Page:Christianity in China, Tartary, and Thibet Volume I.djvu/174

162 162 CHRISTIANITY IN CHINA, ETC. CHAP. V. EMBASSY OF JOHN DE PLANO CARPINI. — ARRIVAL AT THE CAMP OF BATOU. LETTER OF POPE INNOCENT IV. TO THE TARTARS. THE AMBASSADOR OF THE HOLY SEE TO THE GOLDEN HORDE. ELECTION OF THE GRAND KHAN OF THE TARTARS. — COUFOUK PROCLAIMED EMPEROR. AUDIENCE OF PLANO CARPINI. THE AM- BASSADORS PREPARE TO QUIT THE IMPERIAL HORDE. — LETTER OF THE TARTAR EMPEROR TO THE POPE. RETURN OF PLANO CARPINI TO EUROPE. — INNOCENT APPOINTS HIM ARCHBISHOP OF ANTIVARI. EMBASSY OF BROTHER ANSELM TO THE CAMP OF THE TARTARS IN PERSIA. INTERVIEW OF THE FRENCH MISSIONARIES WITH THE TARTAR OFFICERS. PROPOSAL TO FLAY AND IMPALE THEM DISCUSSION OF THE SUPREMACY OF THE POPE AND THE KHAN. RENOWN OF FRENCH VALOUR AMONG THE TARTARS. — DEPARTURE OF THE MONKS. LETTER OF THE TARTAR LIEUTENANT. MANI- FESTO OF THE GRAND KHAN. ST. LOUIS RECEIVES IN CYPRUS TWO ENVOYS FROM ILTCHLKADAI. LETTER OF THE TARTAR PRINCE NARRATIVE OF THE CONSTABLE OF ARMENIA. ST. LOUIS SENDS AN EMBASSY TO REPLY TO 1LTCHIKADAI. ITS ILL-SUCCESS AND RETURN. The two embassies set off in 1246; the Franciscans, John de Piano Carpini *, and his companion Stephen, travelling through Bohemia and Silesia. At Breslau, they found their other associate, Benedict of Poland, the district of Perouse, in the vicinity of Assise. He had been the companion of St. Francis, and held responsible positions in Saxony and other parts of Germany, and being full of zeal for his order, had founded convents of it in Bohemia, Hungary, Norway, Dacia, Lor- raine, and Spain ; possibly also in Barbary, at least if he was the " Friar John " sent by Gregory IX. to the Mohammedan chief of Tunis.
 * John de Piano Carpini, the chief of the embassy, was a native of