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Marco Polo, Rustichello of Pisa - The Travels of Marco Polo, 1
NOTE 2. - In the Middle Ages the Euxine was frequently called Mare Magnum or Majus.
Thus Chaucer: -
"In the GRETE SEE,
At many a noble Armee hadde he be."
The term Black Sea (Mare Maurum v. Nigrum) was, however, in use, and Abulfeda says
it was general in his day. That name has been alleged to appear as early as the 10th century, in the form
[Greek: Skoteinae], "The Dark Sea"; but an examination of the passage cited, from Constantine
Porphyrogenitus, shows that it refers rather to the Baltic, whilst that author elsewhere calls the Euxine
simply Pontus. (Reinaud's Abulf. I. 38, Const. Porph. De Adm. Imp. c. 31, c. 42.)
+ Sodaya, Soldaia, or Soldachia, called by Orientals Sudak, stands on the S.E.
coast of the Crimea, west of Kaffa. It had belonged to the Greek Empire, and had a considerable Greek
population. After the Frank conquest of 1204 it apparently fell to Trebizond. It was taken by the Mongols
in 1223 for the first time, and a second time in 1239, and during that century was the great port of
intercourse with what is now Russia. At an uncertain date, but about the middle of the century, the
Venetians established a factory there, which in 1287 became the seat of a consul. In 1323 we find Pope
John XXII. complaining to Uzbek Khan of Sarai that the Christians had been ejected from Soldaia and
their churches turned into mosques. Ibn Batuta, who alludes to this strife, counts Sudak as one of the four
great ports of the World. The Genoese got Soldaia in 1365 and built strong defences, still to be seen.
Kaffa, with a good anchorage, in the 14th century, and later on Tana, took the place of Soldaia as chief
emporium in South Russia. Some of the Arab Geographers call the Sea of Azov the Sea of Sudak.
The Elder Marco Polo in his Will (1280) bequeaths to the Franciscan Friars of the place a house of his
in Soldachia, reserving life occupation to his own son and daughter, then residing in it. Probably
this establishment already existed when the two Brothers went thither. (Elie de Laprimaudare,
passim; Gold. Horde, 87; Mosheim, App. 148; Ibn Bat. I. 28, II. 414;
Cathay, 231-33; Heyd, II. passim.)
CHAPTER II. HOW THE TWO BROTHERS WENT ON BEYOND SOLDAIA.
Having stayed a while at Soldaia, they considered the matter, and thought it well to extend their journey
further. So they set forth from Soldaia and travelled till they came to the Court of a certain Tartar Prince,
BARCA KAAN by name, whose residences were at SARA[NOTE 1] and at BOLGARA [and who was
esteemed one of the most liberal and courteous Princes that ever was among the Tartars.][NOTE 2] This
Barca was delighted at the arrival of the Two Brothers, and treated them with great honour; so they
presented to him the whole of the jewels that they had brought with them. The Prince was highly pleased
with these, and accepted the offering most graciously, causing the Brothers to receive at least twice its
value.
After they had spent a twelvemonth at the court of this Prince there broke out a great war between Barca
and Alau, the Lord of the Tartars of the Levant, and great hosts were mustered on either side.[NOTE 3]
But in the end Barca, the Lord of the Tartars of the Ponent, was defeated, though on both sides there was
great slaughter. And by reason of this war no one could travel without peril of being taken; thus it was at
least on the road by which the Brothers had come, though there was no obstacle to their travelling
forward. So the Brothers, finding they could not retrace their steps, determined to go forward. Quitting
Bolgara, therefore, they proceeded to a city called UCACA, which was at the extremity of the kingdom
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