The Middle East Mongols campaign under the command of Hulagu (1256-1260) was one of the greatest conquests of the Mongol army, directed against the Iranian Ismaili and Nizari, Abbasid Caliphate, Ayyubid dynasty in Syria and Mamluk in Egypt, also the major role in the Middle East campaign against the Muslims have played Nestorian Christians, and participants of the Seventh Crusade that were allies of the Mongols too. In 1251, Möngke was proclaimed Great Khan of Mongolian State, and decided to continue the war against the Song Dynasty and conquest of the Middle East.
According to some researchers Hulagu has gathered army of 70 thousand people. Modern researchers are trying to calculate the size of the army of Hulagu, based on the amount of military leaders mentioned in the sources - 15-17 people. If each warlord was the head of tumen the Mongol army was to be 150-170 thousand people. However, tumen only theoretically has included 10,000 soldiers - the actual number could be less than ten thousand.
Hulagu has sympathized to Buddhists, but generally he has used the followers of different religions for political purposes. Also, his senior wife, influential Dokuz Khatun, was a Christian, and the patroness of Christians. Finally, in 1248, Hethum I, King of Armenia became the Mongolian ally, who in 1248 sent his older brother Sempad the Constable in the Mongolian capital of Karakorum. He also has attracted to an alliance with the Mongols Prince Bohemund of Antioch that gave married his daughter. Also, the Christians of the Middle East have joined the Mongol army, because they have considered that Mongols were liberators.
In October 1253, Hulagu left Mongolia, but his army was moving very slowly - in September 1255 he reached only Samarkand. This slow movement was caused by opposition of the head of Jochi Ulus to Batu, who did not want to let the imperial army to cross the Amu Darya River, the territory of which is regarded as a sphere of influence Jochids. Mangu did not want to quarrel with Batu, so he didn't begin campaign until the death of Batu.
Most Ismaili fortresses in Kuhistan have surrendered during the year and were destroyed. Only a few, including the famous Alamut that surrendered on 15 December 1256, have done fierce resistance. The hardest siege for the Mongols was Girdekuha that lasted for years. After putting an end to the Nizari, Hulagu has demanded obedience from Baghdad Caliph al-Mustasim. Caliph has rejected presumptuously the ultimatum of Mongol commander, but he hasn't had the forces to oppose Hulagu. Among the dignitaries that surrounded the caliph, there was no unity, and there weren't any measures to improve for the defense of the country. In addition, al-Mustasim has refused to pay the salary to wage-army, and it was dissolved.
Field Army under the command of the Abbasid Fatah al-Din ibn Kerr was defeated by Baiju troops on the banks of the Tigris. In early 1258, Hulagu and Baiju completed the encirclement of Baghdad. First Bagdad was fired from the siege engines, and then Mongols began the assault. By mid-February the city was in the hands of the Mongols. In begun massacre of residents of the city Christians were spared (at the request of Dokuz Khatun, senior wife of Hulagu). Also, were spared Jews, because the Mongols regarded them as allies, since the caliphs have oppressed them. Al-Mustasim that has surrendered had to show the secret treasury Abbasid rulers, and then, was executed on February 20, by order of Hulagu.
House of Wisdom - a library that has contained the manuscripts for a variety of branches of science, especially in medicine and astronomy, was destroyed. Residents that have tried to escape were ruthlessly killed by the Mongols. According to some researchers were killed about 90,000 people. Wassaf claims that there were several hundred thousand victims. According to the other researchers the total number of victims were 200 000-1 000 000 people. The Mongols have also burned the palaces, mosques, libraries and hospitals. Beautiful buildings that have stood for centuries were destroyed.
After the conquest of Baghdad, Hulagu has located his troops in the East Azerbaijan. In August 1258 he met the delegations of Muslim rulers here, which had arrived to express humility, in particular, Badr al-Din, Atabek Sa'd, etc. The Mongols have crossed the Euphrates and called on the governor of Aleppo Turan Shah to surrender the city. In response to the refusal of 18 January 1260, they besieged Aleppo. In the siege, have also participated troops of Christian allies of Hulagu: Hethum and Bohemund of Antioch. The city was captured in a week. After the capture of the city the Mongols have begun the massacre that was terminated after six days by order of Hulagu. From defenders of the citadel was left alive only one Armenian goldsmith. On June 1260, after receiving news of the death of the Great Khan Mangu, Hulagu with the major part of the army retreated in the Caucasus. Mongolian commander Kitbuqa was left with relatively small forces 10-20 thousand warriors, or even 10-12 thousand. Kitbuqa was ordered to keep already conquered territories. Kitbuqa has continued conquest of Syria to the south - in Palestine, capturing Baalbek, Nimrod Fortress (al-Subayba), Ajloun, and Gaza. On September 3, 1260 at the Battle of Ain Jalut Mongol army was defeated by Baybars troops: Kitbuga was captured and was executed. Thus, summarizing all the mentioned above it should be stated that Mongolian conquest of Middle East was brutal and bloody. For the Hulagu's military campaign was characteristic the destroying of the cities and massacres of residents of the Middle East cities.
Works Cited
Amitai-Preiss, Reuven. Mongols and Mamluks: The Mamluk-Ilkhanid War, 1260-1281. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2005.
Boyle, J. A. The Cambridge History of Iran, Vol. 5: The Saljuq and Mongol Periods. Vol. 5. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1968.
Grousset, Rene. The Empire of the Steppes: A History of Central Asia. New Brunswick: Rutgers, 1970.
Khanbaghi, Aptin. The Fire, the Star and the Cross: Minority Religions in Medieval and Early Modern Iran. London: I. B. Tauris, 2006.
Man, John. Kublai Khan: From Xanadu to Superpower. New York: BANTAM BOOKS, 2007.
