Battle of Köse Dağ

Date: June 26, 1243 • Location: Köse, Turkey

This milestone marked the outbreak and beginning of this historic period, which spanned 1243.

Mongol conquest of Anatolia: Mongols achieved a decisive victory over the Seljuk Turks, leading to the decline and disintegration of the Seljuk state.

Mongols invaded Anatolia at various times, starting with the campaign of 1241–1243 that culminated in the Battle of Köse Dağ. Real power over Anatolia was exercised by the Mongols after the Seljuks surrendered in 1243 until the fall of the Ilkhanate in 1335. Because the Seljuk sultan rebelled several times, in 1255, the Mongols swept through central and eastern Anatolia. An Ilkhanate garrison was stationed near Ankara. Remains of the Mongol cultural heritage still can be seen in Turkey, including tombs of a Mongol governor and a son of Hulagu.