Michael Baizerman Author

Dear readers, Happy New Year! I'm hopeful that the next year will bring you many happy moments that will overshadow all the sad ones. My reading audience is growing; over 1500 people have visited this blog, which delves into my second project. I have launched another blog on the Tumblr https://www.tumblr.com/dashboard/mikebisblog where I will tell a broader history of my writing, starting with my first book, Dawn and Sunset. You may visit my personal page on the Scriggler https://scriggler.com/Profile/michael_baizerman where I have uploaded 23 articles that cover my four projects. As far as my second book, The Enchanting Encounter with the East, I have started working on Unit IV, In the Shadow of the Iron Gate. I would like to explore the image of Alexander's Gate as it took shape in the Latin West. The draft copy of the unit comprises nine chapters; however, I will probably curtail one or two extracts for the sake of the consistency of reading. I will start by ...

Image:  The Ilkhan Hulegu and his chief wife Doquz Hatun modeled as modern Constantine and Helen  in a thirteenth-century Syriac Bible This is the beginning of the third and the last chapter of Unit III, Unveiling the Alien. With the three parts of my book finished, I have covered from one third to half of the entire project. Units IV and V will focus on medieval western legends relating to the East. In Unit IV, I will try to crack the code of Alexander's Gate and reveal both its historical development and historical background.  "Eljigidei, the new commander of the Mongol forces stationed in Persia, was harboring an ambitious scheme to invade Iraq. However, he realized that his master plan could be derailed by the joint forces of the Caliph of Baghdad and the Sultan of Egypt, the preeminent rulers in the Muslim East. To defuse this perilous scenario, the trusted general requested the support of King Louis who engaged in the preparation for a new crusad...

The last great campaign of the unified Mongol Empire was spearheaded against the Muslim East. This onslaught brought forth the Ilkhanate, one of the four Tartar split polities, whose sway spread between the Indus and the Euphrates. The nomadic rulers of this new realm aspired to conquer the lands of Syria and Egypt governed by the novel Islamic power: the Mamluk Sultanate. Since the balance of forces was close to a draw, the geopolitical confrontation between the rivals became locked in a stalemate. Following the classic paradigm, which they exerted from time to time in their turbulent history, the Mongols were seeking an ally to tempt him to open a second front against their foes. They thought they had found a partner among the crusader states of the Levant which struggled for their survival on the Holy Land. They also hoped to forge an alliance with the leading powers of the Latin West, promising to transfer Jerusalem under the Christian control. My new chapter will focus on thes...

Image: The Chinese envoys at the ger of Chinggis Khan Courtesy: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Djengiz_Kh%C3%A2n_et_les_envoy%C3%A9s_chinois.jpeg  The fear of a new Mongol onslaught stirred the search for a novel route to make a contact with a dangerous enemy. Pope Innocent IV undertook a range of diplomatic overtures with the Great Khan. His clerical envoys managed to cross a bridge across the abyss separating the Latin Christendom and the steppe barbarians. The response that they had brought was very uncomforting. The Tartar emperor demanded unconditional submission, citing the divine mandate which raised him above all the other political authorities across the globe. This is the topic of my new chapter on the relations between the Latin West and the bizarre East. I offer you to read an extract: "The only European power which dared to take on the Mongol bully was the Apostolic See. Devoid of a mighty army to oppose the enemy, the newly-elected pontiff poss...

Image 1: The Byzantine galleys crash into the Rus’ ships, repelling the latter’s charge on Constantinople http://www.wikiwand.com/en/Byzantine_navy Image 2: Lady Washington, a modern replica of the historic 90-ton brig https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lady_Washington My new update will be a chapter from the third manuscript which is going to focus on the opening of the sea route from Portugal to India.  I discuss the benefits of the two main types of medieval European vessels: the galley and the sailing ships. The watercraft are compared in view of their water courses, destinations, the frequency of harbor visits, the sailing season, and the number of the crew.  This is the extract from the article published at my author's page on Scriggler https://scriggler.com/MyStuff You can also read the other pieces from my collection, sharing your interest with a growing community of 22 K readers.  Dozens of marine graffiti scratched on the walls of a...

