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Modu Chanyu
Xiongnu chanyu who unified the steppe and trapped Gaozu at Baideng
Mural of the event “Siege of Baideng”, which this person took part in.
In the early Western Han, the state had emerged from late Qin warfare with the economy in tatters and the populace fragile. Meanwhile, the Xiongnu cavalry empire on the northern steppe surged in strength under Modu Chanyu and raided the frontier repeatedly.
Also known as Modu · Maodun Chanyu
Modu Chanyu, leader of the Xiongnu, killed his father Touman in 209 BCE and made himself chanyu. He defeated the Donghu and expanded west, north and south, building the Xiongnu empire. In 200 BCE his forces surrounded Emperor Gaozu of Han, Liu Bang, at Baideng for seven days; the siege was lifted after his consort intervened, and a marriage-alliance agreement followed. He died in 174 BCE and was succeeded by his son Jizhu, Laoshang Chanyu.
Life and times
- c. 234 BCEBorn
Zhou
Qin
Han - 200 BCESiege of Baideng
Took partModu Chanyu trapped Emperor Gaozu at Baideng for seven days, after which Han adopted marriage diplomacy to ease frontier pressure.- Gaozu Besieged at BaidengEmperor Gaozu was encircled by Modu Chanyu's 300,000 cavalry on Mount Baideng for seven days, prompting Han-Xiongnu peace treaties.
- Liu Jing Proposes Heqin with Xiongnuc. 200 BCEAfter the siege at Baideng, Liu Jing proposed marrying a princess to Modu Chanyu with yearly gifts, and Han and the Xiongnu concluded a heqin treaty.
- Gaozu Besieged at Baideng
- 174 BCEDied
