248 CHRISTIANITY IN CHINA, ETC duke of the Tartars, whom the King of Armenia met, and made himself known to. " When this duke heard that the King of Armenia wished to go peaeeably to the Khan, he received him very honourably, and had him safely conveyed to beyond the Iron Gate.* And he met with other captains who received him with joy, and conducted him through the countries until lie came to the city of Amalich, where Man^ou then held his court. JIanor>u-Khan and all the princes of Tartary were very joyous at the coming of the King of Armenia, and specially because since the death of Tchinguiz-Khan no great princes had come in peace to see them, and so this one received great bene- volence and honour, and some of the greatest and most noble of the Tartars were appointed to keep him com- pany and do him honour ; and the Khan himself showed him so much favour and grace, and bestowed on him such great gifts, that they still speak in Armenia of those gifts and graces. The king remained and rested for a time, and then begged for the settlement of the business for which he had come ; and the Khan an- swered that he would willingly do all he could for him and his people, and for that he had come hither of his own accord and will, he might ask for whatever should please him." King Hayton hastened to profit by this favourable disposition of the Khan, and addressed to him a long series of requests. In the first place, that the Khan and all his family would embrace Christianity and get himself baptized. Secondly, that he would send an army into the Holy Land to conquer it and give it to
- A fortification traditionally ascribed to Alexander the Great.
