How big was it at it's height, and how much Zoas and how much Christian was involved in it's creation? 90% Christian or what?
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Christianity had little to do with Manicheaism - the latter sprang mostly from Zoroastrian thought. Indeed, the two were rivals in the Roman Empire in the years before Constantine's conversion. Now later on, there was Manichean influence in several heretical sects of Christianity...
It does have some Christian elements in it, in the same way as Islam. The basis is Zoroastrian though. Not that I am an expert on it...
As Havard has said the letter was real but of course there was no Prester John. But in the mind of Medieval Europe he was real and many thought his powerful Christian kingdom would come to Europe's aid to stop in invading armies of the east.
Later when the threat of invading armies was gone the memory of Prester John lived on.
I forget which year and which Pope. But an emissary was sent by the Pope to try to find the kingdom of Prester John. As I said my memory of this is confused but it may have been this emissary that brought the "letter" back.
If so it was a master stroke of propaganda because even in the darkest days Europe always believed that they were not alone and that they had a powerful ally.