In 1256, Mongol prince Hülegü began building a new Mongol state in Iran that became known as the Ilkhanate. His arrival marked the start of long-term Mongol rule over much of Persia and nearby regions, with power centered in northwestern Iran.
Also in 1256, Hülegü’s forces took Alamut, the best-known fortress associated with the Nizari Ismaʿilis (often called the “Assassins” in medieval sources). This victory reduced a major independent military power in Iran and helped the Ilkhans tighten control over key routes and territories.
In 1258, Hülegü captured Baghdad and executed the last Abbasid caliph there. The fall of Baghdad was a major turning point for the wider Islamic world and made the Ilkhanate a dominant power in Iraq and Iran.
On 1260-09-03, Mamluk forces defeated a Mongol army at ʿAyn Jālūt. The battle limited Ilkhanid expansion into the eastern Mediterranean and helped define a long rivalry between the Ilkhanate and the Mamluk Sultanate.
Hülegü died on 1265-02-08 in Iran. His death did not end the Ilkhanate, but it forced a transition from a conquering army led by a founder to a more settled dynasty that had to govern a largely Persian and Muslim population.
Arghun reigned from 1284 to 1291 after overthrowing his uncle Tegüder. His reign shows how Ilkhanid rule depended on alliances among Mongol nobles and administrators, and how religion and court policy could shift sharply between rulers.
In 1294, Ilkhan Gaykhatu introduced paper money (chao) in Tabriz, inspired by Chinese models. Merchants and the public largely refused to use it, and the plan quickly collapsed, showing the limits of state power over local economies.
After taking power, Ghazan converted to Islam in 1295, a key step in aligning Mongol rulers with the beliefs of most of their subjects. His reign became a major phase of administrative rebuilding, as Ilkhanid authority relied more on Persian bureaucratic practice and Islamic legitimacy.
In 1295, Baydu briefly became Ilkhan, but he was soon defeated and executed as Mahmud Ghazan seized power. The rapid change of rulers highlights how contested the throne had become and how military support determined legitimacy.
Öljeitü (r. 1304–1316) shifted religious policy again, and in 1309–1310 he proclaimed Shiʿite Islam as the state religion of Iran. This decision mattered beyond the court, because it tied Ilkhanid kingship to new forms of religious authority and public messaging.
Rashid al-Din, a leading vizier and historian, was executed in 1318 after political enemies accused him of poisoning Öljeitü. His death reflects how dangerous high office could be, even for key administrators who helped stabilize Ilkhanid rule.
Ilkhan Abu Saʿid died on 1335-11-30 without a clear heir, and the political order quickly broke into competing power centers. This moment marks the practical end of a strong, unified Ilkhanate government across Iran and Iraq.
In the winter of 1336–1337, regional elites in Khurasan raised Togha Temür as a Chinggisid (Genghis Khan–line) claimant to restore order in the east. His rise shows how, after 1335, authority depended on local coalitions rather than a single empire-wide center.
Togha Temür was killed in 1353, and he is often described as the last major Mongol Ilkhan claimant in Iran. By this point, Ilkhanid unity had been replaced by smaller successor powers, ending Mongol imperial rule in Persia as a single state.
Ilkhanate and Mongol Rule in Persia (1256–1353)