MONGOLIA RECEIVES FACSIMILES OF 38 RARE HISTORICAL DOCUMENTS RELATING TO THE MONGOL EMPIRE FROM THE 13TH AND 14TH CENTURIES, PRESERVED IN THE VATICAN APOSTOLIC ARCHIVE AND LIBRARY

H.E. Ms. Davaasuren Gerelmaa, Ambassador of Mongolia concurrently accredited to the Holy See, held separate meetings on 26 October 2026 in Vatican City with Vice Prefect, Prof. Paolo Vian, Head of the Vatican Apostolic Archive, and Father Mauro Mantovani, Prefect of the Vatican Apostolic Library.

During the meetings, Ambassador Gerelmaa received facsimiles of 38 rare historical documents preserved in the Vatican Apostolic Archive and the Vatican Apostolic Library, dating from the 13th and 14th centuries and relating to diplomatic exchanges between the Mongol Empire, its Great Khans, the Ilkhanate, and the Roman Pontiffs.

The documents include a letter from Güyük Khan, Great Khan of the Mongol Empire, to Pope Innocent IV; letters sent by Pope Innocent IV to the Great Khan of the Mongols in 1245; a letter from Pope Nicholas III to Kublai Khan in 1278; correspondence involving the Ilkhans Abaqa and Arghun and members of their families; letters addressed to and sent by Baiju Noyan; and papal instructions and authorizations issued to religious envoys dispatched to Mongol territories. These rare primary sources are of considerable historical significance, offering valuable insights into the Mongol Empire’s foreign policy, diplomatic practices, concepts of sovereignty, and political, religious, and cultural relations, as well as the broader history of Eurasia during the 13th and 14th centuries.

The meetings also provided an opportunity to discuss further cooperation in identifying, documenting, preserving, and studying other rare materials relating to Mongolia’s history, language, script, and cultural heritage held in the collections of the Vatican Apostolic Library. These include Chinese-Mongolian and Tibetan-Mongolian woodblock-printed dictionaries, manuscripts in traditional Mongolian script, translations of religious teachings and texts, and rare publications in Mongolian and Kalmyk.

Discussions focused on opportunities for joint research, the preparation of detailed catalogues, digitization, the acquisition of facsimile reproductions, and the transcription, translation, and scholarly annotation of historical texts, with a view to making these valuable sources more widely accessible through academic publications, critical editions, and digital repositories.

Both sides also agreed to continue exploring ways to strengthen cooperation among Mongolian and Vatican scholars, archivists, librarians, and other specialists, including through joint research initiatives, exhibitions, and academic projects. Particular emphasis was placed on identifying and bringing into scholarly circulation historical sources relating to Mongolia preserved in archives and libraries worldwide, thereby expanding access to these important elements of Mongolia’s documentary heritage.

This initiative represents a tangible outcome of efforts to implement the Memorandum of Understanding concluded between Mongolia’s Chinggis Khaan National Museum and the Vatican Apostolic Library during the State Visit of H.E. Mr. Ukhnaa Khurelsukh, President of Mongolia, to the Holy See on 4 December 2025. The Memorandum provides a framework for joint research on historical sources relating to the Mongol Empire, the advancement of scholarly access to documentary heritage, and enhanced cooperation and professional exchanges among researchers and specialists.