Image: The Mongol Mounted Archer  Courtesy: http://www.aeroartinc.com/mongol-warrior-firing-bow-from-saddle.html After many weeks of hard labor, I'm happy to announce that I have finished writing the first chapter of Unit III. As you already know, the chapter is titled "The Squall from the East" and it focuses on the Mongol advance of Central Europe in 1241-42 as part of the extensive western campaign. As a result, Prince Batu managed to extend his appanage and in due time cut out his own empire, the Golden Horde, from the Mongol unified state. I paid special attention to such unsolved issues as the withdrawal of the Tartar army and the outcome of the power struggle between the descendants of Chinggis Khan. This is the first page of the long chapter: If Latin Europe hadn't been filled to the brim with its own woes, it wouldn’t have disregarded the latest developments in the Far East. There, on the far side of the inhabited world, the emerging supe...

This is where I have started my research. Now it has become Unit 3 of my book. The unit is titled " Unveiling the Alien:  The Diplomatic Overtures on the Brink of the All-Out War". Chapter 1 which deals with the Mongol invasion of Central Europe in 1241-1242 is called " The Squall from the East".  I have started to check the previous version. As usual, there are many corrections though it is only the initial stage of my work. On the next step, I will evaluate my findings of the new research that I have done on the subject. Then, I will endeavor to match the new extracts with the older ones.   I will appreciate any comments on my work. Even experts in the field do not cover all the possible angles and sometimes I am in doubt to decide which version to follow. A fresh look from the outside, both from a layman and a specialist, might be most welcome.  Just to give you a taste of what I am thinking about. Many European commentaries, such as the author o...

I am doing an additional research about the Mongol assault on Central Europe in 1241-42. I would like to show what intrigue was hiding behind the decision to launch the western campaign and understand the interplay between the main participants. I also want to give intelligible reasons for the "Tartar" withdrawal from the arena. It is time to reveal the background of the "barbarians", i.e. pastoral nomads of the Eurasian steppes, whose life style differed so much from that of the sedentary civilizations both in the East and the West. There's still much work to do as I have to read a lot of monographs and articles about the medieval military history to explain the clash between the Latin Christendom and the Mongols. No part of this article has been published yet. It will be followed by three other passages which tell the story of the contacts between the European powers and the Mongols in the aftermath of this assault. I recommend reading a book penned by...

I am looking for a better reader for my emerging history book, The Enchanting Encounter with the East. The extract that I would like to be reviewed embraces the first two units and makes up about 70 pages. The candidate should have a passable knowledge of history: my book covers the Late Middle Ages and focuses on the attitude of European intellectuals to the East, especially the Far East. My work is intended for general readers so I don't expect to run into an expert. I would appreciate any advice including the quality and provocative questions. I am still examining materials for Unit 3 which concerns the Mongols' invasion of Europe as part of their western campaign during1241-42. My special thanks to my Russian audience who made up the majority of my readers last month. I would like to recommend Robert Marshal's book, The Storm from the East, which is available on google books. I am enjoying reading it now and not only the chapter which deals with my topic.

I have just published another chapter from my third book. This extract is devoted to the sailing uncharted waters of the Atlantic along the Moroccan water front. The merchants dropped in new ports where they heard the tall tales about the Rio del Oro (The River of Gold). This led to a tragic treasure hunt. Also, European gamblers believed that the realm of Prester John, the black Christian Emperor, lay in the headwaters of that waterway.  Read my article https://scriggler.com/DetailPost/Opinion/113133 I would appreciate any comments. Meanwhile, I will return to the Mongol invasion of Hungary, the theme of my second (ongoing) book. Image 1: The Catalan Atlas pays tribute to Jaume Ferrer, a Majorcan captain, who is crossing the uncharted waters of the Atlantic in an attempt to discover the River of Gold https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jaume_Ferrer#/media/File:Jacme_ferrer.jpg

