On September 3, 1260 AD/CE, the Battle of Ain Jalut was fought between the Mamluk Sultanate, led by Sultan Saifuddin Qutuz, and the Mongol army of Hulagu Khan in Ain Jalut, Palestine. This battle marked a decisive turning point, halting Mongol expansion into the Muslim world.
The Mongol Threat to the Muslim World
In the early 13th century, the Mongol invasions posed a major threat to the Muslim world. The Mongols, initially warring tribes, were united by Genghis Khan, who led brutal conquests across China, Central Asia, Afghanistan, Russia, and the Khwarizm Empire (Persia and Central Asia).
Though the Mongols were highly skilled warriors, they became infamous for massacres and destruction in conquered cities. The more resistance they faced, the more brutal their retaliation. After Genghis Khan’s death in 1227 AD/CE, his successors, including his grandson Hulagu Khan, continued his campaigns.
The Fall of Baghdad and the Mongol Advance
In Persia, his grandson Halagu Khan was made the Mongol leader and he invaded Iraq. In 1258 AD/CE, Baghdad, the capital of the Abbasid Caliphate was attacked and sacked and the last Abbasid Caliph, Al Mutasim, was executed. The Mongols then went on the invade Syria and made it all the way to Palestine.
See Also: Abbasid Dynasty Family Tree
By the time the Mongol armies reached the Levant (Syria, Jordan, Lebanon, and Palestine), their name elicited such fear that many people would surrender to them without a fight even knowing they would die in order to avoid being tormented with an even worse death.
The Rise of the Mamluks
The Mamluk Sultan of Egypt at that time, Saifuddin Qutuz, decided to face and fight the Mongols. He lead an army to Palestine with his military commander Baybars, to stop the invasion.
The Mamluks were a group of people of slave origin that formed the military elite of the Egyptian kingdom at that time. They came into prominence during the rulership of the descendants of the great Salahuddin Al Ayyubi, and eventually took over the kingship themselves. They were trained from a young age as warriors and were very capable in battle.
The Mongol Army and Its Allies
The Mongol army at Ain Jalut was not just composed of Mongols. It also included troops from:
- The Christian Kingdom of Armenia
- The Christian Kingdom of Georgia
This powerful coalition army was a serious challenge for the Mamluks.
The Battle of Ain Jalut (September 3, 1260 AD/CE)
The two forces met each other at a location in Palestine known at that time as Ain Jalut, which literally means “Spring of Goliath” on the 03 September in 1260 AD/CE (25th Ramadan in 558 Hijri). Both armies were of comparable strength at about twenty thousand soldiers each.
Baybars’ Strategic Trap
The commander of the Mamluk army , Baybars was familiar with the local terrain and took advantage of this knowledge. He hid most of his army among some trees and went out with a smaller force. He engaged the Mongols in some back and forth fighting and eventually pretended to retreat, luring the Mongols into an ambush. At the right moment the bulk of the Mamluk army attacked with their cavalry and volleys of arrows and took the Mongols by surprise. However, the Mongols rallied and fought back fiercely.
Sultan Qutuz’s Leadership
During the battle, Sultan Qutuz threw down his helmet and personally led the charge, shouting:
“O Muslims! Islam is in danger!”
This rallied the troops, boosting their morale and turning the tide of battle.
The Defeat of the Mongols
Victory was sealed when the the leader of the Mongol army general Ketbuqa was captured and executed by the Mamluks. This caused the remaining Mongols to retreat. They did stop and attempt to fight again at Beisan but were again defeated.
Aftermath and Significance
At the end of the battle most of the Mongol army was destroyed and the Mamluks achieved a decisive victory. The Mamluk losses were significant as well. As a result of this battle the Mongol advance was halted and the Muslim world was saved from perhaps total occupation by the Mongols. Indeed it ranks as one of the most decisive battles Muslims fought since the battle of Badr because a loss at Ain Jalut would have meant the loss of Egypt and the Hijaz, including Makkah and Madinah.
After this victory, the fortunes of the Muslims improved and Mongols became weaker. Also by the Mercy of Allah, many of the Mongols, including their leaders in the Muslim portion of their empire (Iran and Central Asia) accepted Islam and all of the territories they had conquered from the Muslims were restored under Muslim rule.
The Assassination of Sultan Qutuz
On the way back to Cairo, Sultan Qutz was assassinated, and Baybars became the new sultan. It is reported that Baybars may have been behind the conspiracy to kill Qutz in an unfortunate twist in the aftermath of the battle. Nevertheless Baybars did go on to rule for a number of years and strengthen the Mamluks. He went on to recapture further territory from the Crusaders and the Mongols during his reign.
See Also: Great Seljuk Empire Sultans Family Tree
