From the Banks of the Tigris to Circumambulating al-Kaʻbah: The Fate of a Manuscript from the Last Abbasid Caliph’s Library during the Mongol Invasion

Compared to previous nomadic incursions from the Eurasian Steppes into western Islamic lands, the Mongol invasions that conquered Transoxiana and Iran are considered the largest. The speed and extent of the three waves of Mongol invasions surprised the rulers of West Asia and the Abbasid Caliphate. The Mongol invasions brought deep, long-term changes to Islamic political ideology and legitimacy, while also causing immediate cultural destruction in Iran and the broader Islamic world. The raiders’ destruction of libraries exemplifies their vengeful actions after conquering cities. Besides accounts from primary sources, manuscript evidence confirms the destruction of books and libraries during this crisis. This article aims to demonstrate that marginal notes in manuscript No. 16388 from the Marʿashī Library in Qum provide evidence of this destruction. The notes contain direct information about the Mongol invasion of Baghdad and the damage suffered by the library of the last Abbasid caliph. Beyond their political significance, these marginal notes also reveal how scientific and educational use of surviving manuscripts persisted, indicating that although the Mongol invasion disrupted scientific institutions, the scientific traditions of schools and daily life continued after the catastrophe.