Author Archives: Ruth

The Plague on the Silk Road

Posted on November 3, 2023 by Ruth

Some time during a world history survey course in high school, or perhaps in a good documentary on the History Channel, you learned that medieval Europeans didn’t realize that rats carried fleas that carried Yersinia pestis bacteria. They were used … Continue reading →

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Building the Alhambra Palace, 1333

Posted on November 3, 2023 by Ruth

In 1333, Emir Yusuf began to build the splendid palace that came to be known as The Red Fort, Qalat al-Hamra: the Alhambra. His reign and his son’s spanned most of the 1300s and established the palace that we tour … Continue reading →

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North Africa in the 14th Century

Posted on November 3, 2023 by Ruth

North Africa’s Muslim story in the 14th century mostly stars a Moroccan dynasty we call the Marinids, after their founder whose first name was Marin. They were Berbers of the Zenata tribe, locked in long rivalry and conflict with other … Continue reading →

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Europe: Early 1300’s Famine

Posted on November 1, 2023 by Ruth

In Northern Europe, the 14th Century was a time of very short life expectancy. France really had the worst of it, since their king from 1285 to 1314 was Philip IV “the Fair,” one of the worst kings in history. … Continue reading →

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Mamluk Game of Thrones, 1290-1330

Posted on October 28, 2023 by Ruth

The Mamluks governed based on competence, in a time when governance was always based on inheritance. They didn’t come up with a framework for peaceful transfers of power or group selection of the leader. Instead, they functioned like a monarchy … Continue reading →

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The First Ottomans and the Last Ilkhan, 1302-37

Posted on October 21, 2023 by Ruth

In 1280, a Turk named Osman became the Bey of Söğüt, Turkey, and over the next 20 years, he took control of neighboring tribes and towns. His son Orhan named the new cluster of towns and tribes the “Osmanlı,” or … Continue reading →

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The End of the Templars, 1307

Posted on October 16, 2023 by Ruth

By the end of the 13th century, the Order of Knights of the Temple had received so much property as charitable gifts that they were wealthier than many kings. A large number of their members were involved not in protecting … Continue reading →

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At the Close of the 13th Century

Posted on October 16, 2023 by Ruth

Before going on to the momentous events of the 14th Century, let’s look at what Europe and Asia were like in the late 13th. Life was soon to change. Climate: First, and at the largest scale, a climatic maximum—-a warm … Continue reading →

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Mamluks vs. Mongols, 1299

Posted on August 29, 2023 by Ruth

By the Third Battle of Homs, when the Mongols defeated the Mamluks after two previous losses at the same place, the stakes had gone down. Eighty years had passed since the Mongols first invaded the Muslim East. Central Asia and … Continue reading →

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Marco Polo and his Golden Ticket, 1299

Posted on August 29, 2023 by Ruth

We owe the first descriptions of Xanadu and Khanbalik (Beijing) to Marco Polo of Venice, whose book was published in 1299, co-written by Rusticello of Pisa. The book was quickly translated into many languages; the oldest manuscript we have is … Continue reading →

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