Team Infidel
Forum Spin Doctor
http://militaryhistory.about.com/od/themongols/a/battlebaghdad.htm
10 FEB 1258, a Mongol army under the command of Hulagu Khan (grandson of Genghis Khan) along with Guo Kan and his large Chinese contingent forced Baghdad, the capital of the Abbasid caliphate, to surrender. This capitulation was significant, for although the Abbasids were in decline during the mid 13th century, Baghdad was a wealthy and vibrant Islamic city and would be a great addition to the Mongol Khanate. (The Rise of Mongol Power) As Hulagu’s massive army (perhaps the largest army ever fielded by the Mongols) reached the caliphate, the Mongol commander offered terms of surrender to the Caliph, Al-Musta’sim. Al-Musta’sim flatly refused the Mongol demands and warned that if Hulagu attacked, his army would face the wrath of Allah. So strong were Al-Musta’sim’s convictions that he neglected to muster a defending army or buttress the walls of Baghdad.
Once the siege began, Hulagu divided his army so as to attack Baghdad from both sides of the Tigris River. Along the eastern bank, Guo Kan began assaulting the walls of Baghdad with a variety of siege engines on January 29th. Several days later, the Mongol contingent on the western bank attacked Al-Musta’sim’s army, but the Caliph’s army was able to throw back the Mongol assault. However, shortly after this engagement, several dikes along the river were broken and many of the defenders either drowned or were cut down by the advancing Mongol army. With a large section of the Baghdad defenses captured, Al-Musta’sim attempted to negotiate terms of surrender. But Hulagu was greatly offended by the Caliph’s previous threats and rejected any peace overtures.
The defenses of Baghdad completely collapsed on February 10th. Three days later, the Mongol army swept into the city and began a week long rampage of slaughter and pillage. Historians vary greatly in estimating how many residents of Baghdad were killed, but the range falls between 90,000 and one million. Among the dead was Al-Musta’sim who was forced to watch his city ransacked before being rolled in a carpet and trampled to death under the hooves of the Mongol cavalry – bringing to an end the line of Abbassid caliphs who had ruled since 750. In addition to this slaughter, the Grand Library of Baghdad (which held thousands of texts on the arts and sciences) was completely destroyed along with many other historically significant structures. Coupled with the elimination of the irrigation system which had served Mesopotamia for millennia, it would take centuries for Baghdad to recover from the sack of 1258.
10 FEB 1258, a Mongol army under the command of Hulagu Khan (grandson of Genghis Khan) along with Guo Kan and his large Chinese contingent forced Baghdad, the capital of the Abbasid caliphate, to surrender. This capitulation was significant, for although the Abbasids were in decline during the mid 13th century, Baghdad was a wealthy and vibrant Islamic city and would be a great addition to the Mongol Khanate. (The Rise of Mongol Power) As Hulagu’s massive army (perhaps the largest army ever fielded by the Mongols) reached the caliphate, the Mongol commander offered terms of surrender to the Caliph, Al-Musta’sim. Al-Musta’sim flatly refused the Mongol demands and warned that if Hulagu attacked, his army would face the wrath of Allah. So strong were Al-Musta’sim’s convictions that he neglected to muster a defending army or buttress the walls of Baghdad.
Once the siege began, Hulagu divided his army so as to attack Baghdad from both sides of the Tigris River. Along the eastern bank, Guo Kan began assaulting the walls of Baghdad with a variety of siege engines on January 29th. Several days later, the Mongol contingent on the western bank attacked Al-Musta’sim’s army, but the Caliph’s army was able to throw back the Mongol assault. However, shortly after this engagement, several dikes along the river were broken and many of the defenders either drowned or were cut down by the advancing Mongol army. With a large section of the Baghdad defenses captured, Al-Musta’sim attempted to negotiate terms of surrender. But Hulagu was greatly offended by the Caliph’s previous threats and rejected any peace overtures.
The defenses of Baghdad completely collapsed on February 10th. Three days later, the Mongol army swept into the city and began a week long rampage of slaughter and pillage. Historians vary greatly in estimating how many residents of Baghdad were killed, but the range falls between 90,000 and one million. Among the dead was Al-Musta’sim who was forced to watch his city ransacked before being rolled in a carpet and trampled to death under the hooves of the Mongol cavalry – bringing to an end the line of Abbassid caliphs who had ruled since 750. In addition to this slaughter, the Grand Library of Baghdad (which held thousands of texts on the arts and sciences) was completely destroyed along with many other historically significant structures. Coupled with the elimination of the irrigation system which had served Mesopotamia for millennia, it would take centuries for Baghdad to recover from the sack of 1258.
