Mongol Siege of Baghdad

The Mongol Siege of Baghdad in 1258 was a major military attack by the Mongol Empire on the city of Baghdad, then a leading center of Islamic culture and learning. The Mongols, led by Hulagu Khan, aimed to conquer and control the region. They breached the city’s defenses after a brutal siege, causing massive destruction, killing many inhabitants—including scholars and officials—and ending the Abbasid Caliphate’s rule. The siege is considered a turning point, marking the Mongols’ violent expansion into the Middle East and resulting in significant cultural and historical loss for Baghdad.