After traveling through several cities, I decided to make an lengthy side trip to Constantinople. I traveled there in the company of Princess Bayalun, the daughter of the Byzantine emperor Andronicus in who had been married, for political and economic reasons, to the Muslim Khan of the Golden Horde, as his third wife and she was returning to Constantinople for the birth of her child. She cried often for whatever reason, but it was my job to get her there safely.
Fast forwarding a little bit, I met Sultan Muhammad ibn Tughluq, and I wanted to impress him so I could get my first steady job as a judge. I showed him my great wealth and credentials, and with then with help of my knowledge I learned in those long stays in Bhagdad and Damascus studying law served me well. Later however, I found this judge to be quite a character so I tried to leave as fast as I could with out angering him. In the end, the paranoid punk denounced me in court for studying under a teacher who he speculated to be a plotter. Note the word speculated there. I tried to keep a low profile and study under a different teacher. When he heard of this, he asked If I would rejoin him and serve him. I declined his offer and moved on to travel. 40 days later, Sultan Muhammad Ibn Tughluq sent me saddled horses, slave girls and boys, robes and a sum of money. So again I presented myself to the sultan, wondering what he wanted, and turns out he wants me to go as his ambassador to the emperor of China, because he knew my love of travel. What a compliment, guess that guy know how to pick some good ambassadors, huh?
No comments:
Post a Comment