History-Telling about Prester John

The legend of Prester John has been a debated topic in medieval studies ever since the nineteenth century. It is during the twentieth century, however, and especially in recent years, that this subject caught the attention of scholars from other disciplines. What the historical research has provided is the real absence, the non-existence of true Prester Johns among the real actors of the Crusades, in the travels to the East, at the failed diplomatic encounters with potential allies beyond the Christian lands. In this sense, the available historical data support both the conclusion that Prester John is a fictional figure never to have existed, and the supposition that memories about important historical rulers shaped the portrait of plausible allies in faraway lands. But even more important is the real material historical impact created out of this absence.