Explorers - I

Abu Abdullah Muhammad Ibn Battuta [also spelled Buttuta] (1303-1365), was a Moroccan explorer who traveled through Africa, the Middle East, and parts of the Far East. A Muslim, he set off on a Hajj (a pilgrimage to the holy town of Mecca) from Tangier, Africa, in 1325 and traveled for almost three decades, covering over 75,000 miles (120,700 km) by boat and over land. He did sail his own boat, but was a passenger on many trading boats. In India, Buttuta was appointed a Magistrate of Delhi (1334-1341). He also traveled to China, Sri Lanka, Sumatra, and much of Africa. Buttuta later recorded his adventures in a popular book, “Travels (Rihala) of Ibn Battuta.” He died in Fez, Morocco, in 1365.