Battle of Wadi al-Khazandar
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| Battle of Wadi al-Khazandar | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of the Mongol Invasion of Syria (1299) | |||||||
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| Combatants | |||||||
| Ilkhanate, Georgia and Armenia | Mamluks of Egypt | ||||||
| Commanders | |||||||
| Ghazan Khan | Sultan Abdalmalik an-Nasir | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| 60,000 Mongol troops, 40,000 Georgian and Armenian auxialliaries + 12,000 Maronite and Druze bowmen | 20,000-30,000 Mamluks | ||||||
| Casualties | |||||||
| 5,000-14,000 Mongols | almost all routed | ||||||
Contents |
[edit] Background Information
In 1299, Ghazan Khan and an army of 60,000 Mongols and 40,000 Georgians and Armenians crossed the Euphrates river (The Mamluk-Ilkhanid border) and seized Aleppo. The Mongol army then proceeded southwards until they were only a few miles north of Homs in a battle line that was almost 10 miles wide.
The Sultan of Egypt who was in Syria at the time marched an army of 20,000-30,000 Mamluks northwards from Damascus until he met the Mongols two to three Arab farsakhs (6-9 miles) north-east of Homs at the Wadi al-Khazandar on the 22nd of December 1299 at 5 o'clock in the morning (The sun had already risen).
[edit] The Battle
The battle started with the Mamluk infantry charging the Mongols. At this time, the Mongol heavy cavalry charged at the Mamluks while Mongol archers stood behind their horses and peppered the Mamluks with arrows.
It seems that early on in the battle, the two forces ended up in hand to hand combat. The Mamluks had always been superior to the Mongols in close quarters fighting, hence the Mamluks were at an advantage although being outnumbered over 3 to 1.
Eventually in the afternoon of the battle, a rumour that the Mamluk right flank had been broken through by the Mongols circulated. It was unknown whether this was rumour was true because most of the Mamluk army (As well as the Sultan and historians) routed (Messages between sections of the army could take hours to reach the other side of the battlefield).
It was learnt, however, that the battle line of the Mamluks had held until the next day when both sides retreated. This battle was a continuation of the Egyptian-Mongol clash after the Battle of Ayn Jalut in Palestine, where the Egyptians clearly decimated the Mongols.
[edit] Casualties
It was thought that only 200 Mamluk soldiers had been killed and Mongol casualties numbered 5,000-10,000. This figure, however, may not account for soldiers killed by archers. It is understandable that Mamluk casualties were low while Mongol casualties were high, as the Mamluks had superior infantry. However, the death of only 200 soldiers could not have been enough to spread a rumour that the entire right flank had collapsed.
Some sources cite Mongol casualties at 14,000 while Mamluk casualties were only 1,000. These figures, however, don't take into account the casualties after most of the Mamluk army routed.
It is also important to note that after the Mamluk army routed, they were set upon by 12,000 Maronite and Druze bowmen who were at war with the Mamluks.
So, although historically vague inconclusive due to the lack of reliable historians, the number of casualties seem to signify an Egyptian victory over the Mongols.
[edit] Aftermath
The Mongols (Who had claimed a 'great victory') continued there march south until they reached Damascus. It was soon sacked and the citadel besieged when the Mongols suddenly withdrew back across the Euphrates as Chagatai Mongols had invaded the eastern territories of the Ilkhanate.
There were no concerted Christian efforts to build on the Mongol victories and the Mamluks were soon in repossession of Syria.
[edit] Sources
Adh-Dhababi's Record of the Destruction of Damascus by the Mongols in 1299-1301 (http://www.deremilitari.org/resources/articles/somogyi1.htm)
