1. Here begin the rubrics of this book, called The Description of the World
2. How Messer Niccolò and Messer Maffeo left Constantinople to seek out the world
3. How Messer Niccolò and Messer Maffeo left Sudaq [Soladie]
4. How the two brothers crossed a desert and came to the city of Bukhara [Bucara]
5. How the two brothers believed the envoy to the Great Khan
6. How the two brothers came to the Great Khan
7. How the Great Khan asked the two brothers about Christian affairs
8. How the Great Khan sent the two brothers as envoys to the pope of Rome
9. How the Great Khan gave the two brothers the gold commandment tablet
10. How the two brothers came to the city of Acre
12. How the two brothers and Marco left Acre
13. How the two brothers went to the pope of Rome
15. How the two brothers and Marco appeared before the Great Khan at the palace
16. How the Great Khan sent Marco on his missions
17. How Marco returned from his mission and recounted his embassy to the Great Khan
18. How Messer Niccolò, Messer Maffeo, and Messer Marco asked the Great Khan’s permission to leave
19. Here is told how Messer Niccolò, Messer Maffeo, and Messer Marco took leave of the Great Khan
1. West Asia and the Approach to the Court of the Great Khan
20. Here Lesser Armenia is described
21. Here the province of Turcomania is described
22. Here Greater Armenia is described
23. Here the king of the Georgians and their affairs are described
24. Here the kingdom of Mosul is described
25. Here the way the great city of Baghdad [Baudas] was conquered is described
26. On the great marvel that occurred with the mountain in Baghdad
27. How the Christians were greatly frightened by what the Caliph had said to them
28. How the bishop had a dream-vision that a shoemaker’s prayer would move the mountain
29. How the Christian’s prayer moved the mountain
30. Here the noble city of Tabriz [Toris] is described
31. Here begins [the account] of the great province of Persia
32. Here the three magi who came to adore God are described
33. Here the 8 kingdoms of Persia are described
34. Here the city of Yazd [Yasdi] is described
35. Here the kingdom of Kerman [Cherman] is described
36. Here the city of Qamadin [Camandi] is described
37. Here the Great Slope is described
38. How you go through very savage and poor regions
39. Here the great and noble city of Kuh-Banan [Cobinan] is described
40. How one goes through a desert
41. Here the Old Man of the Mountain and his assassins are described
42. How the Old Man of the Mountain made his assassins perfectly obedient
43. How the assassins prepare to do ill
44. Here the city of Shaburghan [Sapurgan] is described
45. Here the noble and great city of Balkh [Balc] is described
46. Here the mountain of salt is described
47. Here the great province of Badakhshan [Balascian] is described
48. Here the great province of Pashai [Pasciai] is described
49. Here the province of Kashmir [Kesimur] is described
50. Here the very great river of Badakhshan is described
51. Here the great city of Kashgar [Cascar] is described
52. Here the great city of Samarqand [Samarcan] is described
53. Here the province of Yarkand [Yarcan] is described
54. Here the great province of Khotan [Cotan] is described
55. Here the province of Pem is described
56. Here begins [the account of] the province of Qarqan [Ciarcian]
57. Here the city of Lop is described
58. Here the province of Tangut is described
59. Here the province of Kumul [Camul] is described
60. Here the province of Ghinghintalas is described
61. Here the province of Suzhou [Succiu] is described
62. Here the city of Ganzhou [Canpiciou] is described
63. Here the city of Edzina [Eçina] is described
2. The Mongol Empire and the Court of the Great Khan
64. Here the city of Qaraqorum [Caracoron] is described
65. How Chinggis was the first khan of the Tartars
66. How Chinggis Khan prepared his people to attack Prester John
67. How Prester John and his people met Chinggis Khan
68. Here the great battle between Prester John and Chinggis Khan is described
69. Here the khans who ruled after Chinggis Khan’s death are described
70. Here the Tartars’ god and religion are described
71. Here the Barguzin [Baigu] plain and the customs of diverse peoples are described
72. Here the great kingdom of Liangzhou [Erginul] is described
73. Here the province of Eriqaya [Egrigaia] is described
74. Here the great province of Tenduc is described
