Battle of Elbistan In April 15 , 1277 , the Mamluk Sultan Baibars marched from Syria into the Mongol - dominated Seljuk Sultanate of Rûm and attacked the Mongol occupation force in the Battle of Elbistan ( Abulustayn ) . Upon reaching Elbistan with at least 10 , 000 horseman , Baibars made ready for battle with the Mongols , expecting them to be around 30 , 000 . However , although the Mongol forces were smaller than the Mamluk army , they were the Georgians and Rumis who helped bolster their numbers . The battle . The Mongols attacked first and charged the Mamluk heavy cavalry . At the start of the battle many of the Bedouin irregulars in the Mamluk army were also killed . Their attack was concentrated on the left flank of the Mamluk army . This resulted in the Sultan ' s standard bearers ( sanjaqiyya ) being killed . The Mamluks however were able to regroup and launch a counter - attack . Baibars himself went with a few troops to deal with the Mongol right flank that was pounding his left flank . Baibars ordered a force from the army from Hama to reinforce his left . The large Mamluk numbers were able to overwhelm the Mongol force . The Mongols instead of retreating dismounted from their horses . Some Mongols were able to escape and took up positions on the hills . Once they became surrounded they once again dismounted , and fought to the death . During the battle , the Mongols destroyed the Mamluk left wing , consisting of many Bedouin irregulars , but were ultimately defeated . It seems that both sides were expecting assistance from the army of the Pervâne and his Seljuks . The Pervâne had attempted to ally himself with both factions to keep his options open , but fled the battle with the Seljuk Sultan to Tokat . The Seljuk army was present near the battle , but did not take part . After the battle many Rumi soldiers were taken captive . Others joined the Mamluks willingly . Pervane ' s son Muhadhdhab al - Din was captured . In addition many Mongol officers and common soldiers were taken prisoner . Two of the soldiers captured , Qipchaq and Salar , would become mamluks of Qalawun and would become very important amirs . The Mongol officers ' lives were spared as well . Aftermath . After Baibars victory , he marched unopposed to Kayseri ( Qaysariyya ) in the heart of Anatolia in triumph and entered it on April 23 , 1277 ; just over a month after the battle . The Muslim festival of Eid al - Adha happened around this time . In this festival , Baibars forbade the beating of drums of good tidings telling his emirs : " How can I rejoice ? I had believed that if 10 , 000 horsemen of my army were to meet 30 , 000 Mongols , I would defeat them . But I met 7000 Mongols with all my army . The Mongols aroused panic and my army lost heart . The Mongols defeated the Muslim Left . Without Allah ' s grace , they would have defeated us . If I met them , and they were equal to the Muslims in size , or larger than they , then the matter would not have turned out well " . After the festival , Baibars left Rum and died in Syria soon after . After Baibar ' s victory Pervâne attempted to draw in the Mamluks into a confrontation with a fresh Mongol army led by Abaqa himself . However , Baibars was running low on supplies , and his equipment repaired . The possibility of a new Mongol army convinced Baibars to return to Syria since he was so far away from his bases and supply line . As the Mamluk army returned to Syria the commander of the Mamluk vanguard , Izz al - Din Aybeg al - Shaykhi deserted to the Mongols . Pervâne sent a letter to Baibars asking him to delay his departure . Baibars chastised him for not aiding him during the Battle of Elbistan . Baibars told him he was leaving for Siwas to mislead Pervâne and the Mongols to his true destination . Baibars also sent Taybars al - Waziri with a force to rain an Armenian town called al - Rummana , whose inhabitants had hidden the Mongols earlier . The Mongol Ilkhan Abaqa , meanwhile reasserted his authority in Rum . After Abaqa surveyed the battlefield he became very angry . He ordered the Muslim population of Kayseri ( Qaysariyya ) and eastern Rum to be put massacred . Large numbers of people were killed . Abaqa ' s army had to put down a rebellion of Qaramind Turkmen who declared their loyalty to Baibars . He sent an army of 30 , 000 towards Syria , but after learning the size of Baibars army from Aybeg al - Shaykhi he called his forces back . He wanted to send the army in the summer but his officers persuaded him to wait until the winter . However , the expedition was never sent . The Ilkhan Mongols were having logistical problems of their own and many of the troops were called back to Ilkhanate lands . Abaqa entrusted the country to his other brother Qonghurtai and Shams al - Din Juwayni . At first Abaqa turned a blind eye to Pervâne . The Mongol nobles and noblewomen convinced him to have him put to death . Pervâne ' s flesh was eaten by Abaqa and the senior Mongols as an act of revenge according to King Het ' um of Armenia . During the celebration of victory , Baybars said that " How can I be happy . I thought that I and my servants would defeat Mongols before , but my left wing was beaten by them . Only Allah helped us " .