---
node: baibars
type: person
slug: baibars
title: "Baibars"
lead: "Baibars (c. 1223–1277) rose from slavery in the mamluk corps to become sultan of Egypt, crushing Crusader strongholds, fighting the Mongol Ilkhanate, and making the Mamluk state durable. He is remembered as a founding hero of the sultanate."
published: 2026-07-10
updated: 2026-07-10
image_file: baibars.jpg
image_source: "https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:%D8%AA%D9%85%D8%AB%D8%A7%D9%84_%D9%84%D9%84%D8%B3%D9%84%D8%B7%D8%A7%D9%86_%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B8%D8%A7%D9%87%D8%B1_%D8%A8%D9%8A%D8%A8%D8%B1%D8%B3_(cropped).JPG"
image_author: "Ahmed yousri elmamlouk"
image_license: "CC BY-SA 4.0"
---

## Who they were

Baibars (c. 1223–1277) was of Kipchak Turkic origin, sold into slavery as a youth and trained in Egypt's Bahri mamluk corps. He served as a commander in the victory over the Mongols at Ain Jalut in 1260 under Sultan Qutuz, and took the throne weeks later after Qutuz was murdered — medieval sources implicate Baibars in the killing.

## What they did

As sultan from 1260 to 1277 he made the Mamluk state durable. He crushed Crusader strongholds — Caesarea and Arsuf in 1265, Antioch in 1268 — fought repeated campaigns against the Mongol Ilkhanate, and subdued the Assassins' castles in Syria. In 1261 he installed a surviving Abbasid as figurehead caliph in Cairo, giving Mamluk rule Islamic legitimacy. He was an efficient ruler as well, building a fast postal relay network (the barid) linking Cairo and Damascus, along with fortifications, canals, and public works.

## Legacy

Baibars is remembered as a founding hero of the Mamluk sultanate. His life grew into the popular Arabic folk epic Sirat Baybars, still performed centuries later.