Historical Memory

The Mongol Empire, founded by Genghis Khan in 1206, was the largest contiguous land empire in history. It extended from the Pacific Ocean to the Danube River and the Persian Gulf, covering some 9 million square miles of territory. Rise of the Mongol Empire The empire emerged from the unification of several nomadic tribes in the Mongol heartland under the leadership of Temüjin, who is more famously known as Genghis Khan. The empire grew rapidly under his rule and that of his descendants, who sent out invading armies in every direction. Ilustration of Genghis Khan The vast transcontinental empire connected the East with the West, and the Pacific to the Mediterranean, in an enforced Pax Mongolica, allowing the exchange of trade, technologies, commodities, and ideologies across Eurasia. The map of the Mongol Empire at their greatest extent Fall of the Mongol Empire However, the empire began to split due to wars over succession, as the grandchildren of Genghis Khan disputed whether the roya

The French Revolution, a watershed moment in the late 18th century, forever altered the course of history, leaving an indelible mark on the socio-political landscape of not just France but the entire world. This post delves into the intricate tapestry of the French Revolution, exploring its historical roots, unfolding events, and far-reaching global impact. I. Background and Causes The Ancien Régime The roots of the French Revolution can be traced back to the oppressive Ancien Régime, characterized by an absolute monarchy, social inequality, and economic disparity. The monarchy, plagued by financial crises exacerbated by costly wars, triggered discontent among the populace. The Pyramid of the Ancien Regime in French Intellectual Enlightenment The Enlightenment thinkers' ideas, promoting reason, liberty, and equality, served as intellectual kindling. Works by Rousseau, Voltaire, and Montesquieu inspired a desire for political change and a dismantling of the existing societal structu

The Renaissance was a cultural, artistic, scientific and philosophical movement that lasted from the 14th to the 17th centuries in Europe. The Renaissance emerged under the leadership of humanist thinkers who worked to rediscover and develop the heritage of Ancient Greek and Roman civilizations. However, not only Ancient Greece and Rome but also Muslim culture had a significant impact on the emergence of the Renaissance. The Muslim Culture Muslim culture has spread over a wide geography by conquering regions such as the Middle East, North Africa, Spain, Sicily and Anatolia since the 7th century. Muslims created a rich civilization by interacting with the local cultures in the regions they conquered. Muslims also preserved and developed the works of the Ancient Greek and Roman civilizations in fields such as science, philosophy, mathematics, medicine, astronomy, architecture, literature and art by translating them into Arabic. Illustration of the Muslim Culture The contribution of Musli

Saladin, or Salahaddin, was the Sultan of Egypt and Syria who united the Muslim world under his rule and fought against the Crusaders in the 12th century CE. He is best known for his conquest of Jerusalem in 1187 CE, which ended almost nine decades of Christian rule over the holy city. In this blog post, we will explore how Saladin achieved this remarkable feat, how he showed his mercy and generosity to the defeated Christians, and what legacy he left for world history. The Rise of Saladin Saladin was born Yusuf Ibn Ayyub in the central Iraqi city of Tikrit in 1137 or 1138. His family was of Kurdish descent, and his father Ayyub and uncle Shirkuh were elite military leaders under the Zengid dynasty of Syria. He rose to prominence as a military commander under Nur al-Din, the Zengid ruler who fought against the Crusader states established by the First Crusade (1095-1099 CE). Saladin became the vizier of Egypt in 1169 CE, after overthrowing the Fatimid caliphate that ruled there. He then

The Thirty Years' War (1618-1648) was one of the most devastating wars in European history, causing the deaths of approximately 8 million people. The war, which initially started as a local conflict in Bohemia, eventually encompassed all of Europe and influenced the development of the modern age. Four Stages of The War - Bohemian Revolt (1618-1620) - Accession of Denmark (1625-1629) - Accession of Sweden (1630-1634) - Accession of France (1635-1648) What Caused This War? The Protestant Reformation had caused religious divisions and social unrest since 1517. This situation was tried to be resolved with the Peace of Augsburg in 1555. This peace treaty introduced the principle of cuius regio, eius religio ("whose territory, his religion"). Under this principle, a ruler could choose whether his territory would be Catholic or Lutheran (the only recognized Protestant denomination at the time). Illustration of The Protestant Revolution in 1517 Illustration of Peace of Augsburg i

The Crusades were a series of religious wars that took place between the 11th and 13th centuries, involving Christian armies from Europe and Muslim forces from the Middle East. The main goal of the Crusaders was to capture Jerusalem and the Holy Land, which were considered sacred by both faiths. The Crusades also had political, economic, and social motives, such as expanding feudal territories, seeking adventure and glory, or escaping poverty and oppression. [1] How The Crusades Began The Crusades began in 1095, when Pope Urban II called for a holy war against the Muslims who had conquered most of the Byzantine Empire and threatened to invade Europe. He promised spiritual rewards and indulgences for those who would join this holy event. Thousands of people responded to his call, forming the First Crusade, which managed to capture, and massacred Jerusalem in 1099 after a bloody siege. The Crusaders also murdered the Muslims who lived there and turned the holy city into a bloody city. Th

Al-Andalus is the common name of the Muslim states that controlled a large part of the Iberian Peninsula at various periods between 711 and 1492. The Arabic name Al-Andalus probably refers to the Vandals who invaded the peninsula in the 5th century. Politically, Al-Andalus was a province of the Umayyad Caliphate (711-750), the Emirate of Cordoba (750-929), the Cordoba Caliphate (929-1031), the first Taifa Kingdoms (1009-1110), the Almoravid Empire (1085-1145). ), the second Taifa period (1140-1203), the Almohad Caliphate (1147-1238), the third Taifa period (1232-1287) and finally the Granada Emirate (1238-1492).  Al-Andalus and their historical periods During the Cordoba Caliphate, the city of Cordoba became one of the leading cultural and economic centres in the Mediterranean Basin, Europe and the Islamic world. Achievements from Al-Andalus advanced Islamic and Western science. Significant advances have been made in fields such as trigonometry (Jabir bin Aflah), astronomy (Zarkali), s