(whimsical orchestral music)
- [Narrator] 1325, at that time the territory under Islam
was so vast no man had ever crossed it.
(chanting in a foreign language)
And one day.
- Now that I've finished my studies
I wanna go on a pilgrimage father, go to Mecca.
- It's every Muslim's duty to visit the holy city of Mecca
at least once in his lifetime my son.
The caravan of merchants
will leave soon you'll go with them.
Allah be praised.
- Mother.
- You are taking such a long journey my son,
you will need everything.
Have these dates, and a few spices to season your food.
And warm blanket, the desert is very cold at night.
You must stay warm.
- But I already have everything I will need, Mother.
My donkey's loaded down.
- I prepared these things.
This will protect you from the burning sun
and another turban in case your head--
- Thank you, Mother, don't worry
Allah will guide my steps.
- I know you will come back soon my son.
(donkey bellows)
- Whoa.
(donkey bellows)
(hand thuds)
Oh!
- Here's a little trick that will be useful son.
- A turnip?
- Yeah, it usually works.
The donkey thinks if he walks on, he'll get the turnip.
(lively Middle Eastern music)
- Our little son is going so far away.
May great Allah protect him.
(lively Middle Eastern music)
(donkey squealing)
- [Narrator] No one could've known then
that even Batutta wouldn't complete his journey
until 30 years later.
- Next stop, Tunis.
Transfer point for caravans to Tripoli,
Benghazi, as well as Alexandria and for Damascus.
(camels groan)
- Ahem.
(grunts) You'll imagine you'll go far into the desert
on such a miserable animal.
(donkey braying loudly)
Your highness.
- And who are you young man?
You appear to be very tired.
I am Abu Abu Abdallah Muḥammad
Ibn Abd Allah al-Lawati al-Ṭanji
but I'm also called Ibn Battuta.
- Hmm al-Lawati I recognize the name, very excellent family.
How do you do, I am the Sultan of Tunis.
What are you doing so far from home?
- I am making a pilgrimage to Mecca.
- Ah that's splendid my lad.
Yes, but you are badly equipped.
Well you come with me, you will be crossing the hot
Libyan and Egyptian deserts, you will need a good camel.
At least a 15 jug camel.
- A 15 jug what?
- You will see, ah there's one that doesn't look too bad.
Yes, your camel how many?
- It's a 12 excellency in good condition.
- Not enough, you'll need one that is more powerful.
- 10 jugs excellency begets superb mileage,
very economical, 20 miles per jug.
- Not that one.
- A 15 jug camel excellency with full warranty.
The whole range is at the top.
The best model on the market.
I might even mention the genuine finest quality
camel's hair upholstery and plenty of accessories.
Took first prize in the show in Benghazi.
- A 15 jug that's the one.
Yes we'll take it, fill her up.
- Ahtu, fill up Clara.
(lively Arabic music)
- You said this is a 15 jug camel?
- It's the truth excellency, I'll guarantee 15 jugger.
- Ha ha ha ha.
- Boy, Ibn Battuta.
May Allah show you his finest.
(lively Arabic music)
- Cairo, Cairo, five minute stop.
(camel grunts)
(men angrily chatter)
(hyenas howling)
- We're approaching Adab.
Here we can find a boat to take us across the Red Sea
and put us on the way to Mecca.
That is if no fights break out.
- Fights?
Why are there--
- Yes, yes.
Half of this town belongs to the Berbas, a dark people,
the Sultan of Cairo, the rest.
Look, this street divides the town into two halves
and both sides fight over it.
Each claims it belongs to them.
(crowd argues)
Quickly we'll find a ship, we're lucky.
Too late that was the only boat.
- Well what do we do now?
- What else?
We go around, we cross the Sinai desert.
(lively Arabic music)
- Look Jerusalem the only city in those years.
And here the Jews lament
the description of Solomon's temple.
(lively Arabic music)
(men chatter)
- We'll soon be in Damascus.
- It's sure a hot one.
(man laughing)
(man grunting)
- A caravan is leaving for Mecca at sunup.
You have only one day to admire the beauty of Damascus.
(merchants speaking loudly)
- I have the best Persian carpets, look no further.
- Also put in the children Nehrwen.
(market crowd speaking loudly)
- Big ones, big ones over here.
(man sniffing)
- Achoo!
Achoo!
- Achoo!
(crowd sneezing)
(glass breaking)
(crowd laughing)
- You sneezed away all my spices.
- All my precious glassware, you sneezing glass breaker.
You son of a dead camel, you'll pay for this!
- Three pieces of gold, all of my spices
are totally mixed up.
- And I too want three pieces of gold.
You've destroyed my precious glassware.
- [Crowd] Oh.
Look here comes the judge, he will decide.
- Yes, what, what?
- All my spices gone.
I'm ruined now.
On account of him!
- 25 cut glass vases in pieces.
They were handmade.
Each was a museum piece.
