full transcript

From the Ted Talk by Matteo Salvadore: The imaginary king who changed the real world

Unscramble the Blue Letters


In 1165, copies of a strange letter began to circulate throughout westren Europe. It spoke of a fantastical realm, containing the Tower of Babel and the Fountain of Youth— all ruled over by the letter’s mysterious author: pteesrr John. toady, we know that this extraordinary king never eeixtsd. But the legend of this mythical kingdom and its powerful ruler would impact the decisions of euaopren leaders for the next 400 years. Prester John’s myth would propel the age of erotoalpixn, inspire intercontinental diplomacy, and indirectly begin a civil war.

When Prester John’s letter appeared, Europe was embroiled in the Crusades. In this seeirs of religious wars, Europeans campaigned to sizee what they regarded as the Christian Holy Land. The Church vilified any faith outside of Christianity, iunnlidcg that of the Jewish and Muslim cimeitonums populating the rieogn. Crusaders were eager to find chriiastn kingdoms to serve as aeills in their war. And they were particularly interested in rumors of a powerful Christian king who had defeated an enormous Muslim army in the Far East.

Open Cloze


In 1165, copies of a strange letter began to circulate throughout _______ Europe. It spoke of a fantastical realm, containing the Tower of Babel and the Fountain of Youth— all ruled over by the letter’s mysterious author: _______ John. _____, we know that this extraordinary king never _______. But the legend of this mythical kingdom and its powerful ruler would impact the decisions of ________ leaders for the next 400 years. Prester John’s myth would propel the age of ___________, inspire intercontinental diplomacy, and indirectly begin a civil war.

When Prester John’s letter appeared, Europe was embroiled in the Crusades. In this ______ of religious wars, Europeans campaigned to _____ what they regarded as the Christian Holy Land. The Church vilified any faith outside of Christianity, _________ that of the Jewish and Muslim ___________ populating the ______. Crusaders were eager to find _________ kingdoms to serve as ______ in their war. And they were particularly interested in rumors of a powerful Christian king who had defeated an enormous Muslim army in the Far East.

Solution


  1. prester
  2. including
  3. series
  4. region
  5. today
  6. christian
  7. western
  8. european
  9. communities
  10. exploration
  11. existed
  12. seize
  13. allies

Original Text


In 1165, copies of a strange letter began to circulate throughout Western Europe. It spoke of a fantastical realm, containing the Tower of Babel and the Fountain of Youth— all ruled over by the letter’s mysterious author: Prester John. Today, we know that this extraordinary king never existed. But the legend of this mythical kingdom and its powerful ruler would impact the decisions of European leaders for the next 400 years. Prester John’s myth would propel the age of exploration, inspire intercontinental diplomacy, and indirectly begin a civil war.

When Prester John’s letter appeared, Europe was embroiled in the Crusades. In this series of religious wars, Europeans campaigned to seize what they regarded as the Christian Holy Land. The Church vilified any faith outside of Christianity, including that of the Jewish and Muslim communities populating the region. Crusaders were eager to find Christian kingdoms to serve as allies in their war. And they were particularly interested in rumors of a powerful Christian king who had defeated an enormous Muslim army in the Far East.

Frequently Occurring Word Combinations


ngrams of length 2

collocation frequency
prester john 4
mythical kingdom 2
mongol horde 2


Important Words


  1. age
  2. allies
  3. appeared
  4. army
  5. babel
  6. began
  7. campaigned
  8. christian
  9. christianity
  10. church
  11. circulate
  12. civil
  13. communities
  14. copies
  15. crusaders
  16. crusades
  17. decisions
  18. defeated
  19. diplomacy
  20. eager
  21. east
  22. embroiled
  23. enormous
  24. europe
  25. european
  26. europeans
  27. existed
  28. exploration
  29. extraordinary
  30. faith
  31. fantastical
  32. find
  33. fountain
  34. holy
  35. impact
  36. including
  37. indirectly
  38. inspire
  39. intercontinental
  40. interested
  41. jewish
  42. john
  43. king
  44. kingdom
  45. kingdoms
  46. land
  47. leaders
  48. legend
  49. letter
  50. muslim
  51. mysterious
  52. myth
  53. mythical
  54. populating
  55. powerful
  56. prester
  57. propel
  58. realm
  59. regarded
  60. region
  61. religious
  62. ruled
  63. ruler
  64. rumors
  65. seize
  66. series
  67. serve
  68. spoke
  69. strange
  70. today
  71. tower
  72. vilified
  73. war
  74. wars
  75. western
  76. years