Mongol siege of Kaifeng Chinese history [1232–1233] Actions Cite verifiedCite While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. Select Citation Style MLA APA Chicago Manual of Style Copy Citation Share Share Share to social media Facebook X URL https://www.britannica.com/event/Mongol-Siege-of-Kaifeng Give Feedback Feedback Corrections? Updates? Omissions? Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Feedback Type Select a type (Required) Factual Correction Spelling/Grammar Correction Link Correction Additional Information Other Your Feedback Submit Feedback Thank you for your feedback Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.

　　Print Cite verifiedCite While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. Select Citation Style MLA APA Chicago Manual of Style Copy Citation Share Share Share to social media Facebook X URL https://www.britannica.com/event/Mongol-Siege-of-Kaifeng Feedback Written by Charles Phillips Charles Phillips is the author of more than twenty books, including The Illustrated History of the First Crusades, The World of the Medieval Knight, and The Lost History of Aztec... Charles Phillips Fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica Last Updated: Jul 22, 2024 • Article History Table of Contents Date: 1232 - 1233 (Show more) Location: China Kaifeng (Show more) Participants: Jin dynasty Mongol empire (Show more) Key People: Ögödei (Show more) See all related content →

　　The Coronation of OgödeiThe coronation of Ogödei Khan in 1229, from Rashid al-Din, early 14th century. The Jin emperor committed suicide, handing control of Jin territories in northern China to the Mongols. Ogödei's brother Tolui led the Mongol Siege of Kaifeng in 1232–33. © Pictures From History—Universal Images Group/Getty Images.(more)In 1211 the Mongol Empire under Genghis Khan declared war on the Jin dynasty of China. A army commanded by Subutai, the brilliant tactician who would later lead Mongol cavalrymen as far east as the Danube River, captured the Jin’s northern Chinese capital, Kaifeng, after a siege that lasted from 1232 to 1233, overcoming defenders equipped with gunpowder bombs. The Jin emperor committed suicide, handing control of Jin territories in northern China to the recently elected Mongol khan, Ogödei.

　　Britannica Quiz A History of War Although the Mongols captured Beijing (Zhongdu) in 1215, the Jin maintained resistance. After Genghis Khan’s death in 1227 and the election of his son, Ogödei, as supreme khan in 1229, they attempted to reassert themselves. Jin leaders recaptured territory in Shensi Province and Honan and built fortresses along the Huang Ho (Yellow River), manned by a defensive army of 300,000. The Mongols launched a three-pronged invasion, with one army under Ogödei’s brother Tolui passing with permission through Song territory in the south.

　　The invaders began a siege of the vast city of Kaifeng in summer 1232. The defenders reportedly used a “thunder bomb,” an iron vessel containing gunpowder that was fired by a large catapult and on explosion either blew attackers to pieces or injured them with flying debris. They also used cannon. In the course of the siege, Tolui became ill and died, leaving supreme campaign in the hands of Subutai. He requested reinforcements from the Song, long-standing enemies of the Jin. When a Song army of 20,000 arrived, victory was inevitable. The defenders were weakened by famine and illness, and many thousands died within the city.

　　The Jin emperor Ai-tsung ceded control to his general Tsui Lui, then fled and committed suicide. The city surrendered but, under orders from Ogödei, the Mongols did not massacre the population. Nonetheless, the Jin dynasty was at an end and northern China was in the possession of the Mongols, who subjugated the rest of China in the following four decades.

　　Losses: Mongol, unknown; Jin, thousands of subjects died during the siege, thousands more escaped when the city fell.