Battle of Ain Jalut: A Turning Point in the Islamic History

Battle of Ain Jalut 1260

On this day, 03 September 1260 AD, the Battle of Ain Jalut was fought between Mamluks of Egypt and Ilkhanid armies of Hulagu khan led by Kitbuga, the two sides numbering 20,000 men each met in battle in Ain Jalut. The Mongols were the first to strike. The Mamluks had a clear advantage because they knew the terrain very well, and Qutuz used that fully to his advantage, eventually Mamluks emerged victorious in the decisive battle. 

Mongke Khan, Genghis Khan's grandson, became the Great Khan in 1251. Hulagu Khan, Mongke Khan's brother, subjugated western countries. By 1260, he annihilated or subdued Cilician Armenians, Antioch, and Baghdad's 500-year-old Abbasid caliphate. The objective was to advance via Jerusalem and challenge the Mamluk Sultanate, the last significant Islamic state. In 1260, envoys delivered threats to Qutuz the Mamluk in Cairo.

When the Great Khan died in China, Hulagu had to return home to choose the next Great Khan. He left a small force to maintain Mongol presence. Qutuz the Mamluk invaded Palestine to defend Islam and free Mongol-occupied Damascus and Bilad al-sham. Seeing the Mamluks' growing dominance, the Mongols wanted to form a Franco-Mongol alliance, but Pope Alexander IV banned it. Alternatively, despite a long-standing Christians vs. Muslims animosity between the Mamluks and the Franks, the Franks allowed the Mamluk army to travel through their country. Qutuz hurried to Ain Jalut in the Jezreel Valley after he heard the Mongols had crossed the Jordan.

Baibars' agents assassinated Qutuz after this win so he could become the sole Mamluk king. He overcame the Mongols and drove them out of Syria, and he subdued the surviving crusader countries. Due of succession difficulties, Hulagu couldn't avenge the Mamluks' setback. The Khan of the Kipchak Khanate became a Muslim after hearing what Hulagu had done to the Abbasids. He sent Hulagu the following message:

The Mongol empire ended with Kublai Khan's defeat against the Mamluks. Mongols fought Kipchaks and lost in Caucus in 1263. Despite sending more armies to attack the Mamluks, they failed to bring down the Muslim empire. This is why the Battle of Ain Jalut was so important. It ended the global fear caused by the Mongols and restored stability.