Armenia Under the Mongols: Survival Between Khans and Sultans

Between the 13th and 14th centuries, Armenia found itself caught between the Mongol Ilkhanate and the Mamluk Sultanate. This episode explores how Armenian king Hethum I of Cilician Armenia voluntarily submitted to the Mongols, hoping to secure protection against the Seljuks and Mamluks. We trace Hethum's journey to the court of Möngke Khan in Karakorum, the subsequent alliance, and the devastating consequences after the Mongols converted to Islam. The episode covers the sack of Baghdad in 1258, the battle of Ain Jalut, and the eventual collapse of Cilician Armenia under Mamluk attacks. We also discuss the heavy tribute imposed on Greater Armenia by the Mongols, the role of Armenian soldiers in Mongol armies, and the cultural exchanges that occurred—including the borrowing of Mongol motifs in Armenian manuscript illumination. By the end, listeners will understand how Armenia's strategic submission became a double-edged sword, leading to both temporary autonomy and eventual destruction. #HethumI #MongolRule #CilicianArmenia #Ilkhanate #Baghdad1258 #AinJalut #MamlukSultanate #Karakorum #MöngkeKhan #Kitbuqa #MedievalArmenia #ArmenianHistory #CrossroadsOfEmpires #MongolInvasion #ArmenianManuscripts #History #FexingoHistory #Caucasus Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo