Hulegu

Hulegu was a Mongol commander and grandson of Genghis Khan. He was born around 1217 and died in 1265. He led the Ilkhanate in the Middle East, establishing a significant Mongol dominion in Persia and surrounding regions. His military campaigns were highly destructive, most notably the sack of Baghdad in 1258, which ended the Abbasid Caliphate, and the subsequent siege of Aleppo.

Hulegu's campaigns were part of the larger Mongol expansion. He was tasked by his brother, the Great Khan Möngke, to conquer Western Asia. His forces were formidable, incorporating various siege technologies and tactics learned from conquered peoples. The destruction of Baghdad was a pivotal event, marking the end of a long era of Islamic cultural and political dominance in the region.

After his conquests, Hulegu founded the Ilkhanate, a Mongol state that would last for over a century. While his reign was marked by warfare and destruction, he also facilitated trade and cultural exchange. His descendants ruled the Ilkhanate, embracing Islam and contributing to the region's artistic and scientific development, though often in conflict with other Mongol successor states like the Golden Horde. Hulegu's legacy is complex, remembered both for his military prowess and the profound impact of his destructive campaigns on the history of the Middle East.