ued ▁their ▁own ▁separate ▁interests ▁and ▁object ives ▁and ▁fell ▁at ▁different ▁times . ▁ ▁Dis put e ▁over ▁succession ▁ ▁M ö ng ke ▁Khan ' s ▁brother ▁H ul agu ▁Khan ▁broke ▁off ▁his ▁successful ▁military ▁advance ▁into ▁Sy ria , ▁withdraw ing ▁the ▁bulk ▁of ▁his ▁forces ▁to ▁M ug han ▁and ▁leaving ▁only ▁a ▁small ▁cont ing ent ▁under ▁his ▁general ▁Kit bu qa . ▁The ▁oppos ing ▁forces ▁in ▁the ▁region , ▁the ▁Christian ▁Cr us aders ▁and ▁Muslim ▁Mam lu ks , ▁both ▁recogn izing ▁that ▁the ▁Mong ols ▁were ▁the ▁greater ▁threat , ▁took ▁advantage ▁of ▁the ▁weak ened ▁state ▁of ▁the ▁Mong ol ▁army ▁and ▁engaged ▁in ▁an ▁unusual ▁pass ive ▁tr uce ▁with ▁each ▁other . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 2 6 0 , ▁the ▁Mam lu ks ▁advanced ▁from ▁Egypt , ▁being ▁allowed ▁to ▁camp ▁and ▁res upp ly ▁near ▁the ▁Christian ▁strong hold ▁of ▁A cre , ▁and ▁engaged ▁Kit bu qa ' s ▁forces ▁just ▁north ▁of ▁Gal ile e , ▁at ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁Ain ▁J al ut . ▁The ▁Mong ols ▁were ▁defeated , ▁and ▁Kit bu qa ▁was ▁executed . ▁This ▁p iv otal ▁battle ▁marked ▁the ▁western ▁limit ▁for ▁Mong ol ▁expansion , ▁as ▁the ▁Mong ols ▁were ▁never ▁again ▁able ▁to ▁make ▁any ▁serious ▁military ▁adv ances ▁farther ▁than ▁Sy ria . ▁ ▁In ▁a ▁separate ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁emp ire , ▁another ▁brother ▁of ▁H ul agu ▁and ▁M ö ng ke , ▁Kub la