Afanasy Nikitin, often referred to as the Russian Marco Polo, was one of the first Europeans to reach India. In 1466, Afanasy Nikitin, a merchant from Tver, embarked on a trading expedition to Persia. Such an operation was too costly for one person to finance alone, so most of the goods were purchased on borrowed funds. Long-distance trade in those days was extremely risky but highly profitable. The Volga trade route had been used for over 500 years, and everything was going well until the merchants reached Astrakhan. At the mouth of the river, the ships were robbed by Astrakhan Tatars, and all the goods were lost. The way back home was blocked—creditors and debtor’s prison awaited Nikitin in Tver. In all eras, merchants were adventurers to some degree, but in the Middle Ages, they were especially so, as trade was one of the most perilous endeavors possible at the time. Nikitin reasoned wisely: since returning to Tver was not an option, he decided to try finding some profitable goods on the spot. He traveled along the Caspian coast to Derbent and then to Baku, where, however, he found no suitable goods. His search led him to Hormuz. Today, it's a small town of 5,000 people, but in the 15th century, it was a crossroads of Asia's trade routes. After mingling with merchants, Nikitin learned that purebred horses could be sold very profitably in India. Afanasy bought a fine stallion and set out for Hindustan. However, the information proved false, and he failed to make a profitable trade. For refusing to convert to Islam, Nikitin nearly lost his life, and he sold the horse at a loss. He spent three years in India. During his entire journey, Nikitin kept a journal, known to us as "The Journey Beyond Three Seas." In these travel notes, Afanasy describes his route, exotic animals, and the customs of the people in India. He had a hard time there and longed deeply for his homeland. The journey back took him through Hormuz again. From there, he traveled to Trebizond, where he was captured by the Turks and lost his last belongings. After escaping captivity, he made his way to Smolensk via Kaffa and Podolia with Russian merchants. In Smolensk, Afanasy Nikitin passed away. His writings were handed over to the clerk of the Moscow sovereign, Vasily Momyriev. Thanks to this clerk, Afanasy Nikitin's notes were later included in several chronicles, expanding the Russian elite's understanding of the world.