900 years ago what's the farthest the Chinese, Koreans or Japanese, had explored north into what is now eastern Russia? what would there maps have said about the region? did they have the faintest idea Alaska was there? by grapp in AskHistorians

[–]alltorndown 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Mods- feel free to delete if you feel necessary, I know it's not the usual type of source

I am on holiday in Kamchatka presently, and visited the regional history museum two days ago (my source). At least locally, the refrain is that prior to Russian colonialism, the peninsula was the preserve of native siberians only. I can't speak to written work, but just the museum's narrative itself.

Some tribes in southern Kamchatka were linked to settlements on the Kuril island chain, which eventually becomes Japan, but again, the museum gave no information about any contact with Japan at any point.

My favourite image of the Mongol Hordes by alltorndown in RedditDayOf

[–]alltorndown[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Excuse me, was writing a little tipsy last night. The vodka here in Russia seems a little more potent than at home. The 'Great Mongol Shanahmeh' (the title of this specific edition, pages of which are housed in various collections including LACMA, the Sackler in Cambridge, Mass where this page came from, the Fitzwilliam in Cambridge proper, and Edinburgh University, among others) was a collection of firdausi's Shahnameh completed in the late 14th century in Iran. It was designed, as several other outsiders who ruled bits of Persia did, to cement their place in Persian history. This edition was dedicated to the Khan (Ghazan, if I recall), and while the text is similar to Firdausi's, the images depict The great Persian Herod in Mongol dress, and the Kings enthroned as Khans.

Follow up works, such as the Chinggiznameh, and the exceptionally famous Baburnameh, were designed tad continuations, to place their patrons securely as rightful rulers.

I'm away from books right now, but Robert Hillenbrand is the expert on this, and convened an exhibition in Endinburgh last summer, while Charles Melville has also written extensively on the subject (and Cambridge, where he teaches and runs a foundation dedicated to the Shahnameh, had an exhibition about 3 years back about the Shanameh, with several pieces of the 'Great Mongol Shanameh in.)

So there we are. I don't go around calling myself a 'Mongol Historian' because it gets me laid, alright?

edit: and the section for your Wikipedia link on the Great Mongol Shahnameh reminded me of another source by name: Blair, Sheila S. "Rewriting the History of the Great Mongol Shahnama". In Shahnama: The Visual Language of the Persian Book of Kings, ed. Robert Hillenbrand. Ashgate Publishing, Ltd., 2004 ISBN 0754633675.

It's a rather good wiki page for once, actually. The bits on cultural legacy explain rather well the usurpation of the Shahnameh by the subsequent rulers of Iran, be they Turkic, Persian or Mongol.

My favourite image of the Mongol Hordes by alltorndown in RedditDayOf

[–]alltorndown[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Mea Culpa: I submitted this a year ago, but I truly love it, as a Mongol Historian. This comes from the great Mongol Shahnameh, or the Book of Kings, and was designed to show that the Mongols were legitimate successors to the Persian kings of legend. The Mongols were adept propagandists, and proudly cultivated their reputation for violence in order to convince future enemies to submit, based on the horrific tales and images of their previous victories.

Also, nothing says badass like archers on motherfuckin' fire breathing wheeled (ok, they're hanging shields, but still...) horses! Don't mess with the Mongols.

Genghis Khan ensured complete religious freedom. Religious tolerance was a policy by nilnz in RedditDayOf

[–]alltorndown 12 points13 points  (0 children)

Absolutely. In academia, the word 'tolerance' is avoided in the literature of the Mongols. certainly various religions were usurped for political gain (Chinggiz/Genghis's speech in Bukhara, declaring himself to Muslims as the 'scourge of God' spring readily to mind).

Religion was far more fluid in this period. Devin Deweese in his *Islamisation in the Golden Horde' notes that many self describe Muslims, in say, Wakhan Afghanistan, would have known of Muhammed and the five pillars of Islam, but may never have seen a Qu'ran or and Imam. He asks if they were 'Muslim' and how they were 'tolerated'. I would venture that tolerance was politically expedient, and that links with the Mongols Shamanistic 'native' religion were sufficiently fluid to accept a lot of variations. I'm currently on holiday in Siberia, and the Buddhist (but really Altaic' tradition of tying ribbons to trees as a way of remembrance is alive and well among the Russia Orthodox, a tradition that was here before Christianity or Tibetan Buddhism.

For a further discussion of Mongol 'tolerance' see George Lane's 'Daily Life in the Mongol Empire'

[04/09/2015]Ghostbusters @The Scoop by Shygirl32 in LondonSocialClub

[–]alltorndown 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Believe me, if I wasn't l, quite literally, in the middle of Siberia, I'd be there! Alas, enjoy without me!


[–]alltorndown 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Been to these before. Come early, it got busy really quickly (withnail and I, several ears ago). There's a few food stalls, but I'd at least bring a couple of beers down for waiting, if beers are your thing.

Reddit, what is your favorite quote from a fictional character? by papaskittles in AskReddit

[–]alltorndown 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Ah yes. The George W. Bush school of management (smart evil people)

What are your commute observations? 25/06/15 by lodge28 in london

[–]alltorndown 8 points9 points  (0 children)

Was grumpy this morning, pre-coffee (had to leave an unfinished one at home, slept in). Everyone pissed me off. I walk to work.

1: every single person walked in my way, and slowly. It's a pretty residential walk, but they still managed to block every pavement.

2: Kids on scooters. Everywhere. The entire battalion blocking and speeding down a busy road that had several accidents a year on it.

3: FUCKING ADULTS ON SCOOTERS. Fuck them. Especially if they don't obviously have kids.

4 & 5: my two biggest walking to work peeves. Assholes cycling on the pavement (there are not many HGV's in this neck of the woods. Get on the damned street where you belong). And also, every morning, there is a red light I pass. The pedestrian light goes green before the road one. Every single time, 40%-100% of cyclists queued in front of the cars jump their light, get in the way, and generally engager themselves and others. Irrationally furious, every morning.

Got to work, had coffee, a couple of really nice customers. /rant

What's Good and not too expensive Korean place in London? by shairou in london

[–]alltorndown 0 points1 point  (0 children)

One of the Tot Crt ones relocated to Lower Marsh. Went the other week, thought it was pretty good!

Books about the Yazidis by tuxunefo in MiddleEastHistory

[–]alltorndown 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Fair enough mate! Hope those books are useful.

Books about the Yazidis by tuxunefo in MiddleEastHistory

[–]alltorndown 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Yup, got two for you, both quite new:

Heirs to the Forgotten Kingdoms by Gerard Russell, about the Yazidis and several other minority faiths in the Middle East (each gets a chapter). 9781471114694


The Yezidis: The History of a Community, Culture and Religion by Birgul Acikyildiz, which was republished last year with updates (though only up to the situation last summer). 9781784532161.

I'll just throw in my usual 'buy from an indie bookshop' request if I can (you can tell my day job, huh?)

Looking for a book recommendation... details inside by lordzedd12 in MiddleEastHistory

[–]alltorndown 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hi! David Morgan's Medaeval Persia, 1040-1797 was a really readable recommended text during my undergrad days. New edition coming out late this summer

North Berwick Law Yesterday by Impisheye in britpics

[–]alltorndown 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Ah, my Ex's home town. Gorgeous, but with both brilliant and terrible memories!