The lure of foreign travel has always attracted outstanding men of every nationality. In Europe, between the 9th and 11th centuries, the Vikings travelled huge distances to seek adventure, wealth, and glory. By sea they raided the coasts of Britain, France, and the Low Countries, and they established settlements in Iceland and Greenland, stepping stones on their way to America. They also struck eastward, rowing up the Russian rivers in their longships, dragging the ships over the watersheds, and sailing down to Constantinople where Viking soldiers served in the imperial bodyguard. Vikings were even reported on the Caspian Sea.
Leif Ericsson Tenth Century A.D.
"Leif the Lucky" Ericsson was the first European to make a deliberate voyage to North America. From the Viking settlement in Greenland he set out in 986 A.D. to investigate rumours of a new land to the west. He reached a country where wild grapes grew (perhaps Newfoundland) which he named Vinland and spent the winter there. On his return to Greenland, news of his discovery attracted later expeditions, one of which stayed three years in Vinland until native attacks forced them to leave, never to return (Lost-civilizations).
Just as far ranging during the 8th to 14th centuries were the Arabs. Their Muslim religion required them to go on the pilgrimage to Mecca and this, and their merchant skill, made them into first-rate travellers. Arab communities flourished as far apart as the Sudan on the southern edge of the Sahara, in Samarkand in Central Asia, and in South China. Arab sea captains in their dhows traded regularly between East Africa and India, and a man like Ibn Batuta could find Arab hospitality and speak Arabic with his countrymen across the width of the known world.
Ibn Batuta 1304 - 1368
Remarkable even among a nation of long-distance travellers, Ibn Batuta journeyed almost 75,000 miles in his lifetime, visiting Arab communities as far apart as Timbuktu and Peking. He spent thirty years of his life on his travels. His first trip was a pilgrimage to Mecca, but it awoke his wanderlust and he went on to explore the Arabian peninsula, visit the Emperor of the Golden Horde, and meet the Sultan of Dehli. Well-educated and distinguished, he had a bearing and sense of humour which made him welcome everywhere.
Francis Xavier is representative of an equally remarkable group of travellers: the Christian missionaries.
Francis Xavier 1506 - 1552
Founder member of the Society of Jesus, Xavier won his title of the "Apostle of the Indies" by his missionary journeys in the Far East. After working in India and Malaysia, he sailed to Japan to introduce Christianity there. His pioneer descriptions of the Japanese were accurate and enthusiastic. After converting numbers of Japanese, Xavier set off for China to continue his work, but died before getting there.
Sources
- Balchin, J (2005) To the Ends of the Earth : Journeys of the Great Explorers: From the Equator to the Poles. Arcturus Publishing.
- Lost-civilizations. "Vikings - Isle of Man ~ Leif Eriksson. Vikings." lost-civilizations.net Information retrieved 24th February 2011
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