Vatican Hands Mongolia Copies of 38 Mongol Empire Letters to the Popes

2 days ago

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Mongolia now holds copies of 38 Mongol Empire letters and papers from the Vatican. On 26 October 2026 in Vatican City, the heads of the Vatican Apostolic Archives and the Vatican Apostolic Library handed Mongolia's ambassador to the Holy See copies of 38 rare 13th- and 14th-century documents, including letters between Güyük Khan and Pope Innocent IV and a 1278 letter from Pope Nicholas III to Khubilai Khan. A week later, Mongolia began talks in Seoul about bringing home the last law code of the Yuan dynasty.

Key facts

What: Copies of 38 Mongol Empire documents (13th–14th centuries) handed to Mongolia
When and where: 26 October 2026, Vatican City (reported by Montsame on 28 October)
From: Vatican Apostolic Archives and Vatican Apostolic Library
Highlights: Innocent IV to the Great Khan (1245); Güyük Khan's reply (Nov 1246); Nicholas III to Khubilai Khan (1278); Ilkhanate letters
Also: Talks on 3 November 2026 in Seoul about the Yuan dynasty's last law code, the Zhizheng Tiaoge
On display?: Not announced (as of 5 November 2026)
See the history: Chinggis Khaan National Museum, Ulaanbaatar: winter 09:00–17:00, last entry 16:00
Source: Montsame, Chinggis Khaan National Museum, Asnad.org, UNESCO; read 5 Nov 2026

White stupas along the long stone wall of Erdene Zuu Monastery at Kharkhorin in the Orkhon Valley, Mongolia, under a blue summer sky — The stupa wall of Erdene Zuu Monastery at Kharkhorin in the Orkhon Valley, home to the remains of Kharkhorum, the imperial capital. Photo: Enza Tours

What did the Vatican give Mongolia?

The Vatican gave Mongolia copies, not originals, of 38 documents from the 13th and 14th centuries. Montsame reported on 28 October 2026 that Ambassador Gerelmaa Davaasuren received them from Paolo Vian, Prefect of the Vatican Apostolic Archives, and Mauro Mantovani, Prefect of the Vatican Apostolic Library.

The set covers both sides of the exchange. It includes Pope Innocent IV's official letter of 1245 to the Great Khan, letters from Güyük Khan to Innocent IV, Pope Nicholas III's correspondence of 1278 with Khubilai Khan, diplomatic letters exchanged with Abaga Khan and Argun Khan of the Ilkhanate and their families, letters to and from the Mongol commander Baiju, and the instructions and credentials given to papal envoys travelling into Mongol lands.

What do the Mongol Empire Vatican letters say?

The best-known letter is a demand, not a greeting. The Asnad.org digital Persian archive, hosted by the Chair of Iranian Studies at the University of Bamberg, dates Güyük Khan's reply to between 2 and 11 November 1246. It is written in Persian ta'liq script.

Güyük handed the letter to the papal envoy Giovanni da Pian del Carpine. In it, the Khan calls on the Pope and the rulers of Europe to come to his court and swear allegiance, and stresses his own superior position. It answered Innocent IV's letter of 1245, which AsiaNews also lists among the key sources on the period.

Why is this happening now?

The handover follows an agreement signed on 4 December 2025 between the Chinggis Khaan National Museum and the Vatican Apostolic Library, during President Khurelsukh Ukhnaa's state visit. The museum's report says it covers scholar exchanges on Mongol Empire history, manuscripts, archives and joint research.

Montsame's "This Week in Mongolia" listed an international conference, "Diplomatic Policy of the Great Mongol Empire: History and Modern Times", at the Chinggis Khaan National Museum on 28 October 2026. The two sides also discussed cataloguing and digitising other Mongolian items in the Vatican Library, including Mongolian-script manuscripts and rare books in Mongolian and Kalmyk.

Museum display of wax figures of a Mongol khan and queen seated on a carved golden throne inside a felt ger, with attendants in brocade robes — A museum display of a Mongol khan and queen at court in a ger. Photo: Enza Tours

What is the Yuan law code that Mongolia wants from Korea?

It is the Zhizheng Tiaoge, the Statutes of the Zhizheng Era, the last legal code of the Yuan dynasty. Montsame reported on 4 November 2026 that Mongolia's Ambassador to South Korea, Sukhbold Sukhee, visited the Jangseogak Archives of the Academy of Korean Studies on 3 November and discussed bringing the document to Mongolia and opening it to scholars and the public.

