Eastern Europe in the Geographical Work of Abū al-Fidāʾ: Personal Experience and the Burden of Tradition

This paper raises the question of influence a scholar’s personal experience on their research strategies, which determines selection sources, purpose creating work, its structure, and content. The author refers to A Sketch Countries (Taqwim al-buldan), work Eastern Europe in world geography by Abū al-Fidāʾ, Syrian scholar first third fourteenth century emir city Hama. is reconstruct al-Fidāʾ’s methods employing source analysis trace correlation between his principles one hand, parameters geographical area characterised him Europe, other. geographer, who was primarily military leader politician maintained constant contact with leaders Mamluk Egypt, had decisive content messages about Europe. With access information related Egypt’s relations outside world, including strongest state at that time – Golden Horde, al-Fidāʾ able compose original descriptions Black Sea, give detailed characteristics Horde cities Northern Sea region, Azov Lower Middle Volga regions. geographer’s reports demonstrates ethnopolitical picture treatise practically exhausted borders despite presence rich material Rus’ Baltics famous Arab geographer al-Idrisi (12th century), whose widely used characterise different regions world. At same time, basis story formed extensive excerpts from Ibn Sa‘id al-Maghribi, Spanish-Arab second half thirteenth territory under control khans. Thus, significance al-Idrisi’s assessed light region came Egypt through channels connected Horde. It relevant certain objects performed structure-forming functions description deforming traditional context or even completely displacing it.