- Yes but I didn't mean it.
You can't blame me.
- You sneezed.
Now cough up, three gold pieces.
- Me the same.
- Six pieces of gold, a not inconsiderable sum.
But he says he didn't do it on purpose.
I say three pieces of gold.
But who are you strangers?
Where are you from?
And where are you going?
- We're from North Africa and we are
on a pilgrimage to Mecca.
- Very good!
You are doing a Hajj, they're obeying Allah's command,
a Muslim's duty.
We might reduce their fine then.
- Well?
- Two pieces of gold.
(lively Arabic music)
- He, he, he.
(man laughing)
(man grunting)
(water splashing)
(crowd laughing)
- Gosh, we're on our way to Mecca.
- We're going to Mecca, you look devout.
(lively Arabic music)
(man chanting)
(group laughing)
- Tomorrow there's a caravan leaving for Egypt.
Do you wanna come along?
It'll be on your way home.
- No my friend, I cannot return until I have visited Persia.
I've promised that I'd go there.
(triumphant orchestral music)
(men chatting)
- I warn you judge because the dogs are serious
if the judgment goes against you it might be rather costly.
- I know my dogs I assure you,
their judgment is without pity.
Bring forth the dogs.
- Right away you'll have them.
- Whoa!
(dogs growling and barking loudly)
- Dogs, attack.
- Mm.
- [Crowd] Oh!
(tense orchestral music)
- He cast a spell!
Treason, treachery, someone's drugged my dogs.
- The judgment of the dog has gone against you.
You must pay him and you poor man deserve your reward.
- I don't need payment, give it to the people.
- Very well, so be it.
Bring a scale.
You will deposit the man's weight in pieces of gold.
- Oh!
- Doh!
Oh Treasurer, sacks of gold coins quickly.
(metal clinking)
Put in the rest.
- Temperature's falling, you'll be very cold.
What you need are heavy blankets.
- Oh.
Oh oh.
(metal clinking)
- He's much heavier with the blankets.
- The laws says any offended person
mustn't be significantly cold.
Continue with the gold.
- Oh.
Go on with weight.
- So I made a mistake.
- I must say that's a very strange law indeed.
- I won't tell you all the adventures
because that would take far too long.
Just remember that after leaving the land of Persia
he traveled to Turkey.
Then he returned to Arabia.
He went to Yemen, went around the horn of Africa,
to Mogadishu, and Mombasa, and from there
returning to Arabia where he crossed the Great Desert.
He then went up to Egypt and the city of Cairo
where he embarked on a galley ship,
sailing along the Mediterranean coast.
- Oh my master, the governor of Ephesus wishes to welcome
you to our city on your traveling.
I will take you to him.
- Muhammad Ibn Battuta, you're extensive travels
through almost all of the countries of Islam
deserve a special recognition.
Treasurer!
Uh this is for you.
And one of my finest horses waiting for you outside.
I would also be pleased if you would take
my son Omar with you as a companion on your travels.
- Um, father this is a great privilege for me.
- And son I won't be worried knowing your teacher is Ibn.
But to begin, my son will show you Ephesus.
It was once a very great Greek city.
- Here Muslims live in peace with everyone.
Even non-believers.
- Yeah it's good merchant ties.
At least I look healthy enough, price?
- Yeah 60 dinars.
- That's outrageous, I pay 30.
- 40 then.
But not one dinar less, see for yourself they're young.
For articles like this I should be asking double.
- What beast, simple, nasty.
And this one look at him.
He's not worth the money too.
Wild.
- Oh! (grunting)
- Uh.
- Whoa.
Dum, doh, oh.
(girl laughing)
- You're asking 60 dinars, well there they are.
- Hey what about me?
I was still bidding.
I'll pay 70.
70 dinars, I hope it's more.
Your price was 60 dinars, that's what I paid.
(tense orchestral music)
- Oh I was just waving goodbye.
- Mm.
- Tell me, what am I to call you?
- My name is Margaret.
- And mine is Nicholas.
- We are both Greek and Christian.
- Yes, they captured us and made us slaves.
- Well now Margaret and Nicholas, you're no longer slaves.
- Oh no, we want to stay with you and live in your home.
- Oh yes, we'll go with you.
- I can sew, and I can cook.
- But I.
- And I know how to hunt game, alright?
- I have a long trip ahead.
It's very dangerous.
- We don't mind.
- Where are we going?
- We will visit the Mongolian Empire.
Paying a call on Öz Beg Khan, the chief.
Then we'll go to India, then who can say?
To China.
(Margaret gasping)
- Oh yes, to China.
(adventurous orchestral music)
- They're headed for the White Sea, but we'll get 'em there.
Forward!
I want those slaves!
(adventurous orchestral music)
Missed them.
I'll get 'em.
I'll get those slaves.
(triumphant orchestral music)
- Oh.
- Is it real?
- A million?
It's impossible.
