Mustaʿṣim, al-

▪ ʿAbbāsid caliph

born 1212

died 1258

      the last ʿAbbāsid caliph in Baghdad (reigned 1242–58).

      Ineffectual himself and surrounded by advisers with conflicting opinions, al-Mustaʿṣim presented no strong defense against the Mongol conqueror Hülegü, grandson of Genghis Khan. Al-Mustaʿṣim ignored several demands of Hülegü and answered others with blustering and empty threats. Finally Hülegü laid siege to Baghdad in 1258 and entered the city in February of that year. The caliph and 300 officials hurried to present their surrender and, 10 days later, were all put to death. This left Islām without a caliph for the first time in its history. Hülegü burned and plundered the city, killed many of its inhabitants, and later invaded Syria and then returned to Persia.

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