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READ: Rashid al-Din – Graphic Biography

One of the most powerful advisers of the Mongol Ilkhan Ghazan (who ruled from 1295 to 1304), Rashid Al-Din undertook one of the first written histories, the Jami Al-Tawarikh. In art and text, this book presented the Ilkhan as both the leading Islamic ruler and the inheritor of a vast and diverse tradition from across Eurasia.
The Graphic Biography below uses “Three Close Reads”. If you want to learn more about this strategy, click here.

First read: skimming for gist

This will be your quickest read. It should help you get the general idea of what the graphic biography will be about. Pay attention to the title, headings, images, and layout. Ask yourself: what is this graphic biography going to be about?

Second read: understanding content

For this reading, you should be looking for unfamiliar vocabulary words, the major claim and key supporting details, and analysis and evidence. You should also spend some time looking at the images and the way in which the page is designed.
By the end of the second close read, you should be able to answer the following questions:
  1. Who was Rashid al-Din?
  2. According to the author, what was the difficulty of ruling the Ilkhanate?
  3. What does the quote from Rashid al-Din’s book, shown in the top panel, tell us?
  4. How does the artwork in the Jami’i al-Tawarikh demonstrate this diversity?
  5. How did the artist of this biography try to demonstrate the connections of the Ilkhanate to other regions in the top panel?

Third read: evaluating and corroborating

In this read, you should use the graphic biography as evidence to support, extend, or challenge claims made in the course.
At the end of the third read, you should be able to respond to these questions:
  1. To what extent does this article explain the significance of the Mongol Empire in larger patterns of continuity and change?
  2. How does this biography of Rashid al-Din support, extend, or challenge what you have learned about connections and networks in Mongol society and in this era?
Now that you know what to look for, it’s time to read! Remember to return to these questions once you’ve finished reading.

Rashid al-Din (Graphic Biography)

Writer: Trevor R. Getz
Artist: Liz Clarke
One of the most powerful advisers of the Mongol Ilkhan Ghazan (who ruled from 1295 to 1304), Rashid Al-Din undertook one of the first written histories, the Jami Al-Tawarikh. In art and text, this book presented the Ilkhan as both the leading Islamic ruler and the inheritor of a vast and diverse tradition from across Eurasia.
Download the Graphic Biography PDF here or click on the image above.

Want to join the conversation?

  • ohnoes default style avatar for user DameanGomez07
    Where the Mongols army so great that no other empire could defeat the Mongols?
    (3 votes)
    Default Khan Academy avatar avatar for user
    • stelly yellow style avatar for user wukongusa
      Well, yes and no. The Mongols were skilled warriors, and also tend to be rather brutal to their war opponents. It got to the point that when a city realized the Mongol army was coming, they would surrender to the army to avoid slaughter. However, the Mongols did try to invade Japan twice, Southeast Asia, and some Northern part of Europe. They failed, so that proves that some empires can defeat the Mongols.
      (3 votes)