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Viam agnoscere veritatis is the name of a letter written by Pope Innocent IV to the Mongols. It was written on November 22, 1248, and was Pope Innocent's reply to a message from Mongol commander Baiju. Innocent IV has previously sent two letter to the Mongols in 1245, Cum non solum and Dei patris immensa.

The letter was probably transmitted from the Pope via Mongol envoys Aïbeg and Serkis, was dated November 22, 1248, and was the Pope's reply to a letter from Baiju. Some historians refer to it as "Viam agnoscere veritatis" and some as "Viam cognoscere veritatis" (both "agnoscere" and "cognoscere" are Latin for "to know"). According to historian Kenneth Setton, the letter "stated that Innocent IV had acted out of a sense of duty to let the true religion be known to the Mongols, and that he regretted the Mongols' perseverance in their errors and adjured them to cease their menaces."

"Better that you humble yourself before , face to face, and recognize His great forbearance, Who for so long has endured your destructive actions: that in waiting obligingly, you may be turned from errors to truth, and be able to fear Him, lest He provoked for too long a time should threaten you with the lash of His anger, since you do not recognize His omnipotence."

— Excerpt of letter from Pope Innocent IV to Baiju, 1248.

Latin text of the letter:

Bayonoy regi illustri, et nobilibus viris universis principibus et baronibus exercitus Tartarorum, viam cognoscere veritatis. Nuntios vestros, quos ad nostram presentiam destinastis, benigne recepimus, et ea que significastis nobis per ipsos intelleximus diligenter. Sane locum Dei licet immeriti , tenentes in terris, omnium salutem gentium ex imposito nobis officio quanta possumus vigilantia procurare debemus, ut quelibet rationalis creatura in mortali vivens corpore ad sui notitiam perveniat Creatoris, ipsumque fide sequens et opere possit secum post vite presentis curricula conregnare. Unde nos olim ne salutem vestram, licet in remotis agatis partibus, negligere videamur, nuntios nostros ad vos destinavimus, ut exponentes vobis fidem veram et rectam a mortis devio vos retraherent, et in viam vite dirigerent et salutis. Sed cum, nondum fidei Christiane illustrati lumine, adhuc in tenebris ignorantie ambuletis, Creatorem, Redemptorem et Salvatorem omnium Dei Filium Jhesum Christum minime agnoscentes, tanto de hoc (novit ipse Salvator) majori dolore turbamur intrinsecus, quanto per id gravius vobis imminere cognoscimus periculum animarum, presertim cum exposita iam vobis salutifere fidei veritate non possitis ulterius apud Deum super illius ignorantia excusari, nec de virium robore per quas multas hominum nationes permittente Domino superastis insultanter gloriari debetis, sed potius coram eo humiliare vos ipsos, et recognoscere multam patientiam ejus, qui tamdiu in vestris noxiis desideriis et actibus toleravit, expectando benigne ut errorum semitas relinquentes ad tramitem convertamini veritatis, propter quod recte formidare potestis ne in vos, si suam non agnoscatis omnipotentiam, sue flagellum iracundie tanquam nimium provocatus immittat. Ideoque nobilitatem vestram monemus, hortamur et sicut possumus obsecramus quatinus nostris salutaribus acquiescentes consiliis, et de profectu animarum vestrarum provide cogitantes, vias ad eternum ducentes interitum deseratis, aggredientes rectum iter per quod ad perempnis vite gaudia, duce ipso Christo Dei Filio qui vita et salus est omnium, pervenitur, et ut vobis ad habendam agnitionem omnium Conditoris gressus expeditior tribuatur, desistatis deinceps in cedem hominum, et maxime Cristianorum, exertum jamdudum dire persecutionis gladium exercere; abstinendo namque a talibus, que graviter oculos divine majestatis offendunt, facilius profecto ipsius gratiam et misericordiam poteritis invenire. Dat. Lugduni, x kalendas decembris, anno VI.

— Les registres d'Innocent IV publiés ou analysés d'après les manuscrits originaux du Vatican et de la Bibliothèque nationale, par Élie Berger , II (Paris, 1887), no. 4682, pp. 113-114.

Notes

1. ^ Les registres d'Innocent IV publiés ou analysés d'après les manuscrits originaux du Vatican et de la Bibliothèque nationale, ed. Élie Berger , II (Paris, 1887), no. 4682, p. 114, Bibliothéque des Ecoles francaises d'Athênes et de Rome. Original Latin: "sed potius coram eo humiliare vos ipsos, et recognoscere multam patientiam ejus, qui tamdiu in vestris noxiis desideriis et actibus toleravit, expectando benigne ut errorum semitas relinquentes ad tramitem convertamini veritatis, propter quod recte formidare potestis ne in vos, si suam non agnoscatis omnipotentiam, sue flagellum iracundie tanquam nimium provocatus immittat."
2. Roux, Histoire de l'Empire Mongol, p.316: "Sergis et Aibeg were finally sent back on November 22, 1248, with an answer, known as Viam agnoscere veritatis" (Original French quote: "Serbeg et Aibeg furent finalement congédiés le 22 Novembre 1248 avec une réponse, la lettre connue comme Viam agnoscere veritatis").
3. ^ Setton, p.522 "The Pope's reply to Baidju's letter, Viam agnoscere veritatis, dated November 22, 1248, and probably carried back by Aibeg and Sargis" Note that Setton refers to the letter as "Viam agnoscere" though the actual letter uses the text "Viam cognoscere"

References

• Sandra Brand-Pierach, Ungläubige im Kirchenrecht, Text of the letter p.174
• Jackson, Peter, Mongols and the West
• Roux, Jean-Paul, Histoire de l'Empire Mongol, 1993, Fayard, ISBN 2213031649
• Kenneth Meyer Setton, "A History of the Crusades"
• MGH Epp. Saec. XIII, Volume 2, pp. 72-75 (original source documents)

• Grousset, Rene, Histoire des Croisades, III, Tempus, 2006 edition, ISBN 226202569X
• Rachewiltz, I, Papal Envoys to the Great Khans, Stanford University Press, 1971.
• Runciman, Steven, History of the Crusades, III, Penguin Books, 2002 edition, ISBN 014013705X

• Papal bulls