15th century diplomacy

Ghiyath al-Din Naqqash 1: A Timurid Painter in Ming China

In the early 15th century, the son of Timur sends an ambassador east to the target of his father's last military campaign.

Ruy Gonzalez de Clavijo 6: There and Back Again

The Ruy Gonzalez de Clavijo story reaches its conclusion, and so does that of Timur aka Tamerlane.

Ruy Gonzalez de Clavijo 3: Of the Water and the Mountains

In search of Timur, the Castilian ambassadors leave Constantinople and travel east over the Black Sea and into the mountains beyond.

Ruy Gonzalez de Clavijo 2: Sacred Objects in the Imperial City

In their journey to see Timur, Clavijo and the other envoys stop in at Constantinople where we visit artifacts and sacred objects.

Brancacci's Mission 1: From Florence to Cairo

In 1422, Felice Brancacci set out from Florence to establish trading relations with Mamluk Egypt, and to advocate for his city's currency. This is that story, part one of two.