Ibn Battuta

Profession: Explorer

Nationality:

Biography: Ibn Battuta was a Moroccan explorer and scholar. He is widely recognized as one of the greatest travelers of the medieval period, covering around 73,000 miles across Africa, Asia, and parts of Europe between 1325 and 1354.

Born in Tangier in 1304, Ibn Battuta set out on a pilgrimage to Mecca at age 21 that sparked his passion for travel. From 1325 to 1332, he journeyed across North Africa, Arabia, East Africa, and the Swahili Coast. He then served as a judge for the Sultan of Delhi from 1332 to 1347, which let him travel across the Middle East, Central Asia, South Asia, and Southeast Asia.

In 1345, Ibn Battuta visited China under the Mongol Yuan dynasty, reaching Beijing and meeting with the Yuan emperor. His return journey from 1348 to 1349 took him across the Middle East during the Black Death pandemic. From 1349 to 1354, he explored Muslim Spain, the Sahara desert, the Mali Empire, and Timbuktu.

After nearly 30 years of travel, Ibn Battuta returned to Morocco in 1354 and dictated his famous account, the Rihla, to Ibn Juzayy. He worked as a judge in Morocco until his death in 1368 or 1369.

The Rihla features vivid descriptions of the diverse peoples and civilizations of the 14th-century world, establishing Ibn Battuta's legacy alongside figures such as Marco Polo as a travel writer and ethnographer.

Born: February 24, 1304
Birthplace: Tangier, Morocco
Age: 720 years old
Star Sign: Pisces