Battle of Kherlen: Difference between revisions

|date=23 September 1409

|place=North of [[Kherlen River]], west of Onohu

|result=Eastern Mongol victory

|combatant1=Eastern Mongols

|combatant2=[[Ming dynasty|Ming China]]

|commander2=Qiu Fu {{KIA}}<br> Wang Cong {{KIA}}<br>Qoryocin {{KIA}}<br>[[Wang Zhong (Ming dynasty)|Wang Zhong]] {{KIA}}<br> Li Yuan {{KIA}}

|strength2=1,000 cavalry <ref>{{The Cambridge History of China|volume=8 | last=Rossabi | first=Morris | chapter=The Ming and Inner Asia | page=228 | quote=The actual engagement between Ch'iu Fu and the Eastern Mongols involved, as recounted in the Ming chronicles, only 1,000 Ming cavalry, a less impressive but perhaps, more credible number.}}</ref>

The '''Battle of Kherlen''' ({{zh|t=臚朐河之戰}}) took place between the Eastern Mongols and [[Ming dynasty|Ming China]] at the banks of [[Kherlen River]] (Kerulen) in the [[Mongolian Plateau]] on 23 September 1409.<ref name=tsai-167>Tsai, Shih-Shan Henry (2001). ''Perpetual Happiness: The Ming Emperor Yongle''. University of Washington Press. p. 167.</ref>

==Background==

A conflict erupted between two Eastern Mongol leaders, the khan [[Örüg Temür Khan|Guilichi]] and his principal retainer [[Arughtai]], which culminated in the killing of Guilichi in 1408.<ref name=ros-227>{{The Cambridge History of China|volume=8 | last=Rossabi | first=Morris | chapter=The Ming and Inner Asia | page=227}}</ref> Arughtai, the victor of the conflict, installed [[Öljei Temür Khan|Bunyashiri]] as the new khan.<ref name=ros-227/> Afterwards, the Ming court sent the envoy Guo Ji to demand the dispatch of a [[Tributary system of China|tribute embassy]], but they killed the envoy instead.<ref name=ros-227/> In contrast, the Mongol leader Mahmud of the [[Oirats|Oyirad Mongols]] (Western Mongols) sent a tribute mission to the [[Yongle Emperor]] of [[Ming dynasty|Ming China]] in 1408.<ref name=ros-227/> The Ming court, who were appalled that the Eastern Mongols refused to establish tributary relations and murdered their envoy, would use the Oyirad Mongols to offset the Eastern Mongols.<ref>{{The Cambridge History of China|volume=8 | last=Rossabi | first=Morris | chapter=The Ming and Inner Asia | page=227–228}}</ref>

The Eastern Mongols were attacked north of Ningxia by the [[Oirats|Oyirad Mongols]] led by Mahmud and were thus routed to the Kherlen River, so the Yongle Emperor took the opportunity for a military expedition against the Eastern Mongols.<ref name=ros-228/> The emperor sent an army led by Qiu Fu against the Eastern Mongols.<ref name=ros-228>{{The Cambridge History of China|volume=8 | last=Rossabi | first=Morris | chapter=The Ming and Inner Asia | page=228}}</ref> The ''[[Mingshi]]'' records that the army comprised 100,000 cavalry, but Rossabi (1998) states that this is an unrealistic and exaggerated figure.<ref>{{The Cambridge History of China|volume=8 | last=Rossabi | first=Morris | chapter=The Ming and Inner Asia | page=228 | quote=The Yung-lo emperor, trying to capitalize on the Eastern Mongols' disarray, dispatched a general named Ch'iu Fu with, according to the Ming shih, 100,000 crack cavalry to crush the recalcitrant Mongols. The figure of 100,000 seems to be an exaggeration, as organizing and provisioning such a large force, particularly in the grasslands, was scarcely possible in the limited time allotted for planning this expedition.}}</ref>

==Battle==

On arrival at Kherlen River, Qiu Fu's troops captured a Mongol who revealed that the enemy was disorganized and retreating chaotically.<ref name=ros-229>{{The Cambridge History of China|volume=8 | last=Rossabi | first=Morris | chapter=The Ming and Inner Asia | page=229}}</ref> They acted on this information and pursued the Eastern Mongols into the steppe.<ref name=ros-229/> Rossabi (1998) remarks that they did so without taking into account the tactic of feigned retreat.<ref name=ros-229/> Qiu Fu only took a force of 1,000 cavalry in the pursuit north of the river.<ref>Tsai, Shih-Shan Henry (2001). ''Perpetual Happiness: The Ming Emperor Yongle''. University of Washington Press. p. 167. "However, the overconfident Qiu Fu took only one thousand cavalry as he recklessly pursued the demoralized Tartars north of the river."</ref>

Bunyashiri and Arughtai's forces attacked Qiu Fu's force west of Onohu, which resulted in the defeat of Qiu Fu's force and the death of Qiu Fu in the battle.<ref name=ros-229/> Qiu Fu only had the 1,000 cavalry when the Eastern Mongols engaged.<ref name=ros-228/> He was detached from the other troops in his army and was in a vulnerable position when the Eastern Mongols launched their attack.<ref name=ros-229/>

In the battle, Qiu Fu, the Duke of Qi, was killed along the four marquises Wang Cong, Qoryocin, [[Wang Zhong (Ming dynasty)|Wang Zhong]], and Li Yuan, who all assisted Qiu Fu in the military campaign.<ref name=tsai-167/>

==Aftermath==

The Yongle Emperor blamed Qiu Fu for not waiting until the main body of the army arrived, posthumously stripped Qiu Fu and Qoryocin (who reluctantly went along with Qiu Fu) from their noble titles, and exiled Qiu Fu's family to [[Hainan]] island.<ref>Tsai, Shih-Shan Henry (2001). ''Perpetual Happiness: The Ming Emperor Yongle''. University of Washington Press. pp. 167–168.</ref> After this battle, the emperor would personally lead a [[Yongle Emperor's campaigns against the Mongols|punitive expedition against the Eastern Mongols]], which resulted in the defeat of both Bunyashiri and Arughtai's forces by the Ming army in the expedition.<ref name=ros-229/><ref>{{The Cambridge History of China|volume=7 | last=Chan | first=Hok-lam | chapter=The Chien-wen, Yung-lo, Hung-hsi, and Hsüan-te reigns, 1399–1435 | page=226}}</ref>

{{reflist}}