"كتيّب سوريا (بما في ذلك فلسطين). لندن: إدارة استخبارات الأركان البحرية، يونيو ١٩١٩" [ظ‎‎٧‎٩] (٧٣٨/١٦٣)

152
MILITARY HISTORY
autumn of 1280 Aleppo was plundered by a Tartar expedition.
In the following autumn a larger force appeared under the
command of Mangu Timur, Khulagu’s brother. The Sultan
°f Egypt, Qilawun, assembled an army, which took its position
beyond Homs, on the way the Tartars were advancing
(October 1281). Mangu’s force included Armenians, Latins,
and other Christians, to the extent of one-third of its total
strength. The course of the battle is typical. Mangu’s right
wing, on which the Christians stood, was victorious, and
pursued the Moslems off the field. But Qilawun’s centre and
right stood firm, and finally the charge of his reserves gave
him victory. The fall of Mangu Timur from his horse at
a critical moment is said to have thrown his troops into
confusion, and to have contributed to their defeat.
Ghazan Khan, the greatest of the line of Khulagu, struck
more emphatically at Syria. As in previous invasions his
army left home in autumn (October 1299). Passing by Aleppo
and Hama he reached Selemiyeh about the time when the
Egyptian army reached Homs (December 22). In a battle
fought between these places the Tartars were victorious.
The Arabs and Syrian troops on the Egyptian right wi ng
were the first to give way. According to some accounts their
left wing was victorious and chased their opponents off the
field. At all events the decision depended on the Mamluks
of the centre, who were surrounded and finally defeated.
The Tartar horsemen are. related to have fought at first on
foot, holding off the enemy by discharges of arrows until the
time was judged favourable for charging. The Egyptians
are noted to have had a body of flame-throwers, but they
miscalculated the range and were quite ineffective.
Although thus routed, the Egyptians do not seem to have
lost severely and were soon ready to take the field again.
Ghazan, having occupied Damascus and plundered the town
and suburbs and raided Palestine, left Syria in February 1300,
He had taken none of the citadels of the great towns, and he
had accomplished nothing permanent. Next winter he again
invaded Syria and laid waste the territory of Aleppo and