The imaginary king who changed the real world - Matteo Salvadore
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TEDEd Animation
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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: Prester John. Who was this powerful ruler, and was he even real? Matteo Salvadore shares the legend of a mythical king who impacted the decisions of European leaders for 400 years.
Long seen as an exclusively European undertaking, the “Age of Exploration” is understood today as a complex phenomenon involving a variety of non-European agents. Reflect on how Ethiopians appropriated the myth of Prester John and influenced Portuguese exploration and expansion.
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Meet The Creators
- Educator Matteo Salvadore
- Director Anna Nowakowska
- Narrator Addison Anderson
- Producer The Animation Workshop, Bethany Cutmore-Scott
- Director of Production Gerta Xhelo
- Editorial Producer Alex Rosenthal
- Associate Editorial Producer Dan Kwartler
- Script Editor Alex Gendler
- Fact-Checker Eden Girma
