Editing Eighth Crusade (section)

===Ascension as sultan===
Baibars became sultan on October 1260 and quickly suppressed opposition in Egypt and Syria. However, after the conquest of Baghdad by the Mongols in 1258, the Abbasid caliphate was essentially over, and the Muslim world lacked a caliph.<ref>Holt, P. M. “[https://www.jstor.org/stable/618882 Some Observations on the ’Abbāsid Caliphate of Cairo.]” Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, vol. 47, no. 3, 1984, pp. 501–507.</ref> The first attempt of a new leader of the Muslims, based in Cairo, was [[al-Mustansir II]] who was killed by the Mongols in 1261 attempting to recapture Baghdad. He was replaced by [[al-Hakim I]], beginning a dynasty that lasted until the 16th century.{{sfn|Bosworth|2004|pp=7–10|loc=The Caliphs in Cairo, 659–923/1261–1517}} Baibars consolidated his position by fortifying the Egyptian coastal cities and forming alliances with [[Michael VIII Palaiologos]] and [[Manfred, King of Sicily|Manfred of Sicily]] to better understand the intentions of the Europeans.{{sfn|Pahlitzsch|2006|loc=Baybars I|pp=156–158}} He also had alliances with Berke of the [[Kipchak Khanate]] and his vassal [[Kilij Arslan IV]].{{sfn|Holt|1995|pp=11–22|loc=Mamluk–Frankish diplomatic relations}}