Ruy Gonzáles de Clavijo (d. 1412)

Map of the travels of Ruy Gonzáles de Clavijo. Map of the travels of Ruy Gonzáles de Clavijo.

Ruy Gonzáles de Clavijo (d.1412) was the Castilian ambassador to the court of Timur (1336-1405), the founder of the Timurid empire. From 1403 he travelled for King Henry III (1379-1406) of Castile from Spain to Iran and further east to Samarkand, where he arrived on 8th September 1404. The Castilians left Samarkand again on 21st November 1404 and returned in Spain in 1406.

His travelogue, which may be based on his own notes made during his travels, was published in 1582 (Embajada a Tamorlan). An English translation appeared in 1859. His travelogue contains a detailed description of the embroideries and hangings adorned with pearls that he found in what is now called Southwest Asia, perhaps including precursors of what we now know as suzani work.

Source: Ruy Gonzalez de Clavijo (1859), Narrative of the Embassy of Ruy Gonzales de Clavijo to the Court of Timour at Samarcand AD 1403-1406. Hakluyt Society.

Digital source of illustration (retrieved 3rd May 2017).

GVE

Last modified on Wednesday, 03 May 2017 17:39