G
Grolsch
Guest
Alot of accusations have been made with regards to church history of late but as a student of history I thought I would try to put the medieval times in context. In preparation for an essay I’ve been reading **The Mongol Mission: Narratives and Letters of the Franciscan Missionaries in Mongolia and China in the Thirteenth and Fourteenth centuries **edited by the great Christopher Dawson.
In the appendix is a chilling letter sent by the Great Khan addressed to Pope Innocent IV. I found it fascinating and I think it illustrates the how perilous the times really were:
**GUYUK KHAN’S LETTER TO POPE INNOCENT IV (1246)
***We, by the power of the eternal heaven,
Khan of the great Ulus
Our command: -
This is a version sent to the great Pope, that he may know and understand in the [Muslim] tongue, what has been written. The petition of the assembly held in the lands of the Emperor [for our support], has been heard from your emissaries.
If he reaches [you] with his own report, Thou, who art the great Pope, together with all the Princes, come in person to serve us. At that time I shall make known all the commands of the Yasa.
You have also said that supplication and prayer have been offered by you, that I might find a good entry into baptism. This prayer of thine I have not understood. Other words which thou has sent me: “I am surprised that thou hast seized all the lands of the Magyar and the Christians. Tell us what their fault is.” These words of thine I have also not understood. The eternal God has slain and annihilated these lands and peoples, because they have neither adhered to Chingis Khan, nor to the Khagan, nor to the command of God. Like thy words, they also were impudent, they were proud and they slew our messenger-emissaries. How could anybody seize or kill by his own power contrary to the command of God?
Though thou likewise sayest I should become a trembling Nestorian Christian, worship God and be an ascetic, how knowest thou whom God absolves, in truth to whom He shows mercy? How dost thou know that such words as thou speakest are with God’s sanction? From the rising of the sun to its setting, all the lands have been made subject to me. Who could do this contrary to the command of God?
Now you should say with a sincere heart: “I will submit and serve you.” Thou thyself, at the head of all the Princes, come at once to serve and wait upon us! At that time I shall recognize your submission.
If you do not observe God’s command, and if you ignore my command, I shall know you as my enemy. Likewise I shall make you understand. If you do otherwise, God knows what I know.
At the end of Jumada the second in the year 644.
The Seal
We, by the power of the eternal Tengri, universal Khan of the great Mongol Ulus - our command. If this reaches peoples who have made their submission, let them respect and stand in awe of it.
*Fortunately for us the Pope did not capitulate. :bowdown2:
In the appendix is a chilling letter sent by the Great Khan addressed to Pope Innocent IV. I found it fascinating and I think it illustrates the how perilous the times really were:
**GUYUK KHAN’S LETTER TO POPE INNOCENT IV (1246)
***We, by the power of the eternal heaven,
Khan of the great Ulus
Our command: -
This is a version sent to the great Pope, that he may know and understand in the [Muslim] tongue, what has been written. The petition of the assembly held in the lands of the Emperor [for our support], has been heard from your emissaries.
If he reaches [you] with his own report, Thou, who art the great Pope, together with all the Princes, come in person to serve us. At that time I shall make known all the commands of the Yasa.
You have also said that supplication and prayer have been offered by you, that I might find a good entry into baptism. This prayer of thine I have not understood. Other words which thou has sent me: “I am surprised that thou hast seized all the lands of the Magyar and the Christians. Tell us what their fault is.” These words of thine I have also not understood. The eternal God has slain and annihilated these lands and peoples, because they have neither adhered to Chingis Khan, nor to the Khagan, nor to the command of God. Like thy words, they also were impudent, they were proud and they slew our messenger-emissaries. How could anybody seize or kill by his own power contrary to the command of God?
Though thou likewise sayest I should become a trembling Nestorian Christian, worship God and be an ascetic, how knowest thou whom God absolves, in truth to whom He shows mercy? How dost thou know that such words as thou speakest are with God’s sanction? From the rising of the sun to its setting, all the lands have been made subject to me. Who could do this contrary to the command of God?
Now you should say with a sincere heart: “I will submit and serve you.” Thou thyself, at the head of all the Princes, come at once to serve and wait upon us! At that time I shall recognize your submission.
If you do not observe God’s command, and if you ignore my command, I shall know you as my enemy. Likewise I shall make you understand. If you do otherwise, God knows what I know.
At the end of Jumada the second in the year 644.
The Seal
We, by the power of the eternal Tengri, universal Khan of the great Mongol Ulus - our command. If this reaches peoples who have made their submission, let them respect and stand in awe of it.
*Fortunately for us the Pope did not capitulate. :bowdown2: