26. An Enterprising Steppe General Who Pulled Off Stunning Upsets
Mongol warrior and general Muqali (1170 – 1223) was one of Genghis Khan’s chief lieutenants. He is relatively little known today, often eclipsed among those with an interest in Mongol history by better-known commanders such as Subutai and Jebe. Muqali rose from humble beginnings, having been born into a clan of hereditary serfs. They were freed by Genghis Khan after he conquered their tribe, and absorbed it into his nascent Mongol nation. From such lowly origins, Muqali rose to become one of Genghis’ main generals and played a leading role in defeating the Jin Dynasty and conquering northern China.
Muqali had a major part in the Battle of Yehuling in 1211. It capped a multi-staged and months-long campaign that pitted 80,000 Mongol invaders against a combined defensive force of 950,000 Chinese guarding mountain passes and fortifications along a 300 kilometer frontier. It ended with a decisive Mongol victory over the Jin, with over half the defenders killed, followed by the Jin emperor’s assassination by one of his generals. That paved the way for the dynasty’s demise and the Mongols’ conquest of northern China. Muqali distinguished himself with an enterprising cavalry charge over mountainous terrain to seize a vital pass.
