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| '''''Viam agnoscere veritatis''''' is a name used to refer to |
'''''Viam agnoscere veritatis''''' is a name used to refer to several letters written by ] to the Khan of the Mongol. Two of the letters, also known as ], are sometimes referred to as '''''Dei patris immensa''''' (written on March 5, 1245) and '''''Cum non Solum''''' (March 13, 1245), both of which have been published in the "MGH", the '']''. These first two letters were written slightly before the ] in 1245. A third letter, a reply to a message from ], was sent on November 22, 1248. | ||
| ===''Dei patris immensa''=== | ===''Dei patris immensa''=== | ||
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Viam agnoscere veritatis is a name used to refer to several letters written by Pope Innocent IV to the Khan of the Mongol. Two of the letters, also known as Papal bulls, are sometimes referred to as Dei patris immensa (written on March 5, 1245) and Cum non Solum (March 13, 1245), both of which have been published in the "MGH", the Monumenta Germaniae Historica. These first two letters were written slightly before the First Council of Lyon in 1245. A third letter, a reply to a message from Baichu, was sent on November 22, 1248.
Dei patris immensa
The first bull, written on March 5, 1245, was an exposition of the Christian faith, and urged Mongols to accept baptism. It was designed to be carried by the Franciscan papal envoy Brother Laurentius of Portugal., although it is unclear whether the latter's embassy ever left.
Excerpt of the letter:
"... regi et populo Tartarorum viam agnoscere veritatis. Humana enim natura, cum esset rationalis, erat eterna veritate tanquam optimo suo cibo pascenda; set pena peccati mortalibus detenta vinculis ad hoc est diminutionis redacta, ut per coniecturas rerum visibilium ad intelligenda invisibilia niteretur cibi rationalis. Pro humani ergo redemptione generis se hostiam exhibens, et demum resurgens a mortuis ac in celum ascendens, vicarium sibi reliquit in terris, cui animarum curam commisit, tradens sibi claves regni celorum, per quas ipse suique per eum successores potestatem aperiendi omnibus et claudendi eiusdem regni ianuam obtinerent. Unde predicti vicarii disponente Domino nos licet inmeriti successores effecti, ad vestram aliorumque salutem nostre intentionis dirigimus aciem, ut errantes in viam veritatis educere omnesque lucrifacere Deo valeamus. propter quod ad vos dilectum filium fratrem Laurentium de Protugal et socios eius latores presentium ordinis fratrum Minorum, ut ipsum Dei filium Iesum Christum salutaribus eorum eruditionibus agnoscentes, suum gloriosum nomen Christinae fidei observatione colatis, duxmius destinando. “
— MGH Epp. Saec. XIII 2, No. 102 (Lyon, 5. March 1245)
Cum non Solum
In Cum non Solum, written on March 13, 1245, Pope Innocent appeals to the Mongols to desist from attacking Christians and other nations, and inquires as to the Mongols' future intentions. Innocent also expresses a desire for peace (possibly unaware that in the Mongol vocabulary, "peace" is a synonym for "subjection"). This message was carried by the Franciscan John of Plano Carpini, who succesfully reached the Mongol capital of Karakorum, where he attended the election of the new Khan Guyuk. The new Mongol khan Güyük was installed at Karakorum on April 8, 1246 and received numerous personalities and ambassadors from foreign countries including John of Plano Carpini: the Grand Duc of Moscow Yaroslav II of Vladimir, the incumbents for the throne of Georgia, the brother of the king of Armenia Sempad, the future Seljukid Kilij Arslan IV, ambassadors of the Baghdad Califate and of the emperor of India..
Guyuk replied to the Pope's letter with a demand for his submission and a visit from the rulers of the West in homage to Mongol power:
"You must say with a sincere heart: "We will be your subjects; we will give you our strength". You must in person come with your kings, all together, without exception, to render us service and pay us homage. Only then will we acknowledge your submission. And if you do not follow the order of God, and go against our orders, we will know you as our enemy."
