Qutuz

Sayf al-Din Qutuz
The Victorious King Sword of the Faith Qutuz
Qutuz bust in Cairo
Sultan of Egypt
Reign	November 1259 – 24 October 1260
Predecessor	Al-Mansur Ali
Successor	Baibars
Sultan of Syria
Reign	September 1260 – 24 October 1260
Successor	Baibars
Born	2 November 1221 Khwarazmian Empire
Died	24 October 1260(1260-10-24) (aged 38) Salihiyah, Egypt
Burial	Cairo
Spouse	Gulńar
Names al-Malik al-Muzaffar Sayf ad-Din Qutuz
Religion	Islam

Sayf al-Din Qutuz (Arabic: سيف الدين قطز; died 24 October 1260), also romanized as Kutuz or Kotuz^[1] and fully al-Malik al-Muẓaffar Sayf ad-Dīn Quṭuz (الملك المظفر سيف الدين قطز lit. 'The Victorious King, Sword of the Faith Qutuz'), was the Mamluk Sultan of Egypt.^[2][3][4] He reigned as Sultan for less than a year, from 1259 until his assassination in 1260, but served as the de facto ruler for two decades.

Sold into slavery in Egypt, he rose to become vice-sultan for more than 20 years, becoming the power behind the throne. He was prominent in defeating the Seventh Crusade, which invaded Egypt in 1249–1250. When Egypt was threatened by the Mongols in 1259, he took control of the military and deposed the reigning sultan, 15-year-old Sultan Al-Mansur Ali. The centers of Islamic power in Syria and Baghdad were conquered by the Mongols, and the center of the Islamic Empire moved to Egypt, which became their next target. Qutuz led an Egyptian Mamluk army north to confront the Mongols who had made a pact with Egypt's long-time enemy the Crusaders.

The Battle of Ain Jalut was fought on 3 September 1260 in southeastern Galilee, between the Egyptian Mamluk army and the Mongols. The Mongols were crushingly defeated by Qutuz's forces, in what has been considered a historical turning point. Qutuz was assassinated by a fellow Mamluk leader, Baibars, on the triumphant return journey to Cairo. Although Qutuz's reign was short, he is known as one of the most popular Mamluk sultans in the Islamic world and holds a high position in Islamic history. His name Qutuz means 'Vicious beast'. He received this name because he fought like a vicious beast against other slave children.^[5]