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In Our Time: Religion · BBC Radio 4

Prester John

June 4, 2015·45 min·4 clips
The Church of the East was twice as large as the Catholic Church during the Crusades, stretching from Baghdad to China.
This episode explores the medieval legend of Prester John, a mythical Christian priest-king believed to rule a vast kingdom in the East. Experts discuss its origins in 12th-century texts, connections to the Church of the East and Crusades, and how the myth evolved over centuries, shifting to Ethiopia and influencing exploration. The conversation highlights how the legend reflected medieval hopes, fears, and geographical knowledge.
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