nd of
navigation.

On this subject, we will quote in this place, an interesting passage from
the Memoirs which M. Abel Remusat published in 1824, on the political
relations of the Christian princes, and particularly of the Kings of
France with the Mongol Emperors:--

"The lieutenants of Tchinggiskhan, and of his first successors, on
arriving in Western Asia, did not seek at first, to contract any
alliance there. The princes, whose domains they entered, silently
permitted the impost of a tribute; the rest were required to submit.
The Georgians and Armenians were among the first. The Franks of
Syria, the Kings of Hungary, the Emperor himself, had to repel their
insolent demands. The Pope was not exempted, by the supremacy he
enjoyed in relation to the other Christian princes; nor the King of
France, by the high renown he enjoyed throughout the East. The
terror which the Tartars inspired, precluded a fitting answer to
their demands. The course resorted to was conciliation, the seeking
their alliance, and the endeavouring to rouse them against the
Moslems. The latter attempt would scarcely have been successful, had
not the Christians in the East, who, by adhesion as vassals, had
obtained credit at the courts of their generals and their princes,
zealously employed themselves in the matter. The Mongols were
induced at last to undertake war against the Sultan of Egypt. Such
were the relations with this nation during the first period, which
lasted from 1224 to 1262.

"In the second period, the Khalifat was destroyed; a Mongol
principality was founded in Persia: it bordered on the states of the
Sultan of Egypt. A sanguinary rivalry arose between the two
countries, which the Eastern Christians did all in their power to
irritate. The Mongol empire was divided. Those of Persia had need
of auxiliaries, which their Armenian vassals procured for them: these
auxiliaries were the Franks. From this time, their power declined
more and more; and ere long it was annihilated. Fresh crusades might
restore it. The Mongols excited these in the West. They joined
their exhortations to those of the Georgians, Armenians, of the wreck
of the crusaders, who had taken refuge in Cyprus, and to those of the
sovereign pontiffs. The first Tartars had commenced by threats; the
last came to offers, and even desce