Exultavit cor nostrum
Exultavit cor nostrum is a letter, also known as a
The letter was evidently in response to a message brought to Urban by John the Hungarian, who claimed to be the Mongol envoy (it was not uncommon for individuals to present themselves as envoys, even when they were not). According to John, Hulagu desired to become a Christian, and requested that Urban send a representative who would help to baptise him.[1]
Pope Urban responded with the Exultavit, which indicated that Urban had heard of Hulagu's sympathies towards Christianity through other sources. He also encouraged Hulagu to convert to Christianity.
Background
Hulagu was already aware of Christianity, as his mother Sorghaghtani Beki and his wife Doquz Khatun were both Christians and members of the Church of the East; Doquz later helped Denha I to ascend to the church’s patriarchal throne.[3]
The previous
John the Hungarian
Little is known of John the Hungarian, except that he had some standing in Hulagu's court, was referred to in the Exultavit, and was possibly the intermediary between Hulagu and the Christians.
See also
Notes
- ^ a b Jackson, 2003, p. 198
- ^ a b c Jackson, 2005, p. 166
- ^ Mazzola, Marianna (2018-06-25). Bar 'Ebroyo's Ecclesiastical History: writing Church History in the 13th century Middle East (phdthesis). Université Paris sciences et lettres ; Universiteit Gent. p. 413.
- ^ Roux, Les explorateurs, pp. 95
- ^ Weatherford, Jack. Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World. p. 173.
- ^ Jean Richard, The Crusades, p. 421
References
- Peter Jackson, Mongols and the West, 2005
- Peter Jackson, "Hulagu Khan and the Christians: the making of a myth", Experience of Crusading: Defining the Crusader Kingdom, Volume 2, 2003
- Jean Richard, The Crusades: 1071-1291