ABSTRACT
Rubruck'sdeclarationtoBatuinthisparagraph,thatunlesshebecame aChristianhewouldbeunabletopossessthethingsofHeaven, appearstohaveformedthebasisofthematerialsuppliedbyGiacomo d'lseo,whichisprintedinAnalectaFranciscana,I(1885),416-17,and inGolubovich,I,233.Thetextrunsasfollows:
Thephrase'greatkingoftheTartars'wouldseematfirstsightto indicateMongke,andsomecommentatorshaveaccordinglyassumed thatthereportreferredtohim.ButPelliot,Recherches,pp.107-8, pointedoutthatthedetailsfitinmoreobviouslywithRubruck's accountofhisinterviewwithBatuthanwithwhatwearetoldofthe meetingswiththeqaghan.GivenBatu'sexaltedstatusintheMongol empire,moreover,theterm'greatking'isnotsoincongruous.Het•um, whovisitedBatuearlyinMay1254onhiswaytotheqaghan'scourt, couldhaveheardofRubruck'sspeechthen.D'Iseomaywellhave heardHet"umtellingthestoryin1259,whentheArmeniankingis knowntohavebeeninTripoli:Galstian,Armianskieistochnikio mongolakh,pp.51-2,72.
