Send us a text

The Mongol invasion of the Middle East was one of the most cataclysmic events in the region’s history, leading to the destruction of cities, the fall of the Abbasid Caliphate, and a transformation of the Islamic world. But how did a nomadic empire from the Eurasian steppes rise to power and bring down the greatest centers of Islamic civilization?

In this episode, Professor Mehmet Ozalp joins us to discuss:
🔹 The state of the Middle East before the Mongol invasion
🔹 Genghis Khan’s rise and his motivation for expansion
🔹 The infamous sack of Baghdad and its consequences
🔹 The Mongol defeat at Ain Jalut, their first major setback
🔹 How the conquerors ended up converting to Islam and reshaping the Muslim world

From total devastation to the eventual assimilation of the Mongols into Islamic civilization, this episode dives deep into one of history’s most consequential invasions.

Video on the fall of Baghdad: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LR6q7fTaVI4&t=1s
Professor Mehmet Ozalp: https://arts-ed.csu.edu.au/staff/profiles/hos/mehmet-ozalp

Follow The History of the Middle East Podcast for More Content:

Instagram
YouTube
TikTok

Send us a text

World War I wasn’t just a European conflict—it was a turning point that completely reshaped the Middle East, leading to the collapse of the Ottoman Empire, the rise of new Arab nationalisms, and the imposition of European colonial rule.

In this episode we sit down with Professor James Gelvin, a leading historian of the modern Middle East, to explore the war’s impact on the region. Together, we discuss:

🔹 Why the Ottoman Empire joined the war and its consequences
🔹 The Arab Revolt—was it truly significant, or has history exaggerated its role?
🔹 How the British and French secretly divided the Middle East (Sykes-Picot Agreement & beyond)
🔹 The Balfour Declaration and how WWI set the stage for the Palestine conflict
🔹 The mandate system—how European powers turned former Ottoman lands into colonies
🔹 Why Iraq became the first mandate to gain independence—despite being the least prepared
🔹 The long-term legacy of WWI on borders, conflicts, and identities in the modern Middle East

This war didn’t just end an empire—it created the world we know today. But did it have to happen the way it did? And what lessons can we learn from it? Join us as we break it all down.

Learn more about Professor James Gelvin: UCLA Faculty Page

Check out his book, The Modern Middle East: A History: Goodreads Link

Follow The History of the Middle East Podcast for More Content:

Instagram
YouTube
TikTok

Send us a text

In this episode of we dive into the final years of Ottoman rule in the Arab provinces and the complex road to independence. The Ottoman Empire once controlled large territories across the Middle East, but by the late 19th and early 20th centuries, internal struggles, European intervention, and rising Arab nationalism began to unravel its hold.

Joining me is Professor Eugene Rogan, Director of the Middle East Centre at Oxford and a leading historian on the modern Middle East. Together, we explore how the Ottoman Arab provinces navigated the empire’s decline, the different paths taken by regions like Egypt, Syria, and Iraq, and how Ottoman reforms—like the Tanzimat—attempted to modernize the empire but ultimately failed to hold it together.

We also discuss the rise of Arab identity within the Ottoman framework, the role of key figures like Jamal Pasha, and the impact of World War I in redrawing the map of the Middle East.

What forces led to the breakup of Ottoman rule in the Arab world? And how did these events shape the borders and conflicts of the modern Middle East? Join us as we uncover the story of the Arab provinces and their road to independence.

Professor Eugene Rogan: https://www.ames.ox.ac.uk/people/eugene-l-rogan
The Arabs: A History: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4100352-the-arabs
The Fall of the Ottomans: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/21535310-the-fall-of-the-ottomans

Follow us on:

https://instagram.com/orientalismhistory

https://youtube.com/@OrientalismHistory

https://x.com/orientalismhist

https://www.tiktok.com/@orientalismhistory