Mangu-Khan Has Eight Brothers, Three By The Mother And Five By The Father.
One Of These On The Mothers
Side he sent into the country of the
Assassines, called Mulibet by the Tartars, with orders to kill them all.
Another was sent into Persia, who is supposed to have orders to send armies
into Turkey, and from thence against Bagdat and Vestacius. One of his other
brothers has been sent into Kathay, to reduce certain rebels. His youngest
maternal brother, named Arabucha, lives with him, and keeps up his mothers
court, who was a Christian.
About this time, on account of a violent quarrel between the monk and
certain Mahometans, and because a rumour was propagated of four hundred
assassins having gone forth in divers habits, with an intention to murder
the khan, we were ordered to depart from our accustomed place before the
court, and to remove to the place where other messengers dwelt. Hitherto I
had always hoped for the arrival of the king of Armenia[8], and had not
therefore made any application for leave to depart; but hearing no news of
the king, or a certain German priest who was likewise expected, and fearing
lest we should return in the winter, the severity of which I had already
experienced, I sent to demand the pleasure of the khan, whether we were to
remain with him or to return, and representing that it would be easier for
us to return in summer than in winter. The khan sent to desire that I
should not go far off, as he meant to speak with me next day; to which I
answered, requesting him to send for the son of the goldsmith to interpret
between us, as my interpreter was very incompetent.
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