View source for Franco-Mongol alliance
From RoyalWeb
Jump to:
navigation
,
search
===Third mission=== [[Image:Philippe IV Le Bel.jpg|thumb|[[Philip the Fair]] (1268-1314) sent an ambassador to the court of the Mongol leader [[Arghun]] (1258-1291), to try and arrange details of an alliance.<ref>Runciman, p. 399</ref> But Arghun died before anything could be achieved.<ref name=runciman-402/>]] In 1289, Arghun sent a third mission to Europe, in the person of [[Buscarel of Gisolfe]], a Genoese who had settled in Persia. The objective of the mission was to determine at what date concerted Christian and Mongol efforts could start. Arghun committed to march his troops as soon as the Crusaders had disembarked at [[Saint-Jean-d'Acre]]. Buscarel was in Rome between July 15 and September 30, 1289, and in Paris in November-December 1289. He remitted a letter from Arghun to Philippe le Bel, answering to Philippe's own letter and promises, offering the city of Jerusalem as a potential prize, and attempting to fix the date of the offensive from the winter of 1290 to spring of 1291:<ref>Runciman, p.401</ref> {{quote|"Under the power of the eternal sky, the message of the great king, Arghun, to the king of France..., said: I have accepted the word that you forwarded by the messengers under Saymer Sagura ([[Rabban Bar Sauma|Bar Sauma]]), saying that if the warriors of Il Khaan invade Egypt you would support them. We would also lend our support by going there at the end of the Tiger year’s winter [1290], worshiping the sky, and settle in Damascus in the early spring [1291]. If you send your warriors as promised and conquer Egypt, worshiping the sky, then I shall give you Jerusalem. If any of our warriors arrive later than arranged, all will be futile and no one will benefit. If you care to please give me your impressions, and I would also be very willing to accept any samples of French opulence that you care to burden your messengers with. I send this to you by Myckeril and say: All will be known by the power of the sky and the greatness of kings. This letter was scribed on the sixth of the early summer in the year of the Ox at Ho’ndlon."|Letter from Arghun to Philippe le Bel, 1289, France royal archives<ref>[http://chass.colostate-pueblo.edu/history/seminar/sauma/saumaletter.htm Alternative translation of Arghun's letter]</ref><ref>For another translation [http://www.pony-express.net/west-east/china/expo/catalogue_text/cat32_text.html here]</ref>}} <!-- Excellent quote that should be kept :) --> Buscarello was also bearing a memorandum explaining that the Mongol ruler would prepare all necessary supplies for the Crusaders, as well as 30,000 horses.<ref>Jean Richard, p.468</ref> Buscarel then went to England to bring Arghun's message to [[Edward I of England|King Edward I]]. He arrived in London January 5, 1290. Edward, whose answer has been preserved, answered enthusiastically to the project but remained evasive about its actual implementation, for which he deferred to the Pope.<ref>"Histoire des Croisades III", p.713, Rene Grousset.</ref> ====Assembly of a raiding naval force==== In a concrete example of military collaboration, a maritime raiding force consisting in two war galleys was prepared in [[Baghdad]] by a corps of Genoese, in order to curtail the maritime trade of the Mamluks. A contingent of 800 Genoese carpenters and sailors was sent in 1290 to Baghdad, as well as a force of arbaletiers, but the enterprise apparently foundered when the Genoese government ultimatey disowned the project, and an internal fight erupted at the [[Persian Gulf]] port of [[Basra]] among the Geneose (between the Guelfe and the Gibelin families).<ref>"Only a contingent of 800 Genoese arrived, whom he (Arghun) employed in 1290 in building shipd at Baghdad, with a view to harassing Egyptian commerce at the southern approaches to the Red Sea", p.169, Peter Jackson, ''The Mongols and the West''</ref><ref>Jean Richard, p.468</ref>
Return to
Franco-Mongol alliance
.
Views
Page
Discussion
View source
History
Personal tools
Log in
Navigation
Main page
Community portal
Current events
Recent changes
Random page
Help
Search
Toolbox
What links here
Related changes
Special pages
MOOCOW
Google AdSense