William of Rubruck, a Flemish Franciscan friar, departs from Constantinople on May 7, 1253, on a diplomatic and missionary mission to the Mongol Empire on behalf of King Louis IX of France. He reached the court of Möngke Khan at Karakorum in January 1254.
The main purpose of the trip was to to gather intelligence on the Mongol army for the Crusades and to convert the Mongols to Christianity, specifically targeting Sartach. After spending several months, he began his journey back in July 1254, arriving in the County of Tripoli on August 15, 1255.
