Ibn al-athir Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Ibn al-athir - Essay Example The document was perhaps written in Mesopotamia since the Arab historian lived in Mosul, a place located in Northern Iraq. The document seems to be a narrative of secondhand information about the Tatars. The author had described the stories he heard about the atrocities of the Tatars. For instance, he stated â€Å"It is now time for us to describe how they first burst forth into the lands. Stories have been related to me, which the hearer can scarcely credit, as to the terror of the Tatars, which God Almighty cast into men’s hearts; so that it is said that a single one of them would enter a village or a quarter wherein were many people, and would continue to slay them one after another, none daring to stretch forth his hand against this horseman†. Ibn al-Athir wrote a document about the exploits of ‘horsemen’ from China, specifically referring to the Mongols led by Genghis Khan. The document was written for those who are interested in knowing the nature or characteristics of Mongol invaders. The author specifically addresses the Muslims who were victimized by the cruelties of these conquerors. It seems that the author wants to rekindle the religious zeal of the Muslims who, historically, were insulted and slighted by the ‘bizarre’ religion of the Tatars: â€Å"As for their religion, they worship the sun when it rises, and regard nothing as unlawful, for they eat all beasts, even dogs, pigs, and the like†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The main point of the document is that the Tatars were obviously mighty conquerors, whose conquests should be admired by all, but were clearly ‘barbaric’, ‘profane’, and ‘savage’. The author described how these invaders inflicted sufferings in the lands they swept into. They were successful conquerors but the unspeakable horrors they perpetrated should cast them as savages in the eyes of God. The author enumerated the territories conquered by this invading horde and, at the same time, commenting about the