From a Christian Saviour to a Mongol Ruler: The influence of Prester John's Glamour on the Muslim-Crusader Conflict in the Levant, 1140s-1250s

  • Ahmed Mohamed Sheir CNMS, Philipps-Universität Marburg & Damanhour University
Keywords: Crusaders, Prester John, Genghis Khan, Fifth Crusade, Crociati, Prete Gianni, Quinta Crociata

Abstract

Abstract

The crusading movement influenced Muslim-Crusader thoughts and imaginations. It, in turn, changed the way in which West and East perceived each other. Thereby the legends played a role in transferring some imaginative and legendary conceptions shaped the Crusades’ events. This paper studies the legend of Prester John and its development over space and time, examining how Prester John was perceived in the fact of a Christian saviour and a Mongol ruler during the 12th and 13th century. Additionally, I strive to measure the extent to which such connections and imaginations shaped the historical events of the conflict between the Muslims and the Crusaders at the time. Riassunto

Riassunto

Il fenomeno delle Crociate influenzò i pensieri e le fantasie musulmano-crociate. Esso, a sua volta, ha cambiato il modo in cui l'Occidente e l'Oriente si percepirono a vicenda. Pertanto, le leggende hanno giocato un ruolo nel trasferire alcune concezioni fantastiche e leggendarie che hanno plasmato gli eventi delle Crociate. Questo articolo studia la leggenda del Prete Gianni e il suo sviluppo nello spazio e nel tempo, esaminando come il Prete Gianni fu percepito come un salvatore cristiano e un sovrano mongolo durante il XII e XIII secolo. Inoltre, il saggio si impegna a misurare fino a che punto tali connessioni e fantasie hanno plasmato gli eventi storici del conflitto tra i Musulmani e i Crociati dell'epoca.

Author Biography

Ahmed Mohamed Sheir, CNMS, Philipps-Universität Marburg & Damanhour University

Ahmed Mohamed Sheir is a PhD. Researcher and Yousef Jameel Scholar, Centrum für Nah- und Mittelost-Studien (CNMS), Philipps-Universität Marburg. He is also a lecturer of medieval history at Damanhour University Egypt (in Study-leave since 2016). His ongoing PhD-dissertation discusses the legend of Prester John and its political reflection on the conflict between the Latin West and Muslim East during the Crusades, supervised by Prof. Albrecht Fuess, Marburg University, and Prof. Frank Rexroth, Göttingen University.

Published
2018-12-31
Section
Articles