H o l a k uʼ s R e t u r n 11 Holaku captured all Iran and made it his base. He founded the Il-Khanid dynasty (1256-1339) there and attacked the Abbasid Caliphate (750-1258). In 1258 Holaku besieged Baghdad, where divided counsels prevented the city’s salvation. Al Mustasim (r. 1242-1258), the last Abbasid caliph of Baghdad, had presented no strong defence against the Mongols conqueror. He had ignored several demands of Holaku and had answered others with blustering and empty threats. When Holaku entered Baghdad, the Caliph and 300 officials hurried to present their surrender, but were all executed. Baghdad was largely destroyed and thousands of its inhabitants were killed. Thereafter Baghdad became the provincial capital of the Il-Khanids. Holaku hoped to extend the Mongol empire as far as the Mediterranean. In 1259 the Mongol army moved into Syria, took Aleppo and Damascus, and reached the shore of Mediterranean sea. The Mongols then sent an envoy to Cairo in 1260 to demand the submission of the Mumluk Sultan, whose reply was the execution of the envoy. The Mongol army was lured into a trap at Ayn Jalut, in Palestine, by a Mumluk force and completely destroyed. After the Mumluk victory the Mongols were also driven out of Syria. Holaku was unable to take reprisals, as he was preoccupied with internal power struggles. Thus Holaku returned to Iran. The Il-Khanid dynasty
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