia, and how much they were mixed up in its affairs is shown by a
circumstance related by Makrizi. In 1285, when Sultan Mansur, the
successor of Bundukdar, was besieging the Castle of Markab, there arrived
in Camp the Commander of the Temple (Kamandur-ul Dewet) of the Country
of Armenia, charged to negotiate on the part of the King of Sis (i.e. of
Lesser Armenia, Leon III. 1268-1289, successor of Hayton I. 1224-1268),
and bringing presents from him and from the Master of the Temple, Berard's
successor, William de Beaujeu (1273-1291). (III. 201.) - H. Y. and H. C.
CHAPTER XIII.
HOW MESSER NICOLO AND MESSER MAFFEO POLO, ACCOMPANIED BY MARK, TRAVELLED
TO THE COURT OF THE GREAT KAAN.
So the Two Brothers, and Mark along with them, proceeded on their way, and
journeying on, summer and winter, came at length to the Great Kaan, who
was then at a certain rich and great city, called KEMENFU.[NOTE 1] As to
what they met with on the road, whether in going or coming, we shall give
no particulars at present, because we are going to tell you all those
details in regular order in the after part of this Book. Their journey
back to the Kaan occupied a good three years and a half, owing to the bad
weather and severe cold that they encountered. And let me tell you in good
sooth that when the Great Kaan heard that Messers Nicolo and Maffeo Polo
were on their way back, he sent people a journey of full 40 days to meet
them; and on this journey, as on their former one, they were honourably
entertained upon the road, and supplied with all that they required.
NOTE 1. - The French texts read Clemeinfu, Ramusio Clemenfu. The Pucci
MS. guides us to the correct reading, having Chemensu (Kemensu) for
Chemenfu. KAIPINGFU, meaning something like "City of Peace," and called
by Rashiduddin Kaiminfu (whereby we see that Polo as usual adopted the
Persian form of the name), was a city founded in 1256, four years before
Kublai's accession, some distance to the north of the Chinese wall. It
became Kublai's favourite summer residence, and was styled from 1264
Shangtu or "Upper Court." (See infra, Bk. I. ch. lxi.) It was known to
the Mongols, apparently by a combination of the two names, as Shangdu
Keibung. It appears in D'Anville's map under the name of Djao-Naiman
Sume. Dr. Bushell, who visited Shangtu in 1872, makes it 1103 li (367
miles) by road distance via Kalgan from Peking. The busy town of Dolonnur
lies 26 miles S.E. of it, and according to Kiepert's Asia that place is
about 180 miles in a direct line north of Peking.
(See Klaproth in J. As. XI. 365; Gaubil, p. 115; Cathay, p. 260;
J. R. G. S. vol. xiiii.)
CHAPTER XIV.
HOW MESSER NICOLO AND MESSER MAFFEO POLO AND MARCO PRESENTED THEMSELVES
BEFORE THE GREAT KAAN.
And what shall I tell you? when the Two Brothers and Mark had arrived at
that great city, they went to the Imperial Palace, and there they found
the Sovereign attended by a great company of Barons. So they bent the knee
before him, and paid their respects to him, with all possible reverence
[prostrating themselves on the ground]. Then the Lord bade them stand up,
and treated them with great honour, showing great pleasure at their
coming, and asked many questions as to their welfare, and how they had
sped. They replied that they had in verity sped well, seeing that they
found the Kaan well and safe. Then they presented the credentials and
letters which they had received from the Pope, which pleased him right
well; and after that they produced the Oil from the Sepulchre, and at that
also he was very glad, for he set great store thereby. And next, spying
Mark, who was then a young gallant,[NOTE 1] he asked who was that in their
company? "Sire," said his father, Messer Nicolo, "'tis my son and your
liegeman."[NOTE 2] "Welcome is he too," quoth the Emperor. And why should
I make a long story? There was great rejoicing at the Court because of
their arrival; and they met with attention and honour from everybody.
So there they abode at the Court with the other Barons.
NOTE 1. - "Joenne Bacheler."
NOTE 2. - "Sire, il est mon filz et vostre homme." The last word in the
sense which gives us the word homage. Thus in the miracle play of
Theophilus (13th century), the Devil says to Theophilus: -
"Or joing
Tes mains, et si devien mes hom.
Theoph. Vez ci que je vous faz hommage."
So infra (Bk. I. ch. xlvii.) Aung Khan is made to say of Chinghiz: "Il
est mon homes et mon serf." (See also Bk. II. ch. iv. note.) St. Lewis
said of the peace he had made with Henry III.: "Il m'est mout grant
honneur en la paix que je foiz au Roy d'Angleterre pour ce qu'il est mon
home, ce que n'estoit pas devant." And Joinville says with regard to the
king, "Je ne voz faire point de serement, car je n'estoie pas son home"
(being a vassal of Champagne). A famous Saturday Reviewer quotes the term
applied to a lady:
