As the book makes clear, it was the aftermath of the Mongol invasions which scared the shit out of the muslims. Had the Mongols overrun the Mameluke kingdom of Egypt there would have been no major islamic kingdom left. As it was the Mamelukes won the Battle of Ain Jalut and the Mongols were then distracted by dynastic problems and never did get back for a return engagement. The Mongol Empire began to ebb but it was a near run thing and, as noted, the muslims did not lose sight of the fact that the Mongols had largely spared xtians because of earlier Nestorian missionary efforts in Central Asia.
Payback is a bitch.
The Ottomans were a different story. They were muslims but by then the die was cast.
Payback is a bitch.
The Ottomans were a different story. They were muslims but by then the die was cast.