My Scriggler audience is growing; it will hopefully hit the 20 K mark within two weeks. My readers mostly come from the USA, India, the UK, and Hungary. You can view my articles that refer the interest to entangled issues of ancient, medieval, and early modern histories. https://scriggler.com/Profile/michael_baizerman These articles belong to four projects: Book 1, Dawn and Sunset: A Tale of the Oldest Cities in the Near East (already published); Book 2, The Enchanting Encounter with the East (in progress); Book 3 (about the quest for the sea passage to India); and an attempt to construct the genuine history of ancient Israel. My most popular extracts from Book 1 are about the Sumerian astronomy https://scriggler.com/DetailPost/Story/21077 and the Akkadian standing army https://scriggler.com/DetailPost/Opinion/25017 From Book 2 about the measurement of the earth's circumference https://scriggler.com/DetailPost/Opinion/31762 about the spherical image of eart...

The concept of the spherical earth adopted by the classical geography included the division of our planet into five climatic segments that were assessed in relation to their habitation. The academics ruled out three latitudinal belts on behalf of their brutal weather conditions. However, they reckoned that the two remaining zones in the northern and southern hemispheres enjoyed the temperate climate and were fit for accommodation, even though their inhabitants would shun one another, sending no vital signs. No ship could stand a chance of crossing the uncharted ocean throughout the whole span of history. Likewise, no person could survive passing through the magic “firewall”, which was hovering over the equator and burning everybody who would dare to approach its fiery confines. Each part of the humankind would linger in the blissful ignorance of its counterpart. In his poem “Hermes”, Eratosthenes carols this image, placing both human populations face to face and foot to foot: ...

"The fourteenth century saw the major breakthrough in the exploration of the ocean. During the fifty-year period, major archipelagos of the Central Atlantic were discovered and mapped. The Little Age of Discovery was unfolding..."  This is the promo fro my new article which I published at https://scriggler.com/DetailPost/Opinion/71178  I have decided to move a range of excerpts about maritime explorations to a font of materials for my third book. This makes them available for publication even though my work on the second book is going on.  I claim that the Age of Discovery had a "younger brother", a period starting with the tail end of the 13th century (the expedition of Vivaldi brothers to India) through the most part of the 14th century, when almost all islands in the Central Atlantic (the Canaries, the Madeiras, and the Azores) had been identified. I make use of the evidence from a series of portolan charts, from Angelino Dulceti to Abraham Cresque, a...

The statue of St. Morris as a black African from the Magdeburg Cathedral  I have added a new chapter to my book, The Enchanting Encounter with the East. The extract belongs to Unit 2, The Saga of All My Sons. The episode delves into the attitude to the race issue in medieval Europe. I show the emergence of the concept which I call the "race fiction", i.e. the superficial and biased approach to differences among people. The literati in the European Middle Ages adopted this outlook from the early church, whose representatives often saw the reality in black and white.   The chapter explains that the color carried many other functions accept the reference to foreign origin and soaring climate. The whiteness was perceived as a sign of superiority, leaving the blackness as a mark of inferior position.  Religion played the major role in people's lives, and any other faith except the Christianity seemed the distortion from the truth. In addition, the Christians i...

The Canary Islands revisited. That happened in the 14th century when European explorers revealed the location of the archipelago known in the antique era as the Isles of the Blessed or Fortunate Islands. This is part of  my promise to publish new articles on my page at https://scriggler.com/DetailPost/Opinion/63451 While developing articles from my current project into chapters of my second book, I realized that some extracts don't belong to the plot. They are more suitable for my future project about the discovery of India by Portuguese sailors in the course of the 15th century. As usual, the story harks back to the period that I call the Little Age of Discovery. This is my first contribution to my writer's page on Scriggler after a long time of silence. I will go on uploading other articles. The whole list is available at https://scriggler.com/Profile/michael_baizerman

