John of Plano Carpini
Franciscan sent by Innocent IV to the Mongols in 1245. He saw Güyük enthroned as khan in August 1246, brought the khan’s reply back to the pope and wrote an account of the journey.
John calls himself an envoy of the pope, “the lord and father of Christians”, and says that he explained the pope’s message to the first Mongol chiefs he met and presented the pope’s letters to their commander (John of Plano Carpini, History of the Mongols, Rockhill, pp. 5–7). The letter of Innocent IV that protests at the Mongol invasions names its bearer only as “brother J.” (Innocent IV, Cum non solum (no. 105, pp. 74–75)). Riding with Mongol guides, he reached the camp of Güyük on 22 July and watched his enthronement on 24 August (John of Plano Carpini, History of the Mongols, Rockhill, pp. 18–22).
In November the khan’s secretaries dictated the reply, which he and his companions put into Latin, and on the feast of Saint Brice they were dismissed (John of Plano Carpini, History of the Mongols, Rockhill, pp. 27–30). They travelled through the winter and came back to Kiev in June (John of Plano Carpini, History of the Mongols, Rockhill, pp. 30–31). See Franciscan Envoys to the Mongols and the Church of Khanbaliq.
In the timeline
- 1245 to 1307, firm dateFranciscan Envoys to the Mongols and the Church of Khanbaliq
Innocent IV sends Franciscans to the Mongol khan in 1245 and is told in reply to come and submit. William of Rubruck debates before the khan’s umpires at the Mongol court in 1254. By 1305 John of Montecorvino has a church and a choir in Khanbaliq.
Primary sources
History of the Mongols (Ystoria Mongalorum)
- John of Plano Carpini, History of the Mongols, Rockhill, pp. 5–7archive.org
- John of Plano Carpini, History of the Mongols, Rockhill, pp. 18–22archive.org
- John of Plano Carpini, History of the Mongols, Rockhill, pp. 27–30archive.org
- John of Plano Carpini, History of the Mongols, Rockhill, pp. 30–31archive.org