Baibars was one of the commanders of the Egyptian forces that inflicted a defeat on the Seventh Crusade of King Louis IX of France.
36 Facts About Baibars
2.
Baibars led the vanguard of the Egyptian army at the Battle of Ain Jalut in 1260, which marked the first substantial defeat of the Mongol army and is considered a turning point in history.
3.
Baibars managed to pave the way for the end of the Crusader presence in the Levant and reinforced the union of Egypt and Syria as the region's pre-eminent Muslim state, able to fend off threats from both Crusaders and Mongols, and even managed to subdue the kingdom of Makuria, which was famous for being unconquerable by previous Muslim empire invasion attempts.
4.
Baibars had broad shoulders, slim legs, and a powerful voice.
5.
Baibars was a Kipchak thought to be born in the Dasht-i Kipchak - between the Edil and Yaiyk rivers - while other sources specify this as in the Kazakhstan.
6.
Baibars was still a commander under sultan Qutuz at the Battle of Ain Jalut in 1260, when he decisively defeated the Mongols.
7.
Baibars manage to suppress the rebellion quickly as he surrounded and arrested them all.
8.
Baibars started with the Principality of Antioch, which had become a vassal state of the Mongols and had participated in attacks against Islamic targets in Damascus and Syria.
9.
In 1263, Baibars laid siege to Acre, the capital of the remnant of the Kingdom of Jerusalem, although the siege was abandoned when he sacked Nazareth instead.
10.
Baibars next attacked Atlit and Haifa, where he captured both towns after destroying the crusaders' resistance, and razed the citadels.
11.
Baibars promised the knights safe passage to the Christian town of Acre if they surrendered their fortress.
12.
On capturing Safed, Baibars did not raze the fortress to the ground but fortified and repaired it instead, as it was strategically situated and well constructed.
13.
Baibars installed a new governor in Safed, with the rank of Wali.
14.
Later, in 1266, Baibars invaded the Christian country of Cilician Armenia which, under King Hethum I, had submitted to the Mongol Empire.
15.
However, Baibars was pragmatic in his approach and did not want to become involved in complicated intrigue inside the Golden Horde, so instead he stayed close to both Mengu Timur and Noqai.
16.
In 1277, Baibars invaded the Seljuq Sultanate of Rum, then controlled by the Ilkhanate Mongols.
17.
Baibars defeated a Mongol army at the Battle of Elbistan and captured the city of Kayseri.
18.
Baibars himself went with a few troops to deal with the Mongol right flank that was pounding his left wing.
19.
Baibars ordered a force from the army from Hama to reinforce his left.
20.
Pervane sent a letter to Baibars asking him to delay his departure.
21.
Baibars chastised him for not aiding him during the Battle of Elbistan.
22.
Baibars told him he was leaving for Sivas to mislead Pervane and the Mongols as to his true destination.
23.
Baibars sent Taybars al-Waziri with a force to raid the Armenian town of al-Rummana, whose inhabitants had hidden the Mongols earlier.
24.
Baibars's demise has been the subject of some academic speculation.
25.
Baibars was the daughter of Barka Khan, a former Khwarazmian amir.
26.
Baibars had seven daughters; one of them was named Tidhkarbay Khatun.
27.
Baibars took final control after the assassination of Sultan Sayf al Din Qutuz, but before he became Sultan he commanded Mamluk forces in the decisive Battle of Ain Jalut in 1260, repelling Mongol forces from Syria.
28.
Baibars played an important role in bringing the Mongols to Islam.
29.
Baibars developed strong ties with the Mongols of the Golden Horde and took steps for the Golden Horde Mongols to travel to Egypt.
30.
Baibars was a popular ruler in the Muslim world who had defeated the crusaders in three campaigns, and the Mongols in the Battle of Ain Jalut which many scholars deem of great macro-historical importance.
31.
Baibars was arguably the first to employ explosive hand cannons in war, at the Battle of Ain Jalut.
32.
Baibars was an efficient administrator who took interest in building various infrastructure projects, such as a mounted message relay system capable of delivery from Cairo to Damascus in four days.
33.
Baibars built bridges, irrigation and shipping canals, improved the harbours, and built mosques.
34.
Baibars was a patron of Islamic science, such as his support for the medical research of his Arab physician, Ibn al-Nafis.
35.
Baibars's memoirs were recorded in Sirat al-Zahir Baibars, a popular Arabic romance recording his battles and achievements.
36.
Baibars has a heroic status in Kazakhstan, as well as in Egypt, Palestine, Lebanon and Syria.