Posted on 01/02/2010 9:42:37 AM PST by Steelfish
Vatican Reveals Secret Archives
A 13th-century letter from Genghis Khan’s grandson demanding homage from the pope is among a collection of documents from the Vatican’s Secret Archives that has been published for the first time.
By Nick Squires in Rome 01 Jan 2010
In a letter dated 1246 from Grand Khan Guyuk, pictured, to Pope Innocent IV, Genghis Khan's grandson demands that the Pontiff travel to central Asia in person
The Holy See’s archives contain scrolls, parchments and leather-bound volumes with correspondence dating back more than 1,000 years. High-quality reproductions of 105 documents, 19 of which have never been seen before in public, have now been published in a book. The Vatican Secret Archives features a papal letter to Hitler, an entreaty to Rome written on birch bark by a tribe of North American Indians, and a plea from Mary Queen of Scots.
The book documents the Roman Catholic Church’s often hostile dealings with the world of science and the arts, including documents from the heresy trial against Galileo and correspondence exchanged with Erasmus, Voltaire and Mozart. It also reveals the Church’s relations with princes and potentates in countries far beyond its dominion.
In a letter dated 1246 from Grand Khan Guyuk to Pope Innocent IV, Genghis Khan’s grandson demands that the pontiff travel to central Asia in person – with all of his “kings” in tow – to “pay service and homage to us” as an act of “submission”, threatening that otherwise “you shall be our enemy”.
(Excerpt) Read more at telegraph.co.uk ...
*ping*
Ya have to hand it to Pope Innocent—at least HE knew who the evil guys are. Our poser is just one of them.
Just read a history of the Mongols and this played an important part of that story.
Rather common occurrence throughout history. I remember reading of a King in central Africa who wanted Queen Victoria to come and bow to him.
Homage or tribute?
"Don't make me go Conan on you!"
Just watching the clock to see how long it will take to turn this into another Catholic bashing thread......
Um...Kublai Khan was not a Muslim. The Mongols were not Muslim!
Wonder if it includes the papal correspondence authorizing the capture and death of the Templars?
If so, they won’t go unanswered.
If so, they won’t go unanswered.
Vatican reveals Secret Archives (including letter from Genghis Khan's grandson)
The article fails to mention the Vatican donated a million dollars to the Confederates.
Your point is generally accurate. However, their history is deeply intertwined with the Moslems
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islam_in_Mongolia
You got that right! 1...2...3...
5-4-3-2-......
Quite true, Tamar. Not at that time, anyhow.
The turning point seems to be around 1294, when Ghazan became the first Muslim Mongol heritage to rule the Il-Khanate, and all rulers of Persia since him have been Muslim. Ghazan was Sunni, but tolerant of Shi'ites. But not of Buddhists or Christians: Ghazan destroyed and looted Christian churches, and converted all Buddhist temples to mosques. Ghazan replaced traditional Mongol law with the Sharia (Islamic code of law), and adopted Islamic military codes for the Mongol army. At Ghazan's death in 1304, virtually all Mongol elements in the Il-Khanate had been absorbed into Islamic culture.
This is a very interesting article. I just don't understand the exclamation mark in your title. Even if your addition to the title were accurate, so what? It's 750 years ago, +/-.
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