Battle of Mobei
North of the Gobi Desert, in present-day Mongolia
What happened
Han dynasty China, led by the generals Wei Qing and his nephew Huo Qubing, fought the Xiongnu confederation under its ruler, the Chanyu Yizhixie. Emperor Wu of Han sent two huge cavalry armies across the Gobi Desert to strike the Xiongnu, horse-riding peoples who often raided China. Wei Qing's army met the Chanyu's main force, and a sandstorm at dusk let the Han horsemen surround it; the Chanyu escaped with a few hundred riders. Huo Qubing's army defeated another Xiongnu force further east.
Why it matters
Why it matters: The Xiongnu were pushed far to the north, away from China's borders. It showed that a settled empire could carry a war deep into the steppe.
What came next
A seven-year truce followed until the Xiongnu raided again in 112 BCE. About a century later the Xiongnu split into northern and southern groups.
Did you know?
Huo Qubing was only about 21 when he led his army to the Khentii Mountains and held ceremonies there to mark the victory.
Timeline
- January 119 BCETwo Han cavalry armies set out across the Gobi.
- 119 BCEWei Qing defeats the Chanyu's army; Huo Qubing wins in the east.
- 117 BCEHuo Qubing dies aged 23.
- 112 BCEThe truce ends with a Xiongnu raid at Wuyuan.