Genghis Khan is a remarkable figure in history. He transformed the nomadic tribes of the Mongolian steppe into rulers of the world.
During his military career, Genghis Khan commanded 32 major campaigns with 65 battles, conquering 31 million square kilometers of territory, more than any other figure in history.
Map showing the battles that Genghis Khan personally participated in. (Image from wikipedia.org).
Among Genghis Khan’s battles, the largest was the Battle of Dahan. This battle enabled the Mongol forces to defeat the main army of the Jin Dynasty (a major state in northern China that had previously defeated the Northern Song). This was a crucial turning point that allowed the Mongols to advance into the Southern Song territory.
Background
According to the History of the Yuan Dynasty, his father was poisoned by rival Tatars when Genghis Khan was just 9 years old. Growing up, he had to hunt and gather to survive. He and his young wife were even kidnapped and had to live as slaves before escaping.
Despite these hardships, by his twenties, he had established his status. From 1206 to 1209, Genghis Khan not only united the Mongols but also most of the tribes living in the northern regions.
Monument commemorating Genghis Khan in Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, China. (Image from wikipedia.org).
Despite being outnumbered, the Mongol army, with their superior horsemanship, archery skills, and fierce fighting under Genghis Khan’s leadership, achieved victory after victory, establishing one of the largest empires in history.
Advance Against the Jin Dynasty
Many historians consider the most significant and classic battle in the life of the Mongol Great Khan to be the Battle of Dahan. This battle allowed Temüjin (Genghis Khan’s birth name) to conquer the Jin Dynasty and opened the door for the Mongols to advance into the Song Dynasty, laying the groundwork for his grandson Kublai Khan to completely conquer China later on.
After uniting Mongolia, Genghis Khan’s next ambition was to expand beyond its borders, and the Jin Dynasty at that time was a significant obstacle. Moreover, the Jin had previously pressured the Mongols, imposing heavy tributes. Therefore, attacking the territory of the Jin tribe was a dual-target strike for him.
This historical battle took place from March to October 1211 at Dahan, near the northwest of Wanquan County, Zhangjiakou, Hebei Province today. After the Battle of Dahan, the Jin forces quickly weakened and deteriorated.
Tomb of Genghis Khan in Ordos, Inner Mongolia, China. (Image from wikipedia.org).
To create a pretext for war, in 1210, Genghis Khan insulted Emperor Wanyan Yongji by publicly stating that the Jin emperor was cowardly and unworthy of being the Son of Heaven: “An emperor must be a heavenly person like me.”
Emperor Wanyan Yongji was furious upon hearing this and ordered the execution of the Mongolian envoy. Tensions between the two sides began to escalate.
Previously, the Jin had constructed a formidable defensive line stretching 300 kilometers to block the Mongols. Many scholars compare this to the “Great Wall of the Jin Dynasty.” When the Mongols advanced, the Jin strategist Du Qiuzhong led 750,000 troops to this line to block the Mongolian forces.
Under Genghis Khan’s command, the Mongols continued their advance into Jin territory. By June 1211, the Mongols breached the Osha Fort, and Du Qiuzhong was killed in battle. The Mongols rested for a month before advancing toward Dahan.
Learning from the experience of previous defeats, where they had divided their forces to hold cities, the Jin changed their strategy to concentrate their troops to confront the Mongols.
The Battle of Dahan
The new Jin strategist, Wanyan Chengyu, commanded the Jin forces and ordered the people in Hangzhou, Xiangzhou, and Fuzhou to move to Dahan. His goal was to exploit the mountainous terrain of Dahan to hinder the Mongolian cavalry.
The Jin concentrated 450,000 main forces at Dahan, dividing them into two wings: the main force of 300,000 directly faced the Mongols, while a second wing of 150,000 was ready to reinforce.
Portrait of Genghis Khan. Painting on silk, stored at the National Palace Museum in Taiwan. (Image from wikipedia.org).
The Mongols had only 90,000 troops, far fewer than the Jin forces. The attack on Dahan was the largest battle the Mongols had fought up to that point.
At this moment, the skilled Mongolian general Mukhlai suggested that they first use a suicide squad to strike deep into the enemy’s center, causing chaos among the Jin forces. After that, other units could attack from different directions.
Genghis Khan then ordered Mukhlai to lead the Balu Squadron to attack the center. The treacherous mountains of Dahan made it difficult for the Mongolian cavalry to unleash their full power, necessitating many to lead their horses by foot. Nevertheless, the Mongols pressed directly into the main camp of Wanyan Chengyu, causing panic among the Jin forces. At this point, the Mongolian army then split up to launch direct attacks.
Faced with the Mongolian onslaught, the Jin forces suffered a major defeat. The 150,000 troops of the second wing, sent to reinforce, also fled in the face of the chaotic situation among the Jin forces.
The Jin faced a devastating defeat, with General Wanyan Jiujun and 300,000 troops killed, their bodies strewn across hundreds of miles.
The Jin had concentrated all their main forces and elite troops for this battle, and with the loss of their main army, they no longer had the strength to confront the Mongols. In subsequent battles, the Jin were easily defeated, and the Jin Dynasty fell into the hands of the Mongols.
