The Indies, the Khan and Prester John: what Columbus sailed for
Record: the document says itPattern: documents line upLens: our reading
Year: 1492 · Places: Caribbean, Europe
SUMMARYThe Indies, the Khan and Prester John: what Columbus sailed for (Nov 11, 2026; Prester John line)
RECORDColumbus sailed in 1492 with letters for the Grand Khan and, in Cuba, took the Taíno Cubanacán for "el Gran Can" (P157). The maps of his age put the Khan in "Asia Major" and Prester John in "India."
PATTERNthe two great Eastern lords Europe hunted for, the Khan and the priest-king, are the frame through which the Americas were first named: the land became "the Indies" and its people "Indians."
LENS (WW9; Tito: "we are Asia Major, India Superior")read the old maps' Indies as including our land.