People
Tartar
Татар
Five books by four travelers mention Tartar between 1245 and 1925. Here is what each of them saw, in the order they were there.
- 1245–1247
The Voyage of John of Plano Carpini
The name Europeans gave the Mongol conquerors, dreaded across Christendom after the invasions of 1241 — partly from a subject tribe, the Tatars, and partly from a grim pun on Tartarus, the classical hell. Carpini's whole mission was to learn this people's intentions.
…other great men, who received no honour or respect; so that even the Tartars appointed to attend them, however low their condition, always went before them, and took…Listen from here · chapter 6, 1:17…of the Christians, going to their emperor and princes, and the whole Tartar nation, to desire peace and friendship between the Tartars and the Christians: And as the…Listen from here · chapter 21, 0:27 - 1253–1255
The Journal of William of Rubruck
The name Europeans gave the Mongol conquerors — partly from a subject tribe, the Tatars, and partly from a grim pun on Tartarus, the classical hell. Rubruck notes that the people call themselves not Tartars but Moal.
…end to the other, even if a man were to travel post as fast as the Tartars usually ride, and was entirely inhabited by the Capchat Comanians; who likewise possessed…Listen from here · chapter 16, 3:02…part of the nation were carried to the confines of Germany by the Tartars, and were there slain by the Germans, who are held in great estimation by the nations who…Listen from here · chapter 18, 0:24 - 1919–1920
Across Mongolian PlainsRoy Chapman Andrews
A broad and often loose European label for the Mongol and Turkic peoples of Inner Asia. It is an exonym (and partly a misspelling of "Tatar"), not a name these peoples generally use for themselves.
…in half a dozen different tribal dresses, Tibetan pilgrims, Manchu Tartars, or camel drivers from far Turkestan drank and ate and gambled with Chinese from…Listen from here · chapter 8, 3:08…a Mongol pony but he was just as great, in his own way, as was the Tartar emperor whose name he bore.…Listen from here · chapter 11, 9:48 - 1920–1921
Beasts, Men and Gods
Muslim herdsmen of the steppe borderlands; Tartar camps sheltered the travelers on the road to Narabanchi, and Tartar refugees ride through the book's caravans.
…I had already drawn my rifle on the Soyot but, as soon as I saw the Tartar and Kalmuck on their lovely horses behind him, I dropped my gun and knew all was well.Listen from here · chapter 15, 8:32…long red coats and small red caps embroidered with gold helped the Tartars in black overcoats and black velvet caps on the back of their heads to weave the pattern…Listen from here · chapter 39, 6:13 - 1922–1925
On the Trail of Ancient ManRoy Chapman Andrews
A broad and often loose European label for the Mongol and Turkic peoples of Inner Asia — here 'Manchu Tartars.' It is an exonym (and partly a misspelling of 'Tatar'), not a name these peoples generally use for themselves.
We could hardly see the great Tartar walls as the train came into the station and for days after our arrival the air was like…Listen from here · chapter 4, 0:40…in a half-dozen different tribal dresses, Tibetan pilgrims, Manchu Tartars, camel-drivers from Turkestan and lamas in robes of red and gold.…Listen from here · chapter 7, 11:17
Hear every account in full
Each book here is narrated end to end on Sonsoo, a small audiobook library of Mongolia and Central Asia. Listening is invitation only.
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