My next chapter is devoted to the location of Jerusalem on European medieval mind maps. This is the second part (out of four) of Unit 2, titled The Saga of All My Sons, from my book, "The Enchanting Encounter with the East". The site of Jerusalem on the sixth century Madaba Map https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madaba_Map The T-O maps, whose function we cleared up in the previous discussion, centered Jerusalem amid the circle of lands. Image 1: Jerusalem, the Holy City from the sixth century Madaba map mosaic (1) They did it, following in the footsteps of the Hebrew Bible, which draws a convincing picture of the Holy City located at the heart of the world. Ezekiel, the prophet and the enthusiastic creator of this vision, copies the Lord’s very words, announcing: “This is Jerusalem, which I have set in the center of the nations, with countries all around her”. (2) The idea of the centrality of Jerusalem was deeply implanted into the Jewish thought. The Book of...

My next chapter, titled "The Trefoil of the World", elaborates on the conventional geographical construct of the three continents forming the habitable world. This image, linked to the scholastic ideas of ancient Greeks and to the Christian philosophy, had further developments throughout the Middle Ages, culminating in detailed "world maps". Image:  Noah’s sons observing their estates from Jean Mansel's illustration to "La Fleur des Histoires" https://www.pinterest.com/dekockmarijke/noah/?lp=true  "Mappamundi, that is to say, image of the world and of the regions which are on the earth and of the various kinds of peoples which inhabit it."-The Catalan Atlas (2) The cosmographers who contemplated the mysteries of the Earth would employ two distinct approaches. On the one hand, they mulled over dry land as an orphan island, whose patchy outlines almost merged with the turbulent waves of the boundless Ocean.  On the other hand, they...

My new chapter is titled "Four Questions and the World Within". This is a very short and concise conclusion to Unit 1, The Miraculous Revival or the Painful Discovery. After completing the first part, I addressed my publishing house, GenZ TM, with a proposal to find a beta reader for my book. I would like to listen to some advice, while the project is under way. They agreed to look through Unit 1 and sent me the editor's remarks. This is not what I asked but I am very grateful and even more convinced in following my course. I am currently working on additions to a new chapter, The Trefoil of the World, from Unit 2.   I continue taking the FutureLearn course, The European Discovery of China, that will help me  correct my further units. My articles on Scriggler has attracted over 16 K visitors.  I'm going to give them more food for thought. I decided to remove an essential part, devoted to maritime discoveries, from my book. These chapters are more appropriate f...

Phoenician cargo ship  Courtesy: https://wikis.engrade.com/phoenicianships  My fourth chapter deals with the issue of the dimensions of the ocean and the perspectives of navigation in the Atlantic.  I describe the voyages of ancient explorers from Egypt to West Africa (Sataspes, Hanno the Navigator) and from India to East Africa (Scylax). I also recount the views on crossing the Atlantic expressed by philosophers (Aristotle, Eratosthenes, Posidonius, Strabo, Seneca, Pierre d'Ailly), mapmakers (Henricus Martellus, Martin Behaim), and navigators (Christopher Columbus).  The chapter is accompanied by the table, Estimation of the Breadth of the Ocean Sea. This is an extract which refers to the voyage across Africa carried out by Phoenician mariners in the time of Pharaoh Necho: The first expedition, commissioned by Pharaoh Necho, who reigned at the turn of the seventh and sixth centuries BCE, set a task of exploring the confines of the Dark Conti...

Chapter 3 of my book focuses on the classical and medieval estimations of the length of the oikoumene. I'd like to share with you an extract where Strabo presents his ideas about the graphic representation of the known world and Eratosthenes offers his description of the "human planet". Another argument that flared up the ancient community of scholars referred to the extent of the oikoumene, i.e.” the world which we inhabit and know.” (2). Strabo imposed upon a geographer the primary task of understanding “our inhabited world-its size, shape, and character, and its relation to earth as a whole”. (3) To achieve this goal, an explorer had to focus on the “human planet”, omitting the fringes and unfamiliar regions: “the geographer undertakes to describe the known parts of the inhabited world, but he leaves out of consideration the unknown parts… as he does what is outside of it”. (4) The "blank spots" on the map, confined within unsettled territories of desert...