Lull studied Arabic nine years out of fear the Mongols would convert to Islam

Evidence

Lull spent nine years studying Arabic and Islam in Majorca. There was some urgency in his studies, for he feared that the Mongols, who at that time had conquered most of Asia, including Iran and Iraq, would convert to Islam unless Christian missionaries reached them first. — Robert Irwin, For Lust of Knowing, 89

Categorization

• XREF: Connects to the larger Orientalist theme of the Mongol threat and Christian missionary urgency that recurs in this book. — connects to: Lull deemed Muslim conversion possible only once they were subdued

Related

• Lull deemed Muslim conversion possible only once they were subdued (similarity 0.97)
• Lull admired Arabic culture while insisting Islam was false and its followers damned (similarity 0.81)
• Llull imagined learned Muslims already doubted Muhammad’s prophethood, ripe for conversion. (similarity 0.79)