Friar Julian was one of a group of Hungarian Dominican friars who, in 1235, left Hungary in order to find those Magyars who — according to the chronicles — remained in the eastern homeland. After a great distance, Friar Julian reached the capital of Volga Bulgaria, where he was told that the Magyars lived only two days' travel away. Julian found them, and despite the gap of 300 years since the split between the Magyars that invaded and settled in Pannonia and those that remained in the steppes, their language remained mutually intelligible, and they were able to communicate. Julian named the old country Magna Hungaria or Great Hungary. He became aware of stories about the infamous Tartars, who were the enemies of the eastern Magyars and Bulgars. Two years after the original journey, Julian returned to Magna Hungaria, only to find it had been devastated by the Mongol Tartars. He returned to his kingdom with news of mortal danger and a Mongol ultimatum to Hungary.
