Initial Sightings: John the Priest
Thanks to the summer vacations, I've got plenty of free time on my hands. I have started writing Unit V, The Boots on the Ground: the Dogged Courtship after Elusive Prester John. I recount the well-known legend, trying to find out its historic core. In the Prologue, I emphasize the distinct features of this character. 1. He is elusive; nobody knows his whereabouts. Besides, he is always in transit, attempting to carry out his ambitious plans. 2. He is a mix of reality and fiction. The value of this character for historians lies in the fact that the narrative taps into historical events, offering their garbled version. 3. He is long-lasting. Officially baptized in the twelfth century, he continued to gain supporters through the seventeenth century at least and because we pick up this topic again and again, he is still relevant to our time. I also explain that Prester John's title, king-priest, has a Biblical origin. I allude ...