15 Facts About Abaqa Khan

Abaqa Khan, was the second Mongol ruler of the Ilkhanate.

Abaqa Khan engaged in unsuccessful attempts at invading Syria under the Mamluk Sultanate, which included the Second Battle of Homs.

Abaqa Khan received her hand in marriage when he was installed as Ilkhan.

Abaqa Khan took power four months after the death of his father, and then spent the next several months redistributing fiefs and governorships.

The Great Khan Kublai attempted to intervene to stop the civil war, and due to his influence, the Golden Horde's new khan, Mongke Temur did not launch a major invasion into Abaqa's territory.

In 1270, Baraq Khan of the Chagatai Khanate tried to annex Iran, which resulted in an attack on Abaqa who was in the city of Herat.

However, Abaqa Khan was able to launch a successful defence and defeated Baraq's relative Teguder in Georgia.

Abaqa Khan was one in a long line of Mongol rulers who attempted to secure Western co-operation against the Muslim Mamluks.

Abaqa Khan received responses from Rome and from James I of Aragon, though it is unclear if this was what led to James' unsuccessful expedition to Acre in 1269.

Abaqa Khan is recorded as having written to the Aragonese king, saying that he was going to send his brother, Aghai, to join the Aragonese when they arrived in Cilicia.

When Edward arrived in Acre, he had sent an embassy to Abaqa Khan, led by Reginald Rossel, Godefroi of Waus and John of Parker, requesting military assistance from the Mongols.

Abaqa Khan was occupied with other conflicts in Turkestan but responded positively to Edward's request, sending 10,000 Mongol horsemen under general Samagar from the occupation army in Seljuk Anatolia to Syria:.

The Vicar of the Patriarch declined Abaqa Khan's request, saying that the city was suffering from hunger, and that the king of Jerusalem was embroiled in another war.

Abaqa Khan was succeeded by his brother Tekuder, who despite his earlier conflicts with the Egyptian Mamluks, had converted to Islam.

Abaqa Khan had sixteen consorts and children with several of them:.