Hulagu Khan Influence

HIST 223

Research Paper

Professor Tan Ying Jia

Harry Yahao Jiang

Influence of Hulagu Khan’s Personal Hatred of Islamism on Mongol’s Westward Expansion

Mongols accumulated vast amount of territories through its frequent and aggressive military expansions. As a result of a series of successful invasive campaigns, the Mongol Empire, which originated in the steeps of Central Asia, stretched from Central Europe to the Sea of Japan, reaching as North as Siberia, as East as Indian subcontinent and Iranian plateau, and westwards as far as the Arabia. Mongol’s success can be categorized into two major expansions. During the first one, Mongols employed fake retreat tactics and wiped out Xi Xia in 1209, attacked Jin Dynasty in 1911 and even went to

Although Chinese dynasties had long been in contact with Islamic cultures and people by that time, yet previous dynasties had been dodging direct conflicts with them. As powerful and open as Tang was, it never expanded towards west. Previous dynasties were definitely aware of the existence of Muslim power to their west but never dared to demonstrate military power, because these dynasties might even consider themselves as inferior in military, medicine, astronomy and etc. When time came to Hulagu, his Mongol army showed absolutely no Islamophobia and brutally sacked Islamic empires.

This current research paper is composed to contemplate the hidden reason behind Mongol’s westward expansion. From my perspective and analyses of some primary resources, I believe religion issue played an undeniable part among many other reasons. Even Hulagu’s personal religion perspective, background, and hatred for Islamism could be essential reasons behind these military

The onset of westward invasion was under Hulagu’s command. The unique decision to focus on west could be attributed to many reasons, but as evident in many primary resources, I tend to make the argument that religion played a very important role. To be more specific, Hulagu’s personal background caused his hatred towards anything related to Islamism which later resulted in his determination to completely destroy the city of Baghdad and Islamic culture.

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Bibliography

• Weatherford, Jack (2004). Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World. Three Rivers Press. ISBN 0-609-80964-4. p. 69

• Weatherford, Jack (2004). Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World. Three Rivers Press. ISBN 0-609-80964-4. p. 135

• Hildinger, Erik (1997). Warriors of the Steppe: A Military History of Central Asia, 500 B.C. to 1700 A.D. Da Capo Press. ISBN 0-306-81065-4.

• New Yorker, April 25, 2005, Ian Frazier, "Invaders - Destroying Baghdad"

• Richard. "What Hulegu was offering was an alliance. And, contrary to what has long been written by the best authorities, this offer was not in response to appeals from the Franks." pp. 421–422

• Thierry Delcourt, Letter from Hulagu to Saint Louis, quoted in Les Croisades,