Cambuscan

/kæmˈbjuːskən/ proper noun, adjective

Definition

Relating to or characteristic of Cambuscan, a legendary Tatar king featured in Chaucer's Canterbury Tales, particularly in 'The Squire's Tale.'

Etymology

From Chaucer's medieval epic 'The Canterbury Tales,' where Cambuscan is a fictional king of Tartary (Central Asia). Chaucer may have derived or invented the name to sound suitably exotic for an Eastern ruler in his 14th-century narrative.

Kelly Says

Chaucer invented Cambuscan and his magical kingdom as a frame for one of the most fantastical stories in all of English literature—the Squire's Tale includes flying horses and mysterious magical gifts that foreshadow modern science fiction.

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