FUN WITH MAPS DAILY FEATURE: ISSUE 2024-027
By Steve Kovacs (Introduction by Chuck Gibson)
LOVELAND, OH (February 13, 2024) – Today’s edition of Fun with Maps takes to a large empire.
Mongols
The Mongol Empire was arguably the greatest and certainly largest by area of all time. Why? It was land based with impossibly long supply lines. They had horses, arrows and cattle. Plus, a will to win.
Genghis Khan was the first great leader of the Empire stretching from the Pacific encompassing most of China and southern Siberia to Eastern Europe all the way to Finland. They ruled today’s Iran and Iraq as well, having conquered Baghdad on February 13, 1258.
Were they predictable? Yes. Out of necessity to feed their horses and livestock, their campaigns were mostly in the warmer seasons.
Were they deadly? Yes. The estimates range from 20 to 57 million people killed during the 13-14 century Mongol campaigns. They likely also helped in spreading the bubonic plague.
This map of today’s Iran and Iraq shows the state of affairs under another, but less successful, conqueror, the Ottomans. The map is by the British SDUK from 1831.
Iran-Iraq – circa 1831 (Credit Steve Kovacs)
Steve Kovacs and his wife Theresa reside in Loveland, Ohio where they raised their two children. He is a passionate collector of antique maps.
Visit his antique map boutique world-on-paper online. Watch for his daily feature Steve Kovacs: Fun with Maps here on Loveland Beacon.