— Letter from Güyük to Pope Innocent IV, 1246.
Viam agnoscere veritatis
A third document, which was probably transmitted through the returning Mongol envoys Aïbeg and Serkis, was dated November 22, 1248, and was the Pope's reply to a letter from Baiju. According to historian Kenneth Setton, it "stated that Innocent IV had acted out of a sense of duty to let the true religion be known to the Mongols, and that he regretted the Mongols' perseverance in their errors and adjured them to cease their menaces."
The envoys Aïbeg and Serkis had stayed at Lyon for about a year, before returning to the Mongol realm on November 22, 1248. In his communications to the envoys, the Pope appealed to the Mongols to stop their killing of Christians, and in the response he remitted to them deplored the delays in establishing a general alliance between the Christians and the Mongols. Runciman also states that Aibeg and Sarkis returned to the Mongol realm in November 1248, "with complaints that nothing further was happening about the alliance".
See also
Notes
- ^ Jackson, p. 88
- http://mdz10.bib-bvb.de/~db/bsb00000516/images/index.html?id=00000516&fip=24.217.151.203&no=11&seite=91
- Roux, p.313, "Of the first mission, of which Laurent of Portugal was put in charge, nothing is known, and it is not impossible that it never left". Original French: "De la première mission, confiée à Laurent de Portugal, on ne sait rien et il n'est pas impossible qu'elle ne partit jamais."
- Jackson, p. 90
- http://mdz10.bib-bvb.de/~db/bsb00000516/images/index.html?id=00000516&fip=24.217.151.203&no=8&seite=94
- Catholic Encyclopedia, "The Crusades"
- Jean-Paul Roux, L'Asie Centrale, p.312
- David Wilkinson, Studying the History of Intercivilizational Dialogues
- Quoted in Michaud, Yahia (Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies) (2002). Ibn Taymiyya, Textes Spirituels I-XVI". Chap XI
- Also quoted in Roux, Histoire de l'Empire Mongol, p.315
- Roux, Histoire de l'Empire Mongol, p.316: "Sergis et Aibeg were finally sent back on November 22, 1248, with an answer, known as Viam agnoscere veritatis" (Original French quote: "Serbeg et Aibeg furent finalement congédiés le 22 Novembre 1248 avec une réponse, la lettre connue comme Viam agnoscere veritatis").
- Setton, p.522 "The Pope's reply to Baidju's letter, Viam agnoscere veritatis, dated November 22, 1248, and probably carried back by Aibeg and Sargis"
- Setton, p.522
- Runciman, p.259
- Roux, Histoire de l'Empire Mongol, p.316
- "Reaching Innocent in 1248, they were given his final communication, an appeal to the Mongols to end their slaughters, especially of Christians (Rachewiltz, 87, 115-118)." in David Wilkinson, Studying the History of Intercivilizational Dialogues
- "Histoire des Croisades", René Grousset, p523: Grousset mentions the "response remitted to Aibag and Sargis" in which "he deplored the delays to the general agreement between Mongols and Christiandom" ("Innocent IV congédia Aibag and Sargis en leur remettant pour Baiju une réponse dans laquelle il déplorait les retards apportés à une entente générale des Mongols et de la Chrétienté.").
- Runciman, p.259
References
- Sandra Brand-Pierach, Ungläubige im Kirchenrecht, Text of the letter p.174
- Jackson, Peter, Mongols and the West
- Roux, Jean-Paul, Histoire de l'Empire Mongol, 1993, Fayard, ISBN 2213031649
- Kenneth Meyer Setton, "A History of the Crusades"
- MGH Epp. Saec. XIII, Volume 2, pp. 72-75 (original source documents)
- Grousset, Rene, Histoire des Croisades, III, Tempus, 2006 edition, ISBN 226202569X
- Runciman, Steven, History of the Crusades, III, Penguin Books, 2002 edition, ISBN 014013705X