The Legend of Prester John and His Magical Kingdom
Myth, legend, and fact collide in this excellent Medieval tale
The story of Prester John was one of the most popular and fantastic tales from Medieval Europe. Kings, knights, and peasants alike swapped rumors of a fabulous and wealthy kingdom of Christians buried deep beyond the edges of the map. The kingdom was supposedly ruled by a king named Prester John who was descended from one of the Three Magi. Prester John was a powerful and mysterious ruler who wielded magical artifacts and held some of Christianity’s most remarkable relics.
Prester John was supposedly holy, powerful, and deeply connected to Christian mythology. Prester John allegedly had a large army of pious Christians. He also was rumored to have relics such as the Cross of Christ, the Holy Grail, and even a magic mirror. Prester John used these relics to vanquish his enemies and remain wealthy, powerful, and hidden from prying eyes.
The legend of Prester John was created out of a mixture of ignorance, truth, and hope. There was ignorance in the lands far from Europe, including China, India, and Africa. There was some truth to the rumors in that there were small and remote pockets of Christians living far from Europe. And there was hope for a distant and powerful Christian kingdom that would emerge to…
