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Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books The Alleged Role of Nasir Al Din Al Tusi in the Fall of Baghdad History On the Khwajah's Role In respect of affirmation or rejection of the alleged involvement of Khwajah Nasir al-Din al-Tusi in the fall of Baghdad, we can divide the historical records into three kinds: (a) Sources Which are Silent Concerning the Khwajah: Writings in this regard pertain to a period of within a hundred years after the fall of Baghdad.

Most of the writers either witnessed the conquests of tile Mongols or lived in the decades immediately thereafter. The absence of any mention of the Khwajah in these writings can be taken to mean negation of the alleged role, since the question had been rather a sensitive one. Among the writers of the period, Minhaj Siraj in his book ,Tabaqat e Nasiri (or Tarikh-e Iran wa Islam), which seems to be written in 658/ 1260 (pp. 497), refers to the Mongol siege of Baghdad.

He mentions some imaginary victories of the caliph, as well as the purported treachery of Ibn Alqami (to be discussed later on). He does not make any mention of the Khwajah. [^33] Ibn al-Ibn (d. 685/1286) is another writer who describes the Mongol conquest of Baghdad in relatively greater detail. However, he does not mention anything about the Khwajah in this regard.

[^34] In the subsequent pages he refers to the death of the Khwajah, mentions the latter's deep knowledge of several sciences, but says nothing about any role of the Khwiijah in political matters. [^35] According to Dr. Ha'iri, Ibn al-Fawti in his book written in the year 657/1259 writes about the fall of Baghdad, but mentions nothing about the Khwajah.

[^36] In the few pages written by Khwajah Nasir al-Din appended to Juwayni's Tarikh-e jahangushai, where some details pertaining to the conquest of Baghdad are given, nothing whatever is mentioned concerning any role of the Khwajah in the events. [^37] Hamd Allah Mustawfi, a famous historian and geographer of the 8th/14th century (d. 730/1329), was among those who wrote about the Mongol conquest of Baghdad.

But he does not mention anything about the Khwajah in the few lines he writes about the event. [^38] Ibn Taba Taba (Ibn al-Tiqtaqa, d. 709/1309) is a critical historian who wrote his book in 701/1301, wherein the fall of Baghdad is described in the account of al-Musta'sim's life. However, he does not write anything about the Khwajah having played any role in it.