city. From every part of the empire of Greece tribute is brought here
every year, and they fill strongholds with garments of silk, purple,
and gold. Like unto these storehouses and this wealth, there is
nothing in the whole world to be found. It is said that the tribute of
the city amounts every year to 20,000 gold pieces, derived both from
the rents of shops and markets, and from the tribute of merchants who
enter by sea or land.

The Greek inhabitants are very rich in gold and precious stones, and
they go clothed in garments of silk with gold embroidery, and they
ride horses, and look like princes. Indeed, the land is very rich in
all cloth stuffs, and in bread, meat, and wine.

[p.23]

Wealth like that of Constantinople is not to be found in the whole
world. Here also are men learned in all the books of the Greeks, and
they eat and drink every man under his vine and his fig-tree.

They hire from amongst all nations warriors called Loazim (Barbarians)
to fight with the Sultan Masud[47], King of the Togarmim (Seljuks),
who are called Turks; for the natives are not warlike, but are as
women who have no strength to fight.

No Jews live in the city, for they have been placed behind an inlet of
the sea. An arm of the sea of Marmora shuts them in on the one side,
and they are unable to go out except by way of the sea, when they want
to do business with the inhabitants[48]. In the Jewish quarter are
about 2,000 Rabbanite Jews and about 500 Karaïtes, and a fence divides
them. Amongst the scholars are several wise men, at their head being