Once at home Aké felt his heart change; he repented. Through a friend he made known at Bagdad the plans of the enemy, and declared that if the Kalif would send him one corps of trained horsemen he would furnish a hundred thousand good warriors, Turkmans and Kurds; with these he would stop every Mongol advance against Bagdad. This offer was laid before the vizir, but the Kalif refused it. Hulagu knew all these details soon after and sent a strong mounted force to settle with the Daritang commandant. The Mongol on nearing the fortress called out the commandant to consult with him, as he said. Aké appeared and was seized that same moment. “If thou wish to save life for thyself, and save also thy office, call out all thy people; we are taking a census.” Aké was submissive and called out the people. “If faithful, thou wilt tear down the fortress.” The commandant saw that he had been discovered, still he obeyed [[250]]calmly and had the fortress demolished. Then he was slain with all the men under him, and also his household. Emir Saïd, Aké’s son, fled quickly and wandered about in the mountains, but he sought safety in Bagdad at last where they killed him.
The Daritang road once secured, Hulagu called in the astrologer whom the Grand Khan, his brother, had given him, to choose days propitious for action of all sorts. This man, a religious adherent of the Kalif, and bribed perhaps also, predicted six great calamities should Mongols lay siege to the capital of Islam. Nassir ud din, the astrologer of Alamut, a Shiite, was summoned. Hulagu asked him: “Will these six things predicted come true?” “Surely not one of them.” “What then will happen?” “The city of the Kalif will be taken by Hulagu,” replied the adherent of Ali. Nassir then met the other astrologer and overcame him by naming the Kalifs who had been killed without causing calamity to mankind.
Command was now given the Mongols to converge upon Bagdad. Those in Rūm and the West were to march through Mosul, halt somewhat west of the capital and encamp there. These men would form the right wing of Hulagu’s army. The left wing would march on the road by Daritang to camp northeast of the capital. Hulagu himself was to be in the center, hence he took the road through Heulvan by which Mohammed Shah had advanced when he met his disaster. From Essed Abad new envoys were sent to the Kalif inviting him to visit headquarters. Mostassim refused this, but promised an annual tribute if Hulagu would lead away all his warriors. The prince answered that being so near he could not go back without seeing the Kalif. But before going farther Hulagu despatched a third embassy asking to send the vizir, with the chancellor.
Meanwhile Luristan in greater part had been taken by the Mongols. When the right wing was drawing near on the southern bank of the Tigris a real panic seized all people who were living in that region and immense crowds sought refuge in Bagdad. Such was the panic that men and women rushed into the water in their great anxiety to cross the river. Rich bracelets, or all the gold coins which a hand could grasp, were given gladly to boatmen for a passage to the city.
Now the chancellor who with the general, Feth ud din, had an army disposed on the Heulvan roadway, moved to meet this [[251]]strong Mongol division. He attacked the vanguard which was beaten, and then pursued till it reached the main army. There the Mongols faced the pursuers and a second battle began which continued till nightfall. The two armies camped face to face until daybreak. During the night the Mongols opened canals from the Tigris and submerged a great plain in the rear of their opponents, thus making retreat very difficult, and in places impossible. At daybreak a fresh battle followed in which most of the Bagdad men perished. The chancellor fled to the city with a very small party. Only then did the Kalif’s advisers set about strengthening the walls and defending the capital. Some days later the right Mongol wing touched the suburbs along the west bank of the Tigris. Hulagu himself attacked the eastern side of the city. Just after the chancellor had fled from the field to the city defences the Kalif sent his vizir to headquarters; with him went the Nestorian patriarch. The vizir took this message: “I have yielded to Hulagu’s wishes, and hope that the prince will remember his promise.” Hulagu gave this answer: “I made my demand when in Hamadan. I desired then to see the vizir and the chancellor. I am now at the gates of the capital, and my wish may be different.”
Next day the vizir, the home minister, and many among the chief citizens went in a body to Hulagu. He would not receive them. The attack was renewed then and lasted six days in succession. At the end of that period the whole eastern wall had been seized by the Mongols. The investment was absolute, escape by the river was impossible either down with the current, or upward against it. The chancellor tried to escape but was met by a tempest of stones, burning naphtha and arrows. He was driven back after three of his boats had been captured and the men in them slaughtered.
The Kalif saw now that he must bend to the Mongols, and he bent in his own foolish fashion: He sent two officials with presents, not too rich or too many lest the Mongols might think him over timid, and become too exacting. Hulagu refused these envoys an audience. Next the youngest son of the Kalif and the Sahib Divan went to the camp of the enemy bearing this time rich presents, but they gained no sight of the great Mongol. The eldest son of the Kalif took the vizir and with him made a new trial, [[252]]but these two had no more success than the others. On the following day Hulagu sent two messengers into the city with this order: “Bring to me Suleiman Shah with the Chancellor. The Kalif may come, or not come, as he chooses.” These two men were brought, and then sent back to the city to say to all people with whom they had contact that they would be taken to Syria, and were to issue forth through the gates without hindrance. In the hope of finding safety in some place many persons left Bagdad. These people were all parceled out among Mongol divisions, and died by the sword every man of them. The Chancellor was put to death first, then Suleiman was led with bound hands into Hulagu’s presence. “Since thou hast knowledge of the stars, why not see the fatal day coming, and give to thy sovereign due notice?” asked the Mongol. “The Kalif was bound by his destiny, and would not hear faithful servants,” replied the commander. Suleiman was put to death, and his whole household died with him, seven hundred persons all counted. The son of the Chancellor died with the others.
It was the Kalif’s turn then; he went forth with his three sons from Bagdad, three thousand persons went with him, high dignitaries and officials. When he appeared before Hulagu the prince asked about his health very affably, and then said that he must proclaim to the city that all men were to lay down their arms, and come out to be counted. Mostassim returned and proclaimed to the people of Bagdad that whoso wished for his life had to lay down his arms and repair to the camp of the Mongols. Then all people, both warriors and civilians, pressed in crowds toward the gates of the city. When outside they were slaughtered, slain every one of them, save the Kalif and his sons who were taken to the army on the left wing, and guarded there strictly. From that moment the high priest of Islam could see his own fate very plainly.
Three days later on began the sack and the pillage of Bagdad. The Mongols rushed in from all sides simultaneously; they spared only houses of Christians and those of a few foreigners. On the second day of the city’s undoing Hulagu went to the palace in Bagdad and gave a great feast to his commanders; toward the end of that feast the Kalif was brought in to stand before Hulagu. “Thou art master of this house,” said the conqueror, “I am the [[253]]guest in it. Let us see what thou hast which might be a good and proper gift to me.”
The Kalif had two thousand rich robes and ten thousand gold dinars brought and many rich jewels also. Hulagu would not look at them. “Our men,” remarked he, “will find all wealth of that kind, which is for my servitors. Show hidden treasures.” The Kalif described then a place in the courtyard. Men went to work straightway and dug till they came to two cisterns filled with gold pieces, each piece a hundred miskals. In various parts of the palace the Mongols found gold and silver vessels; of these they made no more account than if they had been tin or copper.