Why was the Mongol expedition religiously tolerant? Is the Great Zaza the Cause?
The Mongols pursued a tolerant religious policy in the conquered territories, unlike the Arabs who tried to convert other Persian sects. After the capture of Baghdad, Hulegu strictly adhered to Genghis Khan's "Great Zaza", and implemented this policy, which had a significant impact on sectarian relations in Baghdad.
Under the influence of Genghis Khan's religious ideas, the descendants of the Mongol Empire adopted a tolerant attitude towards the religious beliefs of the conquered regions. There are deep-seated reasons for the implementation of this policy.
First, the Mongols' policy of religious tolerance is closely linked to their original religious beliefs. The earliest beliefs of the Mongols were primitive religions, and they revered the immortal heaven as the supreme god.
The basic tenets of primitive religion asserted animism and supported polytheistic worship. This is very different in doctrine from monotheistic religions such as Judaism, Islam, and ** religion.
Primitive religions were more inclusive than monotheistic religions, which allowed the Mongols to embrace the various religions of the conquered regions under the influence of primitive religious beliefs.
The Mongol Empire's policy of religious tolerance was based on two main factors: external expansion and the need for talent. The Mongols, who had a primitive religion, began to come into contact with different sects when they conquered new territories.
However, primitive religious beliefs were unable to appease and unite the various sects, so Genghis Khan adopted a general policy of religious tolerance to promote the harmony of the various religious groups.
In addition, in order to maintain the rule of the empire, the Mongol Empire was in dire need of various talents. As a nomadic people with little experience in centralized administration, they actively sought out learned people to assist in the management of the empire.
In the Middle Ages, religious schools were the main source of education, and as a result, the Mongols welcomed representatives of various denominations to serve the imperial court.
After the conquest of Baghdad, the Ilkhanate followed the rules of the Great Zaza and pursued a policy of religious tolerance. But in the actual process of rule, the degree of reliance on various religions varied.
Baghdad's religious beliefs are diverse, including Islam, religion, Judaism and Buddhism, but Islam and religion are the main ones. During the reigns of Hülegü (1256-1265) and Abha (1265-1282), they gave a certain degree of support to the development of the ** religion.
During Hülegü's conquest of Baghdad, the protection of Egukrotun allowed the ** disciples to be given preferential treatment in Hulegu's controlled area. However, under Ahma's rule (1282-1284), Islamic influences began to spread among the royal family.
Although Aruhun (1284-1291) and Haihedu (1291-1295) tried to prevent the Ilkhanate from converting to Islam, they also gave many imperial positions to ** and Jews during their reigns.
However, by the reign of Ghazan Khan (1295-1304), Islam had achieved a remarkable victory.
In 1295, Ghazan Khan chose Islam as the state religion of the Ilkhanate, and Mongol ministers converted to this religion one after another. Although later rulers still pursued a policy of tolerance, other religions such as ** religion and Judaism could no longer be compared with Islam.
The rulers of the Ilkhanate valued different religious sects in the final analysis to maintain their rule. Before the Mongol conquest of Baghdad, the Abbasids were already a predominantly Muslim state, and they dominated the political arena.
However, ** Christians and other non-Muslims within the empire suffered severely.
In the early days of his regime in Baghdad, Hulegu knew the need to gain the support of non-Muslims in order to consolidate his power. At the same time, the Ilkhanate, in the process of building empires for the conquest of other states, actively sought the assistance of sects such as **.
However, the Ilkhanate's support for other sects provoked strong resentment among Muslims. In order to appease these angry Muslims and gain their wider support, the Ilkhan began to use Muslims again.
In addition, the Mongols, as a nomadic people, had a relatively low level of civilization. The Abbasids before it were a powerful empire that ruled for more than 500 years, and the Islamic civilization was glorious and far-reaching.
After the Mongols replaced the Abbasid rule, they had frequent contact with various sects in the Islamic world and were naturally susceptible to the influence of other sects and civilizations.
It is important to note that the religious tolerance of Mongolians is not exactly the same as the freedom of religion or belief that prevails today. Today's freedom of religion emphasizes equal treatment of all denominations, while Mongolian religious tolerance is a relative concept.
Compared to the religious policies of the Arabs, the Mongols were progressive in that they were able to accept the existence of other sects. However, religious oppression remained in place during the Ilkhanate's rule in Baghdad.
