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| The Book of Ser Marco Polo : vol.1 |
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Citation Information
38 MARCO POLO PROL.
NOTE 5.—Ramusio's version here varies widely, and looks more probable : "From the day that they embarked until their arrival there died of mariners and others on board boo persons ; and of the three ambassadors only one survived, whose name was Goza (Coja) ; but of the ladies and damsels died but one."
It is worth noting that in the case of an embassy sent to Cathay a few years later by Gházán Khan, on the return by this same route to Persia, the chief of the two Persian ambassadors, and the Great Khan's envoy, who was in company, both died by the way. Their voyage, too, seems to have been nearly as long as Polo's ; for they were seven years absent from Persia, and of these only four in China. (See Wassyzf in Elliot, III. 47.)
NOTE 6.—Ramusio's version states that on learning Arghún's death (which they probably did on landing at I-Iormuz), they sent word of their arrival to Kiacatu, who directed them to conduct the lady to Casan, who was then in the region of the Arbre Sec (the Province of Khorasan) guarding the frontier passes with 6o,000 men, and that they did so, and then turned back to Kiacatu (probably at Tabriz), and stayed at his Court nine months. Even the Geog. Text seems to imply that they had become personally known to Casan, and I have no doubt that Ramusio's statement is an authentic expansion of the original narrative by Marco himself, or on his authority. Arghún Khan died loth March, 1291. He was succeeded (23rd July) by his brother Kaikhátú (Quiacatzu of Polo), who was put to death 24th March, 1295.
We learn from Hammer's History of the Ilkhans that when Gházán, the son of Arghún (Casan of Polo), who had the government of the Khorasan frontier, was on his return to his post from Tabriz, where his uncle Kaikhatu had refused to see him, " he met at Abher the ambassador whom he had sent to the Great Khan to obtain in marriage a relative of the Great Lady Bulghán. This envoy brought with him the Lady KÚKÁCHIN (our author's Cocachin), with presents from the Emperor, and the marriage was celebrated with due festivity." Abher lies a little west of Kazvfn.
Hammer is not, I find, here copying from Wassáf, and I have not been able to procure a thorough search of the work of Rashiduddin, which probably was his authority. As well as the date can be made out from the History of the Ilkhans, Gházán must have met his bride towards the end of 1293, or quite the beginning of 1294. Rashiduddin in another place mentions the fair lady from Cathay ; " The ordzz (or establishment) of Tukiti Khatun was given to KUKACI-II KHATUN, who had been brought from the Kaan's Court, and who was a kinswoman of the late chief Queen Bulghán. Kúkáchi, the wife of the Padshah of Islam, Gházán Khan, died in the month of Shaban, 695," i.e. in June, 1296, so that the poor girl did not long survive her promotion. (See Hammer's Ilch. II. 20) and 8, and I. 273 ; and Quatremère's Rashiduddin, p. 97.) Kukachin was the name also of the wife of Chingkim, Kublai's favourite son ; but she was of the Kungurát tribe. (Degzziçues, IV. 179.)
NOTE 7.—Here Ramusio's text says : " During this journey Messers Nicolo, Maffeo, and Marco heard the news that the Great Khan had departed this life ; and this caused them to give up all hope of returning to those parts."
NOTE 8.—This Princess of Manzi, or Southern China, is mentioned only in the Geog. Text and in the Crusca, which is based thereon. I find no notice of her among the wives of Gházán or otherwise.
On the fall of the capital of the Sung Dynasty—the h.insay of Polo—in 1276, the Princesses of that Imperial family were sent to Peking, and were graciously treated by Kublai's favourite Queen, the Lady Jamui. This young lady was, no doubt, one of those captive princesses who had been brought up at the Court of Khánbálik. (See De Mailla, IX. 376, and infra I3k. II. eh. lxv., note.
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