John Morton vs Rashid al-Din Hamadani

John Morton was appointed Lord Chancellor by King Henry VII. As the highest judicial officer, he oversaw the legal system and helped strengthen the Tudor monarchy after the Wars of the Roses.

Morton devised a tax collection scheme known as 'Morton's Fork': if a noble lived frugally, he had savings to tax; if he lived lavishly, he had wealth to tax. This policy efficiently extracted revenue for the crown.

Morton was a key negotiator in the Treaty of Etaples between England and France. The treaty ended the French support for Perkin Warbeck, a pretender to the English throne, and secured a pension for Henry VII.

Morton was created a cardinal by Pope Alexander VI. This elevated his status in the Church and strengthened his influence in both English and European affairs.

Rashid al-Din converted from Judaism to Islam around the age of 50, likely to advance his career under the Muslim convert Ghazan Khan. His conversion allowed him to serve as vizier and demonstrated the fluid religious boundaries in the Mongol Ilkhanate.

Rashid al-Din was appointed vizier to the Ilkhanid ruler Ghazan Khan. He became the chief administrator of the Ilkhanate, overseeing financial reforms, agricultural development, and the implementation of Ghazan's conversion to Islam, which reshaped Mongol rule in Persia.

Rashid al-Din founded the Rab'-i Rashidi, a charitable and scholarly complex in Tabriz. It included a mosque, hospital, library, and academy, where scholars from various cultures worked. The complex served as a center for the production of his historical works and manuscripts.

Rashid al-Din wrote 'Jami' al-tawarikh', a world history commissioned by Ghazan Khan. It covered the history of the Mongols, China, India, Europe, and the Islamic world, making it one of the first universal histories. The work was illustrated with Persian miniatures, influencing Islamic art.

Rashid al-Din was executed on charges of poisoning Sultan