Reflection of Mongolian Imperial Ideas in the Medieval Syrian SourcesВосток / OriensSyriaca.org: The Syriac Reference PortalThe National Endowment for the HumanitiesThe International Balzan Prize FoundationDavid A. Michelsoncbsc_adminRecord added to Zotero bycbsc_adminSyriaca.org: The Syriac Reference Portalhttp://syriaca.org/cbss/5K2KK2ZP/tei
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CREATED: This bibl record was autogenerated from a Zotero record.Yuliy I.DrobyshevReflection of Mongolian Imperial Ideas in the Medieval Syrian Sourceshttp://syriaca.org/cbss/5K2KK2ZPhttps://www.zotero.org/groups/a_comprehensive_bibliography_on_syriac_studies/items/5K2KK2ZPhttps://www.zotero.org/groups/4861694/items/5K2KK2ZPВосток / Oriens1202119-30The article continues the theme of reflection of the Mongol imperial ideology in medieval sources of countries and regions faced with the Mongol invasion in the 13th century [Drobyshev, 2019, Drobyshev, 2020]. The peculiarities of mentality, cultural traditions, including those related to annals, the nature of the Mongol invasion and formation of the Mongol power in occupied lands determined the differences in the perception of this new formidable political force. Syrian historiography during the Mongol rule was firmly adhered to the tradition laid down by the Roman historian Eusebius of Caesarea (CA. 265–339/340) in his famous “Ecclesiastical history”. In view of the absence of a secular Syriac-speaking upper class, it was exclusively religious, addressed to educated priests and monks, therefore, all events were considered by its authors as the unfolding of the plan for the salvation of mankind by God. Based on this premise, the Syrian authors chose the facts of political or military history, placing in place every person who acted according to the will of Divine Providence, including, of course, the Mongols – from the great khans to ordinary soldiers. This peculiarity of Syrian historiography opens a new frontier in our understanding of the Mongols’ aggressive plans, the claims of their khans to universal rule, and the methods of justifying these claims for the conquered peoples. The author focuses on the anonymous “History of Mar Yahballaha III and Rabban Sauma” and “The General History” by Abu’l-Faraj, and also draws on a number of other, less widely known sources. It is shown that in line with the Syrian historiography, which obviously continues an ancient regional tradition, there are differences in denomination of the Mongol rulers (khan/khagan), and the universality of the local Mongol power is exaggerated, however, there is no information about the Mongols’ plans to conquer “the whole world”. Indeed, the focus of Syrian historians is on rulers of the Ilkhanate, who determined policy in the Middle East in those years and had a significant influence on religious climate of the region, often favoring Christians.
Drobyshev, Yuliy I. “Reflection of Mongolian Imperial Ideas in the Medieval Syrian Sources.” Восток / Oriens 1 (2021): 19–30. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.31857/S086919080013354-6.
Yuliy I. Drobyshev, Reflection of Mongolian Imperial Ideas in the Medieval Syrian Sources,Восток / Oriens 1 (2021): 19–30, https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.31857/S086919080013354-6.BarhebraeusJacobitesMongolsNestoriansVII-XVIII CEXIII CEYahbalaha IIIhistoriography