Carpini

Carpini, Johannes di Plano (1182-1253), a Franciscan monk of Umbria, sent by Pope Innocent IV. in charge of a mission to the Emperor of the Mongol Tartars who had invaded Europe, and seemed to threaten the existence of European Christendom. In 1245 he started from Lyons, and in the course of the next summer reached Karakorum, beyond Lake Baikal, returning to Kiev on his backward journey in the summer of 1247, bearing a letter from the Khan to the Pope. He published a Latin account of his travels, containing much valuable information. He was appointed Archbishop of Antivari, but did not long survive his expedition, the sufferings and hardships of which were enormous. Although over 60 he appears to have ridden 3,000 miles in 106 days, an average of over 28 miles a day.