Siege of Erzurum (1242)

The Siege of Erzurum (also called Erzerum) happened in the Winter of 1242 during the Mongol conquest of Anatolia. The Mongol soldiers led by Baiju Noyan attacked the city of Erzurum which was ruled by the Seljuks of the Sultanate of Rum. After two months the city fell with some of the people killed and others taken away to work for other people. Taking Erzurum was one of the first steps in the Mongols war in the region.

Background
Between 1242 and 1245, the Mongols had a war in western and southern historical Armenia. At that time, the Seljuks were the rulers of most of the land, but Khlat was ruled by the Ayyubids. Before this, the Seljuk ruler Ala al-Din Kayqubad kept the Mongols out of Anatolia by using military strength and diplomacy. He accepted the rule of Ögedei Khan to avoid an Mongol invasion. However after his death his son Ghiyath al-Din Kaykhusraw II could not keep the same way. Then a big group of fighters called the Babai revolt made the Seljuk Kingdom weak, and the Mongols had used this chance to attack. Because Erzurum was a strong city on the Seljuk eastern border. It was an important place for defense. The Mongols made it their first major target.

Siege
In 1242, the Mongol forces led by General Baiju Noyan went into Anatolia with an army of around 30,000 soldiers and then attacked Erzurum with siege engines and heavy force. The city walls were destroyed, many people were killed, and property and goods were looted. The Mongols also set the city on fire, reportedly because they refused to submit when important Mongol envoys had come to request peaceful surrender. Erzurum was densely populated by different communities, including Christians and Muslims. Some local leaders ransomed people who had been captured during or after the siege. The attack lasted about 2 months. According to the source some people were killed during the attack while others were taken away to work for other people. Armenian lords from from the east took part in the Mongol campaigns and helped make things better for some western cities. Armenian and Georgian soldiers also helped the Mongols in the attack.

Aftermath
When the city fell, it suffered very heavy damages and was badly looted. News of the fall of Erzurum reached the Emperor of Nicaea, John III Vatatzes, who was near Thessaloniki at the time. He kept the news secret so his soldiers would not be sad. He then accepted the submission of John Doukas Angelos and went quickly to the land of Anatolia to make his lands ready in case the Mongols came further. Taking Erzurum was one of the first steps in the Mongols war in western and southern Armenia. After taking Erzurum, Baiju got ready for another campaign in Anatolia. Kaykhusraw II saw the danger and asked for help from other places.

References
Citations

Sources