3 ms·

In Siege of Baghdad (1258) [0], "...Mongol soldiers looted and then destroyed mosques, palaces, libraries, and hospitals. Priceless books from Baghdad's thirty-

In Siege of Baghdad (1258) [0], "...Mongol soldiers looted and then destroyed mosques, palaces, libraries, and hospitals. Priceless books from Baghdad's thirty-six public libraries were torn apart, the looters using their leather covers as sandals. Grand buildings that had been the work of generations were burned to the ground. The House of Wisdom (the Grand Library of Baghdad), containing countless precious historical documents and books on subjects ranging from medicine to astronomy, was destroyed." [0]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Baghdad_(1258) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Baghdad_(1258)

NiceWayToDoIT 5y ago
Reminds me on this as well: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/history/article/150901-isis-destruction-looting-ancient-sites-iraq-syria-archaeology https://www.nationalgeographic.com/history/article/150901-is... Also I am not sure from newer history was it Khmer Rouge who order genocide of their own population over 40 years old, ideology was that they wanted to erase collective knowledge of elders. "Pol Pot then began using intimidation efforts against the Chams that included the assassination of village elders but he ultimately ordered the full-scale mass killing of the Cham people."
- dopkew 5y ago
  It is a reminder that a civilization not only needs to flourish from within, but be able to protect itself from without.
andrepd 5y ago
The destruction of Bagdhad by the Mongols was one of the most destructive events in human history. It's hard to believe it today but Bagdhad was the cultural and learning centre of the world at the time. There's no telling what priceless works were lost, plus how many thousands of scholars were killed. Knowledge in medicine, astronomy, the classics (which were preserved by Muslim scholars), and god knows what else.
nudpiedo 5y ago
Almost as terrible as the senseless destruction of Alexandria’s Library in the hands of barbaric Muslims. Supposedly in that single event we lost 1/3 of all mankind books and many original works like Calculus invented by Archimedes had to be reinvented thousands of years later.

NiceWayToDoIT 5y ago

Reminds me on this as well: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/history/article/150901-isis-destruction-looting-ancient-sites-iraq-syria-archaeology https://www.nationalgeographic.com/history/article/150901-is... Also I am not sure from newer history was it Khmer Rouge who order genocide of their own population over 40 years old, ideology was that they wanted to erase collective knowledge of elders. "Pol Pot then began using intimidation efforts against the Chams that included the assassination of village elders but he ultimately ordered the full-scale mass killing of the Cham people."

dopkew 5y ago
It is a reminder that a civilization not only needs to flourish from within, but be able to protect itself from without.

andrepd 5y ago

The destruction of Bagdhad by the Mongols was one of the most destructive events in human history. It's hard to believe it today but Bagdhad was the cultural and learning centre of the world at the time. There's no telling what priceless works were lost, plus how many thousands of scholars were killed. Knowledge in medicine, astronomy, the classics (which were preserved by Muslim scholars), and god knows what else.

nudpiedo 5y ago

Almost as terrible as the senseless destruction of Alexandria’s Library in the hands of barbaric Muslims. Supposedly in that single event we lost 1/3 of all mankind books and many original works like Calculus invented by Archimedes had to be reinvented thousands of years later.