Editing 1256 (section)

==== Mongol Empire ====
* Spring &ndash; Mongol forces (some 80,000 men), under [[Hulagu Khan]], cross the [[Amu Darya|Oxus River]], and begin their campaign to destroy the remaining Muslim states in southwestern [[Asia]] – with the first objectives being the [[Mongol campaign against the Nizaris|Nizari Ismaili strongholds]] and [[Baghdad]], the capital of the [[Abbasid Caliphate]]. The roads across [[Turkestan]] and [[Iran|Persia]] are repaired, and bridges built. Carts are requisitioned to bring siege machines from [[China]].<ref name="Runciman3.0">{{cite book|authorlink=Steven Runciman|first=Steven|last=Runciman|year=1952|title=A History of The Crusades. Vol III: The Kingdom of Acre|pages=236, 249–250|isbn=978-0-241-29877-0}}</ref>
* [[October]] &ndash; Mongol forces led by [[Baiju Noyan]] (operating under Hulagu Khan's command) win a victory over [[Kaykaus II]], Seljuk ruler of the [[Sultanate of Rum]], and capture [[Anatolia]]. Kaykaus flees to the Byzantine court where he seeks refuge at [[Constantinople]]. The [[Empire of Trebizond]] fearing a potential punitive Mongol expedition, becomes a vassal state and is forced to pay a [[tribute]] tax every year in gold and silk.<ref>Peacock, A. C. S.; Yildiz, Sara Nur (ed). (2013). ''The Seljuks of Anatolia: Court and Society in the Medieval Middle East'', pp. 118–119. I.B. Tauris. {{ISBN|978-0-85773-346-7}}.</ref>
* [[November 8]]&ndash;[[November 23|23]] &ndash; [[Siege of Maymun-Diz]]: Mongol forces under Hulagu Khan successfully besiege the mountain castle of [[Maymun-Diz]]. Hulagu encircles the fortress and begins a bombardment for three days by [[mangonel]]s from a nearby hilltop. On [[November 19]], Nizari Isma'ili imam [[Rukn al-Din Khurshah]] surrenders, but a small part of the garrison refuses and fights a [[last stand]], until they are killed after three days.<ref>Willey, Peter (2005). ''Eagle's Nest: Ismaili Castles in Iran and Syria'', pp. 75–85. Boomsbury Academic. {{ISBN|978-1-85043-464-1}}.</ref>
* [[December 15]] &ndash; Mongol forces under Hulagu Khan capture and dismantle [[Alamut Castle]] (near the [[Masoudabad, Qazvin|Masoudabad]] region) after the surrender of the Nizari Ismaili leaders. Hulagu founds the [[Ilkhanate]] dynasty of Persia, which becomes one of the four main divisions of the [[Mongol Empire]]. The Nizari Ismaili government is disestablished, some of them migrate to [[Afghanistan]], [[Badakhshan]] and [[Sindh]] (modern [[Pakistan]]).