For example, after Hulegu's conquest of Baghdad, he killed Sunni Muslims on a large scale as a warning. Brayius of the Jacobites noted that Ahma, after converting to Islam, deprived non-Muslims of all privileges and imposed a policy of oppression on them.
After Ghazan Khan converted to Islam, he also implemented a policy of suppression of Buddhism and ** religion.
The religious policy of the Ilkhanate had a profound impact on sectarian relations in Baghdad. This policy has led to a decline in the status of the Sunni sect of Islam and an increase in the status of the Shia sect.
Before the Mongol conquest of Baghdad, the Sunni sect of Islam had been the ruling wing of the Abbasid dynasty. However, during the reign of the Abbasids, the Sunnis remained in the ascendancy despite the fierce struggle between the two factions.
However, a change in policy in the Ilkhanate led to a decline in the status of the Sunnis, while the status of the Shiites increased.
After the conquest of Baghdad by Hülegü, Sunni rule collapsed, and the Shiites were pardoned and grew rapidly. The Shiites had an important influence on the court of the Ilkhanate, and Hilla became its academic center.
Although Ghazan Khan converted to Sunnis, he highly appreciated Shiism. Centuries-old tensions between Sunnis and Shiites improved during the reign of the Ilkhanates.
Under the Mongol Empire, Baghdad was elevated to the status of ** religion and Judaism, which were on an equal footing with Islam. This is due to the fact that the Ilkhan's policy of religious tolerance has deprived Muslims of their former privileges, while the status of members of other sects has been elevated in Muslim areas.
During the reign of the Abbasids, these non-Muslim sects had been the object of exploitation and oppression, but after the Mongol conquest of Baghdad, their situation improved considerably.
Non-Muslims rose under the rule of the Ilkhanate, such as the Jewish Safi Tara during the reign of Aruhun, who was appointed Minister of Finance and Chief Strategist.
These examples reflect the challenge that the religious policies of the Ilkhanate pose to the Muslims of Baghdad, who have gone from being rulers and privileged classes to being governed and oppressed and exploited, as well as facing competition from non-Muslim sects such as the Ilkhanate and the Jewish religion.
Original text: The impact of the Ilkhanate on the reconstruction and management of Baghdad The Mongol conquest caused serious damage and losses to Baghdad, but their reconstruction and management of Baghdad had a certain positive impact on the restoration of Baghdad's economic and social life.
In general, the influence of the Mongols on Baghdad rule was manifested in the following three main aspects:
Politically, the rule of the Ilkhanate brought about a stable environment for the recovery and development of Baghdad. However, in the latter part of the Abbasid period, social unrest, separatist forces arose, the caliphate's power weakened, popular uprisings continued, and the economy declined.
The Mongols put an end to this chaos by violent means, and then appointed new administrators to rebuild and manage the work. Under the new Muslim** administration, Baghdad is gradually on the road to revival.
It can be said that the Mongols inadvertently became the promoters of history, pushing the development of Muslim history. On the other hand, under the rule of the Ilkhanate, Baghdad was reduced to the status of a provincial capital city of the empire, and its scale and importance could no longer be compared with the new capital of the Ilkhanate and Tabriz, the center of the international **.
On an economic level, the Ilkhanate's administration of Baghdad brought the city back to life. In the latter part of the Abbasid dynasty, due to political turmoil and prolonged war, Baghdad's agriculture and commerce began to decline and fell into economic difficulties.
However, after the Mongol takeover of Baghdad, the political situation became relatively stable, and people could engage in agricultural production with peace of mind. Local authorities in Baghdad have taken a series of measures to promote economic development, such as strengthening the maintenance of irrigation systems, vigorously developing the east and west, and formulating a series of policies to protect commerce.
In particular, during the administration of Baghdad by Arauddin al-Zifeni, there was a remarkable recovery and development of Baghdad's socio-economic and urban life.
The rule of the Mongols provided a guarantee for the continuation and development of Islamic civilization. After Hülegü's conquest of Baghdad, he ordered Nasuradin to establish an observatory in Baghdad.
In addition to this, he also established institutions such as medical research institutes and seminaries. By the time of Ghazan Khan, Islam was designated as the state religion, and Islamization was fully implemented, allowing Islamic civilization to continue to flourish and develop.
Therefore, it is clear that there was a lasting blend between the Mongol and Islamic civilizations at that time.