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Feature

The King Who Wasn't There

Belief in Prester John, a lost Christian king ruling over a distant
kingdom, gripped medieval Europe for half a millennium. Once seen as
a saviour, he would become an adversary.

Thomas Collins | Published in Volume 73 Issue 5 May 2023

Prester John on his throne in Ethiopia, from a map of East Africa in
the Queen Mary Atlas, by Diogo Homem, Portuguese, 1558.Prester John
on his throne in Ethiopia, from a map of East Africa in the Queen
Mary Atlas, by Diogo Homem, Portuguese, 1558. (c) British Library
Board. All Rights Reserved/Bridgeman Images.

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