Ibn Battuta: The Forgotten Explorer

Ibn Battuta traveled over 75,000 miles in the 14th century, more than any explorer before him,

yet most people have never heard his name. This Moroccan adventurer left home at 21

for the Hajj pilgrimage and didn't stop walking for 30 years. He crossed the Sahara to visit the Mali

Empire, served as a judge in Delhi's royal court, sailed monsoon winds

to China, and documented everything he witnessed. When he finally returned home,

his detailed travelogue, the Rihla, became the most complete picture of the medieval

Islamic world, its bustling trade routes, diverse cultures, and interconnected

cities. While Marco Polo gets the glory in Western history books,