Mongol Invasion of Persia - 1

Mongols invaded central asia and north east of Iran in 1218 A.D. (617 Hejri). The first invasion took about 5 years ( rdered by Ghenghiz khan) . A number of battles took place and Khawarazmids lost all except one in Parwan (presently loacted in north east Afghanistan ). Mongols sacked all cities in central asia and destroyed any thing there including Samarkand, Bukhara, Khawarazm (presently Urgench), Herat, Merv and Neishabour. In this period as a result of famine and massacre the population of Persia droped from 2.5 millions to one tenth (250000). There are only a few regions in modern Iran , which was not suffered from the first Mongol invasion including Tabriz in Northwest and Shiraz in south.

The second wave of invasion started from 1257 A.D. by Hulegu. They did a massacre in Iraq and west Iran (in one case 800000 in aghdad and neighboring regions) and destroyed the ancient irrigation system of south Iraq. The massacre was such terrible that no sufficient population could be found to repair the irrigation system. Some of the lakes and small khours as a esult of the destruction of the ancient irrigation system and agriculture in south Iraq have been remained from that period untouched.

They kept invading until 1259 when a coalition from Egypt composed of Turkic soldierd raised from childhood and trained in Egypt as soldiers amd cavaliers (Mamaalik; from the word al-mamluk; slaves) in addition to the local people of Palestine defeated Mongols in Ain Jalut (Plaestine). This moment is the end of the Mongolian progressive invasion to Middle east and West Asia. This moment was very important in old islamic days and still in some countries including Egypt is highlighted in the religious Calenders (The day is in 17th of Ramadan) with some celebrations.

You can find a timeline of Mongol conquests on :
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mongol_invasions