The Mongol Archive in Late Medieval France

The Asia Center is excited to welcome Professor Markus Cruse from the School of International Letters and Cultures for a talk based on his latest book. Sharing the same title as the book, the talk explores comparisons between the French and Mughal courts, highlighting surprising connections across vast distances.

Please see the abstract below.

Abstract

This illustrated talk will discuss Professor Cruse’s book The Mongol Archive in Late Medieval France: Texts, Objects, Encounters, 1221-1422 (Cornell University Press, 2025), with a focus on some of the most significant records of the centuries-long relationship between the French and the Mongols: The Description of the World by Marco Polo, the Catalan Atlas (from ca. 1375, the oldest surviving European map to portray China), and the beautifully illuminated Book of Marvels.

Lunch will be provided to those who register.