The Mongol “Other” The Mongol “Other”: Exploring Representations of a Mysterious and Distant Nation in Western European Sources of the 13th Century

Abstract

The Mongol Empire, founded by Chinggis Khan (Чингис хаан)[1], was the most extense empire in history. It covered a vast area from eastern China to southern Persia, and reached Hungary in the west. The empire’s fast growth in the 13th century surprised the whole world, including Western Europe which knew little about the Mongols, often called Tartars, at that time. This study analyses how these portrayals were different according to the authors’ contact with the Mongols, and how they changed over a few decades, from viewing them as an enigmatic ally against Islam or a negligible pagan society, to being considered “wild barbarians” and eventually an exotic, mysterious and powerful nation. This paper suggests that Mongol representations in chronicles, letters, and travel accounts were influenced by factors such as cultural differences, geographical distance, and European political and religious identities. It provides valuable insight into how the West perceived the Mongols during the 13th century, illuminating the broader cultural and historical context of the time.

[1] To ensure accuracy and clarity, all Mongolian names will be provided along with their transliterated forms in the Cyrillic alphabet, considering the variations that may appear in Western sources