Pedro Tafur facts for kids
Pedro Tafur (also known as Pero Tafur) was an amazing traveler, historian, and writer from Castile, which is now part of Spain. He was born around 1410 in Córdoba. Pedro Tafur came from a well-known family called Guzmán.
Between 1436 and 1439, Tafur went on a huge journey across three continents! During his travels, he took part in some battles. He also visited many important religious places. He even helped with important talks for Juan II of Castile, the king at the time.
Pedro Tafur's Incredible Journey
Pedro Tafur visited many different places. He explored the coast of Morocco and southern France. He also traveled to the Holy Land and Egypt. His journey took him to islands like Rhodes and Cyprus. He saw Tenedos, Trebizond, and Caffa. One of his most important stops was Constantinople, a very famous city back then.
He also went to the Sinai Peninsula. There, he met another famous traveler named Niccolò Da Conti. Niccolò Da Conti shared exciting stories and information about southeastern Asia with Tafur. Before heading back home to Spain, Pedro Tafur traveled through central Europe and Italy.
His Famous Book
Pedro Tafur wrote a book about his adventures. It was called Andanças e viajes de Pero Tafur por diversas partes del mundo avidos. This means "Avid Adventures and Travels of Pero Tafur to Various Parts of the World." He probably wrote it between 1453 and 1454.
However, his book wasn't printed right away. It was finally published in 1874 by Marcos Jiménez de la Espada. Tafur's book is one of the few travel books written by a Spanish traveler during the Middle Ages. Another famous one was by Ruy González de Clavijo.
In his book, Tafur wrote about many interesting things. He shared details about his own family, the Guzmán family. He also described famous places he saw. These included the Baths of Zeuxippus, the amazing Hagia Sophia in Constantinople, and the Holy doors in Rome. He even wrote about the tall obelisks in Rome.
Life After Traveling
After his big trip, Pedro Tafur returned to Spain in 1439. Sometime before 1452, he married Doña Juana de Horozco. They had a son who sadly passed away before his father. But they also had three daughters.
Pedro Tafur was an important person in his local community. He and his son both worked as aldermen in 1479. This meant they helped manage the town's affairs.
See also
In Spanish: Pedro Tafur para niños
- Juan Tafur
- Martín Yañéz Tafur