75. Here the city of Shangdu and the Great Khan’s wondrous palace are described
77. Here the great battle between the Great Khan and King Nayan, his uncle, is described
78. How the Great Khan attacked Nayan
79. Here begins the battle between the Great Khan and Nayan, his uncle
80. How the Great Khan had Nayan killed
81. How the Great Khan return[s] to the city of Khanbaliq
82. Here the Great Khan’s manner is described
83. Here the Great Khan’s sons are described
84. Here the Great Khan’s palace is described
85. Here the palace of the Great Khan’s son, who is to reign after him, is described
86. How the Great Khan is guarded by 12,000 horsemen
87. Here the great feast the Great Khan holds on his birthday is described
88. More on the feast the Great Khan holds on his own birthday
89. Here the very great feast the Great Khan holds on their New Year is described
90. Here the 12,000 barons who come to the feasts are described
91. How the Great Khan has ordered his people to bring him animals from the hunt
93. Here the two brothers in charge of the hunting dogs are described
94. Here the way the Great Khan goes hunting for beasts and birds is described
95. How the Great Khan holds great court and great feasts
96. How the Great Khan distributes notes [chartre] for money [monoie]
97. Here the 12 barons in charge of all the Great Khan’s affairs are described
98. How several roads leading to many provinces depart from the city of Khanbaliq
99. How the Great Khan helps his people in need of grain and animals
100. How the Great Khan has trees planted for the roads
101. Here the wine drunk by the people of Cathay is described
102. Here a kind of stone that burns like logs is described
103. How the Great Khan collects and distributes great quantities of grain to help his people
104. How the Great Khan gives charity to the poor
3. Cathay and the Western-Southwestern Provinces
105. Here begins the great province of Cathay [Catay] and we will tell about the Pulisanghin River
106. Here the great city of Zhuozhou [Giongiu] is described
107. Here the kingdom of Taiyuanfu [Taianfu] is described
108. Here a castle of Taiyuanfu is described
109. How Prester John captured the Golden King
110. Here the very great Qaramoran [Caramoran] River is described
111. Here the great city of Jingzhaofu [Quengianfu] is described
112. Here the borders between Cathay and Mangi are described
113. Here the province of Acbalac Mangi is described
114. Here the great province of Chengdufu [Sindanfu] is described
115. Here the province of Tibet [Tebet] is described
116. More on the province of Tibet itself
117. Here the province of Jiandu [Gaindu] is described
118. Here the great province of Qarajang [Caraian] is described
119. The province of Qarajang is further described
120. Here the great province of Zardandan [Cardandan] is described
121. How the Great Khan conquered the kingdom of Mien and Bangala
122. Here the great battle between the Great Khan and the king of Mien is described
123. Here more of the battle is told
124. How you make a great descent
125. Here the city of Mien is described
126. Here the great province of Bangala is described
127. Here the great province of Cangigu is described
128. Here the province of Aniu is described
129. Here the province of Toloman is described
130. Here the province of Ciugiu is described
131. Here the city of Hezhongfu [Cacianfu] is described
132. Here the city of Changlu [Cianglu] is described
133. Here the city of Jiangling [Ciangli] is described
134. Here the city of Dongpingfu [Tundinfu] is described
135. Here the noble city of Xinzhou matou [Singiumatu] is described
136. Here the great city of Lingiu [Ligin] is described
137. Here the city of Pizhou is described
138. Here the city of Chuzhou [Ciugiu] is described
139. How the Great Khan conquered the great province of Mangi
140. Here the city of Huai’anzhou [Coigangiu] is described
141. Here the city of Baoying [Pauchin] is told of
142. Here the city of Gaoyou [Cayu] is told of
143. Here the city of Taizhou [Tigiu] is described
144. Here the city of Yangzhou [Yangiu] is described
145. Here the province of Anqing [Nanghin] is described
146. Here the city of Xiangyangfu [Sanyanfu] is described
147. Here the city of Zhenzhou [Singiu] is described
148. Here the city of Guazhou [Caygiu] is described
149. Here the city of Zhenjiangfu [Cinghianfu] is described
