Friar Julian facts for kids
Friar Julian (Hungarian: Julianus barát) was a Hungarian Dominican monk. In 1235, he left Hungary with other monks. Their mission was to find other Hungarian people. These Hungarians were believed to still live in their ancient homeland in the East.
Julian traveled a very long way. He reached the main city of Volga Bulgaria. There, he was told that the Hungarians he sought were only two days away. Julian found them in a region known today as Bashkiria. Even though hundreds of years had passed since their ancestors separated, they could still understand each other's language.
Julian called this old country "Magna Hungaria," which means Great Hungary. While there, he heard stories about the Tatars. The Tatars were enemies of the eastern Hungarians and Bulgars.
Two years after his first trip, Julian went back to Magna Hungaria. But this time, he found it had been destroyed. The Mongol Tatars had attacked it. Julian returned to Hungary with very important news. He warned his kingdom about the great danger from the Mongols. He also brought a Mongol message, which was like an ultimatum or a final demand, to Hungary.
Why Friar Julian's Journeys Were Important
The Dominican religious group started in Hungary in 1221. Their goal was to spread Christianity in the East. This also led to the idea of finding the Hungarians who had stayed in their original homeland.
Friar Julian's travels were very important for several reasons:
- He was the first person to bring back real information about the Hungarians living in Magna Hungaria. This greatly helps us understand Hungarian history.
- He was the first to warn Europe about the upcoming Mongol invasion of Europe.
- He was the first European traveler to gather true information about Asia.
- His descriptions of the lands he visited were very important for geography. They inspired future European explorers and researchers.
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