The code was compiled in November 1345 under Emperor Toghon Temür and came into force in 1346. The only surviving physical copy was found in 2003 in a family archive in Gyeongju. No date has been announced for any transfer.

Where can you see Mongol Empire history in Mongolia?

The Chinggis Khaan National Museum in central Ulaanbaatar is the place to start. Neither the Vatican nor the museum has said whether the new copies will go on display, so treat them as a research collection for now. According to the museum's visit page (read 5 November 2026), winter hours from 15 September to 14 May are 09:00–17:00 with last entry at 16:00. The same page also mentions a Tuesday closure in winter, so check before you go. English-language guided tours must be booked by phone.

Out in the Orkhon Valley, UNESCO's Orkhon Valley Cultural Landscape page describes Kharkhorum as the 13th- and 14th-century capital of Chinggis Khaan's empire, established in 1220, and Erdene Zuu as the earliest surviving Mongol Buddhist monastery. See our guide to Ulaanbaatar's history museums and the new Kharkhorum city plans.

Temples of Erdene Zuu Monastery with green tiled roofs behind an orange wall and dry autumn grass at Kharkhorin, Orkhon Valley, Mongolia — Temples of Erdene Zuu Monastery in the Orkhon Valley. Photo: Enza Tours

What this means for your trip

Give history half a day in Ulaanbaatar. The Chinggis Khaan National Museum fits easily into our Ulaanbaatar City Tour (1 day).
Go in winter hours. Arrive by 16:00 for last entry (as of 5 November 2026), and book an English guide by phone in advance.
Add Kharkhorum in summer. The old capital and Erdene Zuu sit on longer routes such as the Grand Tour Mongolia Route (14 days).
Planning from Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Japan or Korea? Mongolia's Consular Department lists visa-free stays of 30 days for Singapore, Malaysia and Japan and 14 days for Hong Kong SAR, and 90 days for South Korean tourists until 31 December 2026 (read 5 November 2026). See our Hong Kong to Mongolia travel guide.

How Enza Tours can help

We plan Ulaanbaatar days around the museums' current hours and book English-speaking museum guides. In summer we can continue to Kharkhorum and Erdene Zuu. Tell us your dates and we will suggest a route.

Frequently asked questions

What Mongol Empire documents did the Vatican give Mongolia in 2026?

On 26 October 2026 the Vatican Apostolic Archives and Library gave Mongolia copies of 38 documents from the 13th and 14th centuries, including letters between Güyük Khan and Pope Innocent IV and Pope Nicholas III's 1278 letter to Khubilai Khan, Montsame reported.

What did Güyük Khan's letter to the Pope say?

Güyük Khan's letter of November 1246, written in Persian script and held in the Vatican archives, called on Pope Innocent IV and Europe's rulers to come to the Mongol court and swear allegiance, according to the Asnad.org archive.

Can I see the Vatican letters at the Chinggis Khaan National Museum?

Not yet confirmed. As of 5 November 2026, no display of the copies had been announced by the Chinggis Khaan National Museum in Ulaanbaatar.

Do I need a visa for Mongolia from Singapore or Korea?

Not for short stays. As of 5 November 2026, Mongolia's Consular Department lists 30 days visa-free for Singapore and 90 days for South Korean tourists, the Korean exemption running until 31 December 2026.

Tours that fit this story

Hand-picked from our current programmes. See all of them on our Mongolia short tours page.

Ulaanbaatar City Tour (1 day): Gandan Monastery, the central square and Zaisan Hill.
Cultural Tours Mongolia (3 days): Ulaanbaatar, Tsonjin Boldog statue, Terelj.
Grand Tour Mongolia Route (14 days): Gobi, Kharkhorum, Khuvsgul Lake and Amarbayasgalant.

Sources

About this article

Written by the Enza Tours News Desk in Ulaanbaatar and checked by our team before publishing. Every date, number and rule in this post comes from the sources listed above, which we read on 5 November 2026. Last updated: 5 November 2026.

About Enza Tours LLC. We are a Mongolian inbound tour operator, founded in 2018 by Enkhzaya (Enza), and a member of the Mongolia Tourism Organization (MTO) and the Mongolian Tourism Association (MTA). Office: Room 39, Building 33, 4th Khoroo, Baga Toiruu Street, Chingeltei District, Ulaanbaatar 15141, Mongolia. Phone +976 8911 2100 · info@mongoliantour.guide · Meet our team · Contact us