Battle of Ain Jalut

The Battle of Ain Jalut (Arabic: معركة عين جالوت) was a battle fought in 1260, in the region of Palestine near the Jordan Valley. It opposed the forces of the Mamluk Sultanate of Egypt, commanded by Sayf al-Din Qutuz and a commander named Baybars, against a contingent of Mongol forces stationed in the region.

The outcome was a defeat for the Mongol army. Historians regard this battle as significant because it halted Mongol expansion westward in the eastern Mediterranean, following their campaigns in Baghdad and the Levant.

Background

In the preceding years, Mongol forces under Hulagu Khan had taken Baghdad (1258), destroying the Abbasid Caliphate there. They then moved on to the Levant, capturing major cities. When Hulagu withdrew part of his forces eastward—historians attribute this to internal affairs of the Mongol Empire—a smaller Mongol force remained in the Levant under the command of Kitbuqa.

Course of battle

The Mamluk army set out from Egypt and advanced through Palestine. Historical sources report that the Mamluks employed a tactical stratagem: a forward force engaged the Mongols and then withdrew to draw them toward a location where the main body of the Mamluk army lay in wait. Kitbuqa was killed in the battle, and his forces were routed.

Aftermath

Following the victory, the Mamluks reoccupied many cities in the Levant. Shortly after, Qutuz was killed, and Baybars took command, becoming one of the most influential leaders in the history of the Mamluk Sultanate. Clashes between the Mamluks and the Mongols (particularly the Ilkhanate of Iran) continued for more than a decade.