In 1165, a letter arrived with the Byzantine emperor. It was from a great king in the East, a Presbyter (or Prester) John, who ruled over a vast and perfect Christian kingdom. In the letter, he claimed to be dedicated to the defeat of Islam and offered help in the crusades. Copies of the letter were made for the pope and the Holy Roman Emperor. This was not the first people had heard of Prester John, but it was the first time it was widely believed. Copies and more copies were made, circulating around Europe, each adding their own embellishments.
The second crusade had ended recently, and quite badly for the Christian armies. Something like Prester John was just the thing to revive that Crusading zeal. Of course he was not real, but the legend persisted for centuries. Today it seems likely that the letter was created by the Holy Roman Emperor, Frederick Barbarossa, to destabilize the papacy.
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