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The Turco-Mongol Invasions and the Lords of Armenia in the 13 ...

The Turco-Mongol Invasions and the Lords of Armenia in the 13 ...

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It is a known fact that at <strong>the</strong> time <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Mongol</strong><br />

conquests <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> early <strong>13</strong>th century <strong>the</strong> <strong>Mongol</strong>s were<br />

characterized by <strong>the</strong>ir religious tolerance, or perhaps,<br />

" <strong>13</strong>7<br />

<strong>in</strong>difference. <strong>The</strong>y <strong>the</strong>mselves were for <strong>the</strong> most part<br />

»<br />

shamanists, although some prom<strong>in</strong>ent families among <strong>the</strong>m<br />

were Nestorian Christians, hav<strong>in</strong>g received <strong>the</strong> faith from<br />

Syrian missionaries to Central Asia . Consequently,<br />

throughout <strong>the</strong> <strong>13</strong>th century, certa<strong>in</strong> <strong>in</strong>dividual <strong>Mongol</strong><br />

leaders exerted <strong>the</strong>mselves to fur<strong>the</strong>r certa<strong>in</strong> Christian<br />

lords (both clerical <strong>and</strong> secular) subject to <strong>the</strong>m. <strong>The</strong><br />

Khans <strong>the</strong>mselves adroitly manipulated <strong>the</strong> anti-Muslim<br />

sentiments <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir Christian subjects for <strong>the</strong>ir own<br />

2<br />

military <strong>and</strong> foreign policy objectives . this situation<br />

changed with <strong>the</strong> Islamization first <strong>of</strong> Ahmad-Khan<br />

(1282-84), <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong>n, irrevocably, with Ghazan's conversion.<br />

Christianity quickly passed from <strong>the</strong> status <strong>of</strong> .a favored religion<br />

to that <strong>of</strong> a tolerated religion. Anti-Christian persec-<br />

utions began almost at once, <strong>and</strong> though checked dur<strong>in</strong>g<br />

part <strong>of</strong> Ghazan's reign, <strong>the</strong>y became <strong>the</strong> rule ra<strong>the</strong>r than<br />

<strong>the</strong> exception under his <strong>in</strong>tolerant successors . Now that <strong>the</strong><br />

(London, 1928),<br />

(Ne Fall <strong>of</strong> Christianity <strong>in</strong> Medieval Asia", Journal <strong>of</strong> Religious<br />

History #2 (1968) pp. 93-104; See SMP ch"T~7^ATSausani,<br />

"Religion under <strong>the</strong> <strong>Mongol</strong>s" ,pp. 538-49.<br />

2 SMP pp. 370-71.<br />

3 SMP pp. 379-80, 542. Dur<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> first part <strong>of</strong> Ghazan's<br />

reign, persecution was severe (SA p. 164). K<strong>in</strong>g Het'um<br />

<strong>of</strong> Cilician <strong>Armenia</strong> was able to calm Ghazan's wrath

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