ABSTRACT
The decisive defeat of the Mongol invaders who had earlier crushed the Isma‘ili power in Persia (ah 653/ad 1256), sacked and occupied Baghdad (ah 656/ad 1258), and occupied Aleppo and Damascus (ah 658/ad 1260), was naturally welcomed by the Syrian Isma‘ilis. They moved quickly after ‘Ayn Jalut to offer their friendship and help to the victorious Mamluks under the new Sultan al-Malik al-Zahir Rukn al-Din Bay bars (ah 658–676/ad 1260–1277). 1
