Ibn Battuta Research Paper

The life and travels of Ibn Battuta are phenomenal despite being not well known. Ibn Battuta (full name Abu 'abd Allah Muhammad ibn 'abd Allah al-Lawati at-Tanji ibn Battuta) was born in the Moroccan city known as Tangier in 1304. Morocco is located in North Africa where the main religion was Islam at the time. He was born into a very scholarly family and many of his relatives and ancestors became judges or worked in the legal field. Battuta was a very faithful and dedicated follower of Islam. As part of the Islam religion, all Muslims are encouraged to make a pilgrimage (or hajj) to Mecca, the holy city of Islam. Ibn Battuta’s pilgrimage to the holy city will be the start of his many great journeys. After leaving for Mecca, Battuta would not

This is three times the distance of the Earth around the equator. When his time traveling was finished, Battuta had all of his observations recorded. The record of his observations (known as the Rihla) help historians today understand the customs and cultures of countries during the fourteenth century. He is often compared to other renowned world travelers, for example Marco Polo, that are often more recognized than him. It is true that there are similarities between him and other travelers, but his accomplishments outweigh any other. So even though he is not widely known, Ibn Battuta’s astonishing travels through Afro- Eurasia and understanding of the cultures around the area make him the greatest traveler of all

This time he will be on a military expedition to defend the Moroccan city of Ceuta from Christian invaders. From this city he crossed the Straits of Gibraltar to Spain, which at the time was still Muslim territory. Later he returned to his native continent of Africa and trekked over the Atlas Mountains and crossed the Sahara Desert. He visited Mali and was one of the first foreigners to enter the city of Timbuktu. Finally, after crossing the Niger River, Ibn Battuta returned to his hometown in Morocco where he remained for the rest of his life. In his later life, Ibn Battuta would practice law until his death. It is uncertain what year Battuta had passed away, but it is most likely that the year was 1368 or