Did the Mongols Create a More Diverse Islamic Identity?
Hist 291
Spring Term
Did the Mongols Create a More Diverse Islamic Identity?
The historical relationship between the Mongols and Islam can be described as ambivalent. Historians have traditionally viewed the Mongolian invasion of the Khwarazmia and the Abbasid Caliphate as destructive to the Islamic identity, because Islamic world-empires suffered a loss of political power, economic wealth, and human life; and the destruction of Baghdad resulted in the loss of Islamic multicultural and social cohesiveness. Recent studies, however, indicate that the Mongols facilitation of trade led to the spread Islam, which made it the global religion seen in present day. While the Mongols destroyed Islamic world-empires, they fostered a growing Muslim community beyond Islam’s Persian and Arabic origins. Therefore, the Mongols positively impacted Islam by creating a more geographically and ethnically diverse Islamic identity, which outweighs the negative impact caused by initial devastation. The destruction of Khwarazmia and the Abbasid Caliphate caused historians to view the Mongols as a negative impact on Islam because they essentially crippled Islamic world-empires. Before the Khwarazmian Empire was conquered, it was the main Islamic power bordering Mongolian controlled lands. It was established in 1205 within present-day Iran, Afghanistan, and Central Asia. The Empire was founded from conquered Abbasid and Seljuq territories, and ruled by Ala ad-Din Tekish. He was succeeded by his son Ala ad-Din Muhammad, the Khwarazmian ruler during the Mongolian invasion. The invasion destroyed any vestige of political power and economic wealth in the area, and caused a severe population decrease. Bukhara was the first city that was completely annihilated. Around twenty thousand Khwarazmian soldiers were killed during the initial battle. After Bukhara surrendered the Mongols entered the city pillaging and killing its citizens. Surviving soldiers were executed, while
Spring Term
Did the Mongols Create a More Diverse Islamic Identity?
The historical relationship between the Mongols and Islam can be described as ambivalent. Historians have traditionally viewed the Mongolian invasion of the Khwarazmia and the Abbasid Caliphate as destructive to the Islamic identity, because Islamic world-empires suffered a loss of political power, economic wealth, and human life; and the destruction of Baghdad resulted in the loss of Islamic multicultural and social cohesiveness. Recent studies, however, indicate that the Mongols facilitation of trade led to the spread Islam, which made it the global religion seen in present day. While the Mongols destroyed Islamic world-empires, they fostered a growing Muslim community beyond Islam’s Persian and Arabic origins. Therefore, the Mongols positively impacted Islam by creating a more geographically and ethnically diverse Islamic identity, which outweighs the negative impact caused by initial devastation. The destruction of Khwarazmia and the Abbasid Caliphate caused historians to view the Mongols as a negative impact on Islam because they essentially crippled Islamic world-empires. Before the Khwarazmian Empire was conquered, it was the main Islamic power bordering Mongolian controlled lands. It was established in 1205 within present-day Iran, Afghanistan, and Central Asia. The Empire was founded from conquered Abbasid and Seljuq territories, and ruled by Ala ad-Din Tekish. He was succeeded by his son Ala ad-Din Muhammad, the Khwarazmian ruler during the Mongolian invasion. The invasion destroyed any vestige of political power and economic wealth in the area, and caused a severe population decrease. Bukhara was the first city that was completely annihilated. Around twenty thousand Khwarazmian soldiers were killed during the initial battle. After Bukhara surrendered the Mongols entered the city pillaging and killing its citizens. Surviving soldiers were executed, while