Lecture Notes: Ibn Battuta's Travels

Introduction

• Ibn Battuta: Moroccan legal scholar and traveler.
• Sultan Abu Inan Faris of Morocco invited him back home in 1353.
• Ibn Battuta had been on a journey since 1325.

Early Life

• Born in 1304 in Tangiers, Morocco.
• Came from a Berber family of legal scholars.
• Initial aim: Pilgrimage (Hajj) to Mecca.

Travels Across the Muslim World

• 1325-1353: Period of travel.
• Covered 40 modern-day countries and over 70,000 miles.
• Key Regions Visited:
  • Egypt, Arabia, East Africa
  • Anatolia, Russia, Iran, Afghanistan, India, China
  • Southeast Asia, Spain, West Africa

Key Journeys

1. Initial Journey to Hajj

• Traveled with caravan through North Africa.
• Visited Mamluk Egypt, Syria, Levant.
• Completed Hajj, achieving the title El-Haji.

2. Travels in Persia and Beyond

• Visited the Ilkhanate of Persia and Baghdad.
• Travelled to Silk Road cities and back to Mecca for a second Hajj.

3. East Africa and Yemen

• Journeyed through Yemen, Somalia, Kenya, Tanzania.
• Significant visits to Mogadishu and Mombasa.
• Returned to Mecca for a third Hajj.

4. Journey to India

• Traveled through Anatolia and the Golden Horde.
• Visited Constantinople (Byzantine) and Silk Road cities.
• Arrived in India, spent years at the court of Sultan Mohammed bin Tughlaq.

5. Mission to China

• Stopped in Maldives, Sri Lanka.
• Visited Sumatra, Malaysia, and South China Sea.
• Explored cities in China including Beijing.

Return and Later Life

• Returned to Tangiers in 1348.
• Learned of family deaths (father and mother).
• Continued travels to Spain and the Malian Empire.
• Documented his travels with Ibn Juzay.

Significance

• Battuta’s journeys offer insights into medieval Islamic world.
• His travels are considered more extensive than Marco Polo.
• Differentiates genuine travel accounts from fictional tales.
• Important for understanding medieval global interaction.