Burchard of Mount Sion
Encyclopedia
Burchard of Mount Sion, or Burchard de Mont Sion, also wrongly called Brocard or Bocard, was a German Dominican
who travelled to the Middle East
at the end of the 13th century.
He was in Palestine
for 10 years between 1274 to 1284. He then visited Armenia
where he wrote about the court of the king of Cilician Armenia. Burchard described the country of Cilician Armenia as submitted to Mongol
domination, and explains that Mongols were present at the royal Armenian court:
Burchard wrote "Descriptio Terræ Sanctæ", said to be the best medieval work on Palestine. He makes careful and precise descriptions of his observations.
Burchard also wrote a plan for a crusade, in which he recommended the conquest of Orthodox
Serbia and Constantinople
as pre-requisites to the accomplishment of a Crusade. His plan is said to have been rather unpractical, and to have displayed a dislike of Orthodox Christians, more than of Muslims themselves.
Dominican Order
The Order of Preachers , after the 15th century more commonly known as the Dominican Order or Dominicans, is a Catholic religious order founded by Saint Dominic and approved by Pope Honorius III on 22 December 1216 in France...
who travelled to the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
at the end of the 13th century.
He was in Palestine
Palestine
Palestine is a conventional name, among others, used to describe the geographic region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, and various adjoining lands....
for 10 years between 1274 to 1284. He then visited Armenia
Armenia
Armenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia...
where he wrote about the court of the king of Cilician Armenia. Burchard described the country of Cilician Armenia as submitted to Mongol
Mongol Empire
The Mongol Empire , initially named as Greater Mongol State was a great empire during the 13th and 14th centuries...
domination, and explains that Mongols were present at the royal Armenian court:
Burchard wrote "Descriptio Terræ Sanctæ", said to be the best medieval work on Palestine. He makes careful and precise descriptions of his observations.
Burchard also wrote a plan for a crusade, in which he recommended the conquest of Orthodox
Eastern Orthodox Church
The Orthodox Church, officially called the Orthodox Catholic Church and commonly referred to as the Eastern Orthodox Church, is the second largest Christian denomination in the world, with an estimated 300 million adherents mainly in the countries of Belarus, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Georgia, Greece,...
Serbia and Constantinople
Constantinople
Constantinople was the capital of the Roman, Eastern Roman, Byzantine, Latin, and Ottoman Empires. Throughout most of the Middle Ages, Constantinople was Europe's largest and wealthiest city.-Names:...
as pre-requisites to the accomplishment of a Crusade. His plan is said to have been rather unpractical, and to have displayed a dislike of Orthodox Christians, more than of Muslims themselves.