The Travels of Marco Polo 1: Chapter 59

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CHAPTER LIX.

CONCERNING THE PROVINCE OF TENDUC, AND THE DESCENDANTS OF PRESTER JOHN.

[...portions not relevant to Armenia removed]

[2] The term _Arkaiun_, or _Arkaun_, in this sense, occurs in the Armenian

   History of Stephen Orpelian, quoted by St. Martin. The author of the
   _Tárikh Jahán Kushai_, cited by D'Ohsson, says that Christians were
   called by the Mongols _Arkáún_. When Hulaku invested Baghdad we are
   told that he sent a letter to the Judges, Shaikhs, Doctors and
   _Arkauns_, promising to spare such as should act peaceably. And in the
   subsequent sack we hear that no houses were spared except those of a
   few _Arkauns_ and foreigners. In Rashiduddin's account of the Council
   of State at Peking, we are told that the four _Fanchan_, or Ministers
   of the Second Class, were taken from the four nations of Tájiks,
   Cathayans, Uighúrs, and _Arkaun_. Sabadin _Arkaun_ was the name of one
   of the Envoys sent by Arghun Khan of Persia to the Pope in 1288.
   Traces of the name appear also in Chinese documents of the Mongol era,
   as denoting _some_ religious body. Some of these have been quoted by
   Mr. Wylie; but I have seen no notice taken of a very curious extract
   given by Visdelou. This states that Kúblái in 1289 established a Board
   of nineteen chief officers to have surveillance of the affairs of the
   Religion of the Cross, of the _Marha_, the _Siliepan_, and the
   _Yelikhawen_. This Board was raised to a higher rank in 1315: and at
   that time 72 minor courts presiding over the religion of the
   _Yelikhawen_ existed under its supervision. Here we evidently have the
   word _Arkhaiun_ in a Chinese form; and we may hazard the suggestion
   that _Marha_, _Siliepan_ and _Yelikhawen_ meant respectively the
   Armenian, Syrian, or Jacobite, and Nestorian Churches. (_St. Martin,
   Mém._ II. 133, 143, 279; _D'Ohsson_, II. 264; _Ilchan_, I. 150, 152;
   _Cathay_, 264; _Acad._ VII. 359; Wylie in _J. As._ V. xix. 406. Suppt.
   to _D'Herbelot_, 142.)