(regal orchestral music)
- Welcome travelers our sultan wishes to invite you
to his pavilion of gold.
Wait for a bit, we have to dismantle our city.
- Dismantle the city.
Why do you do that?
- We went to put it up later.
- Our chief is waiting for you.
The most powerful man in the world.
Öz Beg Khan, he's a direct descendant of Genghis Khan,
who led the Golden Horde.
After you, follow me.
- Yes but if I go first and follow,
well I mean in a way it's impossible to follow
and go first.
Anyway it doesn't matter.
- [Narrator] Oh their den, the Mongol Empire
was in its peak of power and wealth and loved to spend it.
- Come, come forward.
- Ibn Battuta we are pleased you've come to visit us.
Allah has spread out the world to be a carpet.
It's our pleasure you'll be our guest of China.
Heroic first request, you carry out
with some functioning Constantinople.
- [Narrator] His envoy of the Great Khan
on a mission, our friends go to Constantinople
and then return to Sarai which was then the capitol
of the Mongol Empire,
and from there they started the long journey to China.
Crossing the Gobi Desert.
(dramatic orchestral music)
(whip lashing)
(horses galloping)
(horse neighing loudly)
- Hey why should you have that?
And how come you've got that too?
- Cause I'm the Chief.
- Since when are you the chief?
- Since now so--
- So we'll see about that!
- Watch it you guys things are getting nasty.
- Eh all you gotta do is shut up.
- Alright don't get so upset!
- You wanna get upset, then get upset.
- C'mon you gotta give me that!
(loud punching)
(horses galloping)
- Ah, oh whoa!
Huh?
- Ugh!
- Hmm, ugh.
- What's going on here?
- It's the law of the nomads,
it says if any man steals a horse
he has to give nine in return or he forfeits his life.
This one cares if he loves his life.
- But they stole four of our horses.
- Then they have to give us 36.
There they are.
(horses galloping)
- These your horses, take 'em.
- [Narrator] In September 1333,
more than eight years after Ibn Battuta
crossed the Indus River into India.
For more than a century, the Sultan of Delhi
ruled over Northern India under Mongol influence.
There the people are mainly Muslims, but they're also Hindu
who believe that the soul must go through many lives
before being (mumbles).
- Bring me the very best of all my archers.
- The Sultan says do your thing.
- Hm, reward him.
- You lost your job.
It is the pleasure of the great Sultan
to receive you now.
- Ibn Battuta would stay in Delhi for seven years
serving his new master to the best of his ability.
- You expressed a wish to go to China.
You shall go then with all my best wishes,
and for your loyal service you will have a reward.
- Well
- You may embark now.
- That's it, that's it.
Go on.
- We'll be leaving tomorrow.
I will go ashore now and pray.
Huh?
- And why are you so sad?
- Everything I possessed was lost
my wife, children, everything.
- Your destiny is chosen.
You want to go along with me?
- Where will you go?
- To the south, toward the Maldives first.
Then I don't know.
- Do we join him?
- We have nothing to lose now.
- That's the city of Kailukari,
the city of women.
- Our princess invites you all to a banquet.
- What a strange custom having women soldiers.
- You haven't seen anything.
Watch this.
- They say the princess will be aching.
- That's true to be my husband he has to beat me
in single combat first.
Are you willing to try?
- In my country, there is no man stronger.
Are you ready, princess?
(fighting)
(swords clashing)
- It would appear that I've not yet found my husband.
- Ha, ha, ha!
- And you, stranger, are you tempted to try?
- Uh, no, princess, my land is far distant.
I have to return home anyway.
I'm not very good at fighting, princess.
- Too bad.
- Another strange custom.
- [Narrator] Finally, they get to China.
(speaking in foreign language)
- Silence!
Welcome, (speaking in foreign language).
I show you around.
In the city, we all live in peace
Christian, Jew, Muslim, Buddhist, and non believer,
even sun worshiper.
Each religion has it's own district,
and we all come together and mingle in the market.
Tonight our governor is planning a feast in your honor.
- Ibn Battuta would continue his journey
all the way to Pekin, capitol of northern China.
Then he'd return to Kwanzone.
From there he'd set off, and return home.
- Now that our eyes have seen so much that we can go home.
- My friend here we are in Egypt at Alexandria.
Why don't you return with me to Morocco?
Life there is very pleasant.
- No, I will go back to Greece.
I haven't seen my family for 30 years.
- Then I wish that God go with you.
- And may he go with you too.
- My name is Sheik Abdullah Muhammad Ibn Lawati
but people call me Ibn Battuta.
I left my country Morocco 29 years ago
on a fantastic journey.
Yes, I can truly say it was a fantastic journey.
- And that it was in those 29 years,
he traveled pretty nearly 80,000 miles
equivalent to circling the Earth three times.
He crossed 44 separate countries.
Do you realize?
He returned with a magnificent record of all those lands
some unknown to the scholars of his time.
Who's ever done better than that?