A Muslim coalition defeat of a larger Mongol force at Homs in 1260 halted Mongol expansion in Syria and ended the Ayyubid presence there.
Key Facts
- Date
- December 10, 1260
- Mongol force size
- 6,000 men
- Muslim coalition force size
- 1,400 men
- Mongol commander
- Baidar
- Muslim coalition leader
- Al-Ashraf Musa of Homs
- Outcome
- Muslim coalition victory; most Mongols killed or captured
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
Following the Mamluk victory at Ain Jalut in September 1260, Syria fell under Mamluk control. Hulagu, enraged by the defeat, dispatched Baidar with a Mongol army that retook Aleppo in November 1260, prompting the Ayyubid ruler Al-Ashraf Musa to form a coalition with the Emir of Hama and the Mamluk Emirs of Aleppo.
Near the tomb of Khalid ibn al-Walid at Homs, a Muslim coalition of approximately 1,400 men engaged a Mongol force of 6,000. The Mongols were organized into eight formations, while the Muslims divided into three groups. Fog and heat hampered the Mongols, and a Bedouin rear attack by Zamil bin Ali contributed to their defeat; the majority of Mongols were killed or captured.
The Muslim victory at Homs bolstered confidence against Mongol forces, with some Mamluk chronicles ranking it above Ain Jalut in importance. The battle also marked the effective end of Ayyubid political presence in Syria, consolidating Mamluk dominance over the region.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
Baidar.
Side B
1 belligerent
Al-Ashraf Musa, Al-Mansur (Emir of Hama), Zamil bin Ali.