276 CHRISTIANITY IN CHINA, ETC. no parallel ; and in the summer following, his faithful queen Doghouz-Khatoun also quitted this world. By the disappearance of these two stars, the protectors of the Christian faith, the Christians of the whole world have been plunged into sorrow and mourning." An- other writer of the time * goes so far as to compare them to Constantine and Helena. These strange exag- gerations prove how great were usually the sufferings of the Christians, since the smallest manifestations of good- will were capable of inspiring such warmth of gratitude. Houlagou was succeeded by his son Abaga, who, though he placed a Mussulman at the head of his council, was nevertheless a friend to the Christians, either from policy, or from complaisance to his wife, who was of that faith. Houlagou, a short time before his death, had asked in marriage a daughter of Michael Paleologus, the emperor of Byzantium, and the latter had bestowed on him the hand of one of his natural daughters, named Maria, whose mother was of the family of Diplovatatzi. Theodosius de Yille Hardouin, archimandrite of the convent of Pantocrator f, or, according to others J, Euthymius, the Greek Patriarch of Antioch, was charged to conduct her to the king of
- "The great and pious king, the master of the world, the hope
of the Christians, Houlagou-Khan, died in the year 1265, and was soon followed by his excellent wife, Doghouz-Khatoun. The Lord knows that they were scarcely inferior to Constantine and his mother Helena. As Houlagou loved the Christians, all nations which pro- fessed the true faith obeyed him willingly and were of great help to ■dm." — "Hist, des Orpelians," in the " Memoires sur l'Armenie " of I. Saint Martin. f Da Cange, Anc. Byzant., p. 235. Pachymeres, vol. iii. p. 1044.
Aboulfaradge, Chron. Syr. p. 567. Bar-Hebrasus, p. 567.
