Conclusion • 105CONCLUSIONTo end this gruesome tale, Hulegu and his descendants settled down in
Iraq and Persia, calling themselves the Il-Khanid dynasty. Eventually, they
adopted Persian culture, including Islam, and repaired some of the dam¬
age they had done. The Mamluks survived for centuries, driving the last
Crusaders out of Palestine in 1293. The kingdom they founded in Egypt
and Syria became the major Muslim center of power, wealth, and learning
for two centuries.
What can we learn from this mournful chronicle of invasions, conquest,
and destruction, and from the bewildering succession of dynasties, few of
which are known outside the Middle East? The rise and fall of Shi'i power
and the Turkish influx benefited the area; however, the Crusaders and the
Mongols did the Middle East more harm than good. But people cannot
wish away the bad things that happen in their lives, nor can a country efface
the sad events of its history. People learn from their misfortunes and over¬
come them. The religion and culture of Islam survived and grew stronger.
The sources of its resilience are the subject of Chapter 8.