Having emerged as a champion of Muslim…

Having emerged as a champion of Muslim resurgence, Baibars wishes to legitimize his sultanate and to give preeminence to his rule in the Arab-Muslim world.

In a brilliant political move, Baibars invites a fugitive descendant of the 'Abbasid dynasty of Baghdad to Cairo and in 1261 establishes the young claimant as caliph (head of the Muslim community).

The 'Abbasid caliphs in Cairo, of dubious authenticity in the first place, are to have no practical power in the Mamluk state, however, their authority being confined to ceremonial and religious matters; later Muslim historians will refer to the office as a "shadow" Caliphate.

In choosing to maintain the institution in Cairo, however, the Mamluks—all of whom are of non-Arab (most are Turks and, later, will be Circassians), non-Muslim origin and some of whom know little if any Arabic—have founded a regime that is to establish Egypt's supremacy in Arab culture for the next two-and-a half centuries.

In the interest of good diplomatic relations with the Roman Empire, Baibars sends envoys to the Constantinopolitan court of Michael VIII Palaeologus, who has restored the Empire to the Greeks after 57 years of Latin occupation.

The Greek sovereign thereupon orders the restoration of the ancient mosque and permits the Egyptian merchants and ambassadors to sail through the Hellespont and Bosporus.

One of Baibars' principal goals during his reign is to acquire more Turkish slaves to be used in the Mamluk army; another is to contract an alliance with the Mongols of the Golden Horde in South Russia against the Mongols of Persia.

Baibars in 1261 sends an ambassador to the Sicilian king Manfred.