Bloodiest battle in history? Leningrad? Stalingrad?  How about Baghdad, 1258 AD.“They swept th

Bloodiest battle in history? Leningrad? Stalingrad?  How about Baghdad, 1258 AD.“They swept through the city like hungry falcons attacking a flight of doves, or like raging wolves attacking sheep, with loose reins and shameless faces, murdering and spreading terror…beds and cushions made of gold and encrusted with jewels were cut to pieces with knives and torn to shreds. Those hiding behind the veils of the great Harem were dragged…through the streets and alleys, each of them becoming a plaything…as the population died at the hands of the invaders.”—Abdullah WassafIn 13th century the Muslim world was at the height of it’s golden age.  The Crusaders had been repulsed and Muslims borders were creeping closely toward South Eastern Europe.  The City of Baghdad was quite possibly the largest and greatest city in the Middle East, a center of commerce, learning, industry, and culture that dwarfed the grandest cities of Europe.  At this point it seemed that Islamic culture would come to dominate the west, then something unexpected happened.Farther east the Mongolian hordes ravaged Asia, the had conquered China, India, much of Russia, and by the mid 13th century they had conquered the mighty Persian Empire and were on the doorstep of Baghdad.  Led by the fierce leader Hulagu Khan, grandson of the famous warlord Genghis Kahn, the Mongolians planned to plunder Baghdad, extend their rule over Mesopotamia, and overthrow the Caliph (a Muslim leader comparable to the Pope).  The Mongolians were a threat far different from the Crusaders.  They were tough as nails and terrifying.  Moreover they were mobile horsemen who could strike using fast organized tactics and mobile warfare that outpaced the best in Europe and the Middle East for centuries. On January 11th 1258 the Mongolian Army met an army led by Caliph Al-Musta'sim near the Tighris River.  The Mongolians had a massive force of 150,000 men made up of Mongolians, Georgians, Armenians, Turks, Persians, and Chinese.  The Caliph could only muster a comparatively small army of 50,000.  The Muslims didn’t stand a chance and the Mongolian army easily drove them off the field.  The Caliph’s 50,000 man army settled in Baghdad and fortified the city.  On January 29th, 1258 the Mongols laid siege to the city.The Muslim army could not hold out very long against the Mongolian army.  Among his forces were a number of bombards, earlier cannons from China and the latest in siege warfare technology.  Within two weeks the Mongols were able to smash down the walls and fortifications of Baghdad. On February 13th the Mongol army stormed the city.  At the time Baghdad had a population of 2 million plus the Caliph’s 50,000 man army.  The Mongolians spared no one, whether soldier or civilian.  They destroyed the Grand Library of Baghdad, at the time the largest repository of knowledge in the world.  They looted mosques, palaces, libraries, and hospitals, they left nothing untouched.  Those who attempted to flee were cut down, those who hid were cut down, those who fought were cut down, those who surrendered were cut down.  The Caliph himself was captured, wrapped up in a rug, and trampled to death with horses.  At the Battle of Stalingrad 2 million were killed over a period of 4-5 months, at the Siege of Leningrad around 2 million were killed over a span of 28 months.  At the Battle of Baghdad 1-2million were slaughtered within a span of two weeks, with most casualties occurring on the last two days of the battle. The Mongols left 3,000 soldiers in the city to rebuild.  For several centuries Baghdad would remain a broken and depopulated city, never regaining its former glory until around the 15th century.  The Mongolian Empire was short lived, lasting less than two centuries.  Eventually the empire was divided up into smaller kingdoms ruled by the many descendants of Genghis Kahn.  Over time these rulers took up the religion, language, and culture of the kingdoms they ruled, and ceased to be Mongolian. -- source link
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