Several attempts at a Franco-Mongol alliance against the Islamic caliphates were made by various leaders among the Frankish Crusaders and the Mongol Empire in the 13th century. Despite many messages, gifts, and emissaries, the often-proposed alliance never came to fruition. Modern historians debate whether an alliance between the Franks and Mongols would have been successful in shifting the balance of power in the region.
About Franco-Mongol alliance in brief
Several attempts at a Franco-Mongol alliance against the Islamic caliphates were made by various leaders among the Frankish Crusaders and the Mongol Empire in the 13th century. Despite many messages, gifts, and emissaries over the course of several decades, the often-proposed alliance never came to fruition. Modern historians debate whether an alliance between the Franks and Mongols would have been successful in shifting the balance of power in the region. The Mongols had already conquered many Christian and Muslim nations in their advance across Asia, and after destroying the Nizaris of Alamut and the Muslim Abbasid and Ayyubid dynasties, for the next few generations fought the Egyptian Mamluks. The Franks were open to the idea of support from the East, in part owing to the long-running legend of the mythical Prester John, an Eastern king in an Eastern kingdom who many believed would one day come to the assistance of the Crusaders in the Holy Land. In 1210, news reached the West of the battles of the Kuchlugian Empire, whose leader was the powerful Muslim leader Muhammad II Khwarezm. This legend developed a life of its own, and some individuals who might be sent by the East were greeted with expectations that they might be forces sent by prester John. Among Western Europeans, there had long rumors and expectations that a great Christian ally would come from the east. These rumors usually surged in popularity after the First Crusade, and usually surged after the Crusader lost a battle in India, Central Asia, or perhaps even Ethiopia.
In the 1210s and 1220s, news came that the Muslim leader of the Khwaremzian Empire had been battling the powerful Christian leader of Rumzm, whose forces had been largely the Naimans. This led to the creation of the Rumzzm Empire, which came to be known as the Khawarezm Khwarazm Empire. The Khawarem Kharazm was a powerful leader whose forces were largely the leader of largely the Christian tribe of Naiman, whose commander was Muhammad II Muhammad. In this battle, Muhammad II came to the aid of the Muslims, and the battle ended in a victory for the Muslims over the Kharezm khwarazms. The Crusaders lost the battle in 1291, and retreated to the island of Cyprus, where they remained until the Fall of Ruad in 1302. In 1312, the Mongols invaded Syria several times, sometimes in attempts at joint operations with the Franks, but the considerable logistical difficulties involved meant that forces would arrive months apart, never able to coordinate activities in any effective way. The Mongol Empire eventually dissolved into civil war, and the Egyptian Mamlamluks successfully recaptured all of Palestine and Syria from the crusaders. The Mongol Empire eventually died out in 1312 and was succeeded by the Mongol Ilkhanate in Persia, from its founder Hulagu through his descendants.
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This page is based on the article Franco-Mongol alliance published in Wikipedia (as of Nov. 05, 2020) and was automatically summarized using artificial intelligence.
