Part 1: Tartaria and the Legend of Prester John

The Hermetic Hour with host Poke Runyon will present a discussion on the vast Central Asian kingdom of Tartaria and the medieval legend of Prester John, the mysterious Christian monarch who was said to have ruled a huge empire West of China and to have written letters to the Pope and kings in Europe. Mentioned by Marco Polo and other European travelers to the Orient Prester John  was a political Holy Grail quest for Crusaders seeking allies against the Muslims. But John and his kingdom was never found -- and yet there may have been a Christian king and warlord in Central Asia in medieval times as new historical research and archeology are discovering. In Medieval times the boundaries of Tartaria stretched from China to Eastern Europe; an area defined by the conquests of Genghis Khan and his sons. Only recently have we come to realize that Europeans have been living in Central Asia for thousands of years. Many of the Central Asian tribes and even nations riding under Mongol banners in the middle ages were actually  Caucasian Christians descendants of the ancient Scythians, Armenians and Indo-Europeans. The real history of Central Asia has been suppressed and mistranslated. We will suggest who the real Prester John might have been. So put on your fedora, snap your bullwhip and lets follow the Silk Road to adventure.

Be captivated by the myths and suppressed histories that connect the Scythians, Armenians, and Indo-Europeans to a Euro-Caucasian presence in these ancient lands. Uncover the historical and archaeological discoveries that challenge traditional narratives, and embark on a journey to restore the lost truths about Prester John and the influence of Western civilization in Central Asia.