Battle of Köse Dag

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Battle of Köse Dag

Part of the Mongol invasion of Anatolia

Date	June 26, 1243
Location	Köse Dağ, the present day Turkey
Result	Mongol victory

Combatants

Mongols

Sultanate of Rüm,

Georgian and Trapezuntine auxiliaries

Commanders

Bayju

Kay Khusrau II

The Mongol Invasions
Central Asia – Georgia and Armenia – Kalka River – Volga Bulgaria – Ryazan – Rus' – Sit River – Köse Dag – Legnica – Mohi – Baghdad – Ain Jalut – Korea – Japan (Bun'ei – Kōan) – Vietnam – Xiangyang – Ngasaunggyan – Yamen – Pagan – Bach Dang – Syria – Kulikovo – Vorskla – Ugra River

The Battle of Köse Dag was fought between the Seljuk Turks of Rum and the Mongols on June 26, 1243 at the field of Köse Dag, a location near cities of Sivas and Erzincan (Northeast of Turkey), and ended in a decisive Mongol victory.

The Mongols attacked the Seljuk Sultanate of Rum in 1241. Led by Bayju, they seized Erzurum. Sultan Kay Khusrau II called for his neighbours to organize a joint army to resist the Mongol invasion. A number of auxiliaries were provided by Georgian nobles who left their country following the Mongol occupation. The Empire of Trebizond also sent a detachment. A decisive battle was fought at Köse Dağ on June 26, 1243. The Mongols inflicted a major defeat on the Seljuks and their allies, and took control of the cities of Sivas and Kayseri. The sultan fled to Antalya but was subsequently forced to make peace with Bayju and pay a substantial tribute to the Mongol Empire.

The defeat at Köse Dağ ('Köse' Mountain) resulted in a period of turmoil in the Anatolia which saw further decline and disintegration of Seljuk state.

In fact, Sultan had left the field after he saw his forces were doubling that of Tatars and Mongols. He probably thought it would be an easy victory. However, soldiers saw him leaving the field and they started to retreat as a result^{[citation needed]}.

At the end, Sultanate of Rum became a vassal of Ilkhanate Mongol Empire which eventually let birth of a new Turkic Great Power in the west Anatolia, The Ottomans. The era between 1244 and 1299 is believed in Turkey to be the only era in the Turkish History of Anatolia during which Turks had no state, though the Sultanate of Rum retained nominal power under Tatar supervisors. On the other hand, During those decades the only power that was able to resist Mongols in all western Eurasia was the Mameluke state in Egypt.