John Mandeville (priest)

Sir John Mandeville is the purported author of The Travels of Sir John Mandeville, a travel memoir which first circulated in French c. 1356. The book describes the supposed travels of Mandeville through the Levant, the Middle East, Egypt, India, and other parts of Asia and Africa, culminating in a voyage around the world.

While the book achieved immense popularity and was translated into numerous languages, it is now widely accepted that "John Mandeville" was a pseudonym and the book a compilation of existing travel literature and legends, rather than a genuine account of personal experience. Sources drawn upon include Pliny the Elder's Natural History, Vincent of Beauvais' Speculum Historiale, and the travels of Friar Odoric of Pordenone.

The author, whoever he may have been, likely drew upon a combination of these pre-existing accounts, embellished with folklore and fantasy, to create a narrative that appealed to the medieval European imagination. The text contains fantastical descriptions of monstrous races, strange customs, and biblical locations.

The "priest" designation is derived from claims made within the book itself, where the author identifies himself as a knight born in St Albans who travelled extensively and eventually became a priest upon his return to Europe. The lack of verifiable historical evidence corroborating the existence of a knight of that name from St. Albans strongly suggests the author's claims of priesthood are also fictitious, designed to lend further authority and authenticity to the work. Despite the demonstrable fictional aspects, The Travels remained a highly influential text for centuries, shaping European perceptions of the East and inspiring later explorers.