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| The Book of Ser Marco Polo : vol.1 |
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Citation Information
CHAP. XII. THE GREAT KAAN'S BODY-GUARD
379
CHAPTER XII.
HOW THE GREAT KAAN MAINTAINS A GUARD OF TWELVE THOUSAND HORSE, WHICH ARE CALLED KESHICAN.
You must know that the Great Kaan, to maintain his
state, hath a guard of twelve thousand horsemen, who
are styled KESHICAN, which is as much as to say
" Knights devoted to their Lord." Not that he keeps
these for fear of any man whatever, but merely because
of his own exalted dignity. These 12,000 men have
four captains, each of whom is in command of 3000 ;
and each body of 3000 takes a turn of three days and
nights to guard the palace, where they also take their
meals. After the expiration of three days and nights
they are relieved by another 3000, who mount guard for
the same space of time, and then another body takes
its turn, so that there are always 3000 on guard. Thus
it goes until the whole 12,000, who are styled (as I
said) Keshican, have been on duty ; and then the tour
begins again, and so runs on from year's end to year's
end." 1
NOTE t.—I have dea'zzced a reading for the word Qztescican (Keshican), which is not found precisely. in any text. Pauthier reads Questiau and Quesitau ; the G. Text has Quesitam and Quecitain ; the Crusca Questi Tau ; Ramusio, Casitan ; the Riccardiana, Quescitanz. Recollecting the constant clerical confusion between c and t, what follows will leave no doubt I think that the true reading to which all these variations point is Quescican.*
In the Institutes of Ghazan Khan, we find established among other formalities for the authentication of the royal orders, that they should be stamped on the back, in black ink, with the seals of the Four Commanders of the Four Kiziks, or Corps of the
Life Guard.
Wassáf also, in detailing the different classes of the great dignitaries of the Mongol monarchy, names (i) the Noyáns of the U l us, or princes of the blood ; (2) the great chiefs of the tribes ; (3) the Amírs of the four Keshik, or Corps of the Body Guard; (4) the officers of the army, commanding ten thousands, thousands, and so on.
Moreover, in Rashiduddin, we find the identical plural form used by our author. He says that, after the sack of Baghdad, Hulaku, who had escaped from the polluted atmosphere of the city, sent " Ilká Noyán and harábúgá, with 3000 Moghul horse
* One of the nearest readings is that of the Brandenburg Latin collated by Müller, which has Quaesicam.
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