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The Battle of Baghdad in 1258 is one of the most famous victories of Hulagu Khan, grandson of Genghis Khan.

Baghdad was the capital of a small Islamic state and was ruled by Al-Musta'sim, the Abbasid caliph. The Mongols army set out to Baghdad in November of 1257. The Mongols set up camp near the Hulwan river, and some of them crossed the Tigris to attack Baghdad from the rear. Al-Musta'sim's army launched a counterattack, which at first drove the Mongols back that had crossed the Tigris, but the Mongols were able to lure their opponents into a marshy terrain. Al-Musta'sim's soldiers were routed, and only a few managed to escape back to Baghdad.

The Mongols pushed into the city, and reached the city wall. Baghdad was defended by a small army of mamluk soldiers and auxiliaries from some southern Iraqi tribes. There was also a citizens' militia, but its members had little training and few weapons. The Mongols laid siege to the city and constructed a palisade and a ditch; siege equipment was erected as well. The bombardment began on January 29 and by February 4, a breach was made. By February 5 the Mongols controlled a stretch of the wall. Al-Musta'sim tried to negotiate, but was refused.

On February 10 Baghdad surrendered, after the Caliph Al-Musta'sim came out of the city and gave himself up, at which point he was executed, by wrapping him in a rug and having him either "beaten to a pulp" or trampled by horses. The Mongols swept into the city on February 13, which began a week of massacre, looting, and fire.

External link

• A long article about Hulagu's conquest of Baghdad, written by Ian Frazier, appeared in the April 25, 2005 issue of The New Yorker. It explains Osama bin Laden's reference to Hulagu.

• 1258
• Battles of the Mongols
• Baghdad