In July 2025, Chris Taylor, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of English at Western New Mexico University (WNMU), dove deep into medieval history and a myth he’s studied for over a decade as he represented WNMU at the International Medieval Congress at the University of Leeds—the world’s largest gathering of medievalists.

Speaking on a panel dedicated to historical cartography, Taylor presented a compelling argument that they mythical figure, Prester John (Priest John) facilitated the shift from ideological Christian maps to empirical, landmass-focused maps used for sea navigation.

With the release of his new book, “The Global Legend of Prester John” (published by Cambridge University Press), and the continued expansion of The International Prester John Project, Taylor is bringing international recognition to the WNMU College of Arts and Sciences.

The project, which began over a decade ago as a dissertation chapter, has evolved into a definitive digital resource. Taylor’s research focuses on the elusive figure of Prester John—a mythical Christian king and priest said to rule a vast, wealthy empire in the East. For centuries, Europeans believed this figure could provide the military might needed to “wrap Islam in a Christian bubble,” a belief so potent it influenced Christopher Columbus’s voyages to India.

“Prester John is on all the Christian cartography maps, which is physically impossible,” Taylor explained. “The world moved from Christian drawn maps influenced by religion toward maps that were land-mass focused in the 14th and 15th centuries—trying to plot the world as it actually exists—I was interested in why Prester John remained and how he could be in multiple places at once. My argument is that Prester John served as a ‘bridge figure,’ easing the transition for the masses from a world defined by scripture to a world defined by geography.”

Taylor’s research also dives into the origins of the myth: a mysterious 12th-century letter purportedly written by Prester John himself. While traditional historians viewed the subsequent correspondence from figures like the powerful Pope Alexander III as evidence of genuine belief, Taylor suggests a more calculated motive.

“It was a brilliant move,” Taylor says. “The Pope was attempting to control the narrative and cement the power of the Church during a time of intense tension between secular and sacred authority by writing this mythical figure back.”

WNMU invests in faculty excellence and paved the way for Taylor’s research to reach an international stage. “I’m incredibly grateful to WNMU and the Humanities Research Committee,” Taylor remarked. “Their support enriches me and the academic experience I provide for my students.”

This spring, Taylor teaches Topics & Problems in World Literature: The Absurd, Shakespeare, and Intro to Literature, along with helping oversee a Capstone project for English majors. Additionally, he will reach the broader community through the Western Institute for Lifelong Learning (WILL), where he will lead a course on Chaucer’s Troilus and Criseyde starting in February.

Taylor’s book can be purchased at: https://www.cambridge.org/core/elements/abs/global-legend-of-prester-john/A610D63C1613000B5964D5C919805483

Listen to Taylor’s “The Medieval Podcast” episode about Prester John at  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=exN325sSI6s