150. Here the city of Changzhou [Tanchin] is described
151. Here the city of Suzhou [Suigiu] is described
152. Here the noble city of Quinsai is described
153. Here the Great Khan’s great revenue from the city of Quinsai is described
154. Here the great city of Campgiu [Tanpigiu] is described
155. Here the kingdom of Fuzhou [Fugiu] is described
156. Here the city of Fuzhou [Fujiu] is described
157. Here the city of Zaytun [Çartun] is described
159. Here the island of Japan [Cipangu] is described
160. How the Great Khan’s people escaped the storm at sea and then took the city of their enemies
161. Here idolators’ customs are described
162. Here the country of Champa [Cianba] is described
163. Here the great island of Java is described
164. Here the islands of Sardan and Condur are described
165. Here the island of Bintan [Pentain] is described
166. Here the island of Lesser Java [Java la menor] is described
167. Here the kingdom of Samudra [Samatra] is described
168. Here the kingdom of Dagroyan is described
169. Here the kingdom of Lambri [Lanbri] is described
170. Here the kingdom of Fansur is described
171. Here the island of Nicobar [Necuveran] is described
172. Here the island of Andaman [Angaman] is described
173. Here the island of Ceylon [Seilan] is described
174. Here the great province of Maabar is described
175. Here the kingdom of Motupalli [Mutfili] is described
176. Here it is told where the body of Messer Saint Thomas the Apostle is
177. Here the province of Lar, where brahmins come from, is described
178. Here the island of Ceylon [Seilan] is further described
179. Here the noble city of Qa’il [Cail] is described
180. Here the kingdom of Quilon [Coilun] is described
181. Here the city of Kumari [Comari] is described
182. Here the kingdom of Hili [Eli] is described
183. Here the kingdom of Malabar [Melibar] is described
184. Here the kingdom of Gujarat [Goçurat] is told
185. Here the kingdom of Thana [Tana] is described
186. Here the kingdom of Khambayat [Cambaet] is described
187. Here the kingdom of Somnath [Semenat] is described
188. Here the kingdom of Kech Makran [Kesmacoran] is described
Middle India and the Arabian Sea
189. Here the Male and Female islands are described
190. Here the island of Socotra [Scotra] is described
191. Here the island of Mogdasio is described
192. Here the island of Zanzibar [Çanghibar] is described
193. Here begins [the account] of Abyssinia, which is Middle [India]
194. Here begins [the account] of the province of Aden
195. Here the city of al-Shihr [Escier] is described
196. Here the city of Dhofar [Dufar] is described
197. Here the city of Qalhat [Calatu] is described
198. Here the city of Hormuz [Curmos] is described
6. Greater Turkey and the Mongol Wars
199. Here Greater Turkey [La Grande Turquie] is described
200. What the Great Khan said of the harm Qaidu did him
201. Here King Qaidu’s daughter—her strength and bravery—is described
202. How Abaqa sends his son Arghun on campaign
203. How Arghun goes to assume the lordship
204. How Ahmad and his army went to fight Arghun
205. How Arghun took council with his barons to go to fight Ahmad
206. How the barons answered Arghun
207. How Arghun sends his envoys to Ahmad
208. How Ahmad answered Arghun’s envoys
209. Here the great battle between Arghun and Ahmad is described
210. How Arghun was captured and [lacuna in the text] liberated
213. How Arghun had his uncle Ahmad killed
214. How the barons did homage to Arghun
215. How Geikhatu took power after Arghun’s death
216. How Baidu took power after Geikhatu’s death
217. Here King Qonichi, who is to the north, is described
218. Here the province of darkness is described
219. Here the great province of Russia [Rosie] and its people are described
220. Here the mouth of the Greater [Black] Sea is described
221. Here the lords of the Tartars of the West are described
222. Here the war that erupted between Hülegü and Berke and the battles between them are described
223. How Berke and his army attacked Hülegü
224. How Hülegü addressed his people
225. Here the great battle between Hülegü and Berke is told
226. More on the battle between Hülegü and Berke
227. How Berke conducted himself valiantly
228. How Töde Möngke became lord of the Tartars of the West
229. How Toqto’a sends for Noqai [to answer] for the death of Töle Buqa
230. How Toqto’a sends his envoys to Noqai
231. How Toqto’a attacked Noqai