Stories from Islamic History by Nayab Naseer Read Free Book Online Page B

tails.
    Their strategy was simple. Since no single
route passed through entirely fertile lands that could sustain the
enormous hordes, they spread out and reached their selected
objective in many strong columns over widely separated axis. As the
columns near the enemy, they start pouring arrows from afar using
their long bows, they themselves staying away. With the enemy
completely bewildered and disorganized, they would close in from
all directions and complete the rout.
    The key ingredient to the Mongol’s success
was perfect horsemanship – no man who was not born to the saddle
could ride, shoot and control his charging horse all at once.
Intensive training over a few months, or even few years could not
match these Mongols. Only another set of men, born arches and born
horsemen could challenge them, and between the Sea of Japan and the
Austrian borders, no such men could be found.
    But Qutuz had such men.
    The Mamlukes, like their eastern Mongol
brethren were also born to the saddle and use of bows. But the
Mamluke bow shot a smaller though stronger arrow at short range
than the Mongol bow. This gave the Mongols an edge, but Qutuz and
Baybars were neither foolhardy nor suicidal as Kitbuga thought.
    Having decided to battle at Ayn Jalut, in a
narrow defile just wide enough to be held by the small Mamluke
force, Qutuz and Baybars engaged in a long and protracted
deliberation.
    Much to the chagrin of the Syrian amir s, the timid Syrian and Khwarizm contingents were
marshaled to the front lines. They were flanked on either side by
strong Mamluke infantry detachments. The second line was composed
entirely of Mamluke infantry, deployed in regiments with sufficient
intervals between them. Behind this line was the Baharite cavalry
under Baybars. Qutuz personally took overall command.
    The Mongols, when they came were much
superior in numbers, but being crammed into the defile, had little
room for maneuver. Nevertheless, wave after wave of galloping,
shooting horsemen charged the enemy, poured in a shower of arrows,
swerved and rode away before coming into the range of Mamluke
bows.
    Ever afraid of the Mongols and helpless
against the onslaught, the frontline wavered, broke and fled
through the gaps left between the Mamluke regiments. Seeing the
enemy falter and run, Ketbuga ordered his whole host to charge the
disorganized enemy. The Mongol charge was a mad, yelling onslaught
– those fleeing suffered heavily.
    Qutuz climbed on a rock, threw his helmet
away, and shouted " Wa Islamah wa Islamah. " The frustrated
leaders of his army looked towards the voice to see their leader's
flushed face infiltrating Mongol rows, hitting angrily with his
sword and leaving behind dozens of dead corpses. Qutuz's courage
stunned his leaders who promptly followed his footsteps.
     
    Ketbuga then had the first and last shock in
his long military career.
     
    The cleaver choice of battlefield, a narrow
defile protected by obstacles on either sides – Mt. Gibboa and Nehr
Jalut prevented Ketbuga from adopting the outflanking movement that
could attack from the rear. The presence of the Baysian marshes
nearby made it impossible for Ketbuga to put in a feigned fight –
they had no choice but to rush in all at once.
    When the front line wavered and fled, the
Mamluke detachments on either flanks stood firm, and the second
Muslim line, the strong Mamluke infantry withstood and stopped the
Mongol charge. The Mamlukes thus formed a hollow square into which
the whole Mongol cavalry poured in. Caught on three sides and
crammed into very little space, the Mongols could neither move nor
use their weapons effectively, and into this mass of seething
humanity and champing horse flesh, the short Mamluke bows kept up
an incessant rain of arrows.
    Qutuz was not only holding the Mongols within
killing range of his short bow, but also completely immobilized the
most mobile troops of Middle Ages.
    The tables had been turned on the followers
of Hulagu.
    When the