The descendents of Cingiz Khan 'the World Conqueror' founded a number of dynasties from
Siberia to the Russian steppes. In 656 AH 1258 AD his grandson Hülegü destroyed the Caliphate
in Baghdad and established the Mongol lkhanate in Iran with the centres Tabriz and Maragheh. To
rule over an old Islamic civilization with a city culture and to cope with the Islamic enemy at
their western border beyond the Euphrates became a great challenge for the Mongols. Several
changes of politics and their conversion to the majority's creed the Sunna and later to the
Shia testify to their endeavour to stabilize their rule and find a new identity. Their
conversion to Islam had a great positive impact on Islamic culture and the sciences. This
volume casts a light upon the historical events in search of the reasons for the lkhans'
changes of politics and religion.
