The Mongol Conquest of the Jin Dynasty: Genghis Khan's Other War

While the Khwarezmian campaign gets most of the attention, Genghis Khan spent more than two decades fighting the Jin Dynasty of northern China — a war that shaped Mongol military tactics, siegecraft, and governance. This episode follows the campaign from the 1211 uprising of the Kereyid and Mongol allies against Jin rule to the fall of Zhongdu (modern Beijing) in 1215. We explore the key battles like Yehuling, where 90,000 Jin soldiers were annihilated, the role of defectors like the Khitan general Shimo Minggan, and the controversial siege of Zhongdu where Genghis accepted a massive tribute only to resume the war later. We also discuss the devastating impact on the Jin heartland, the use of Chinese siege engineers, and how this war indirectly saved Europe by tying down Mongol forces in the east. Named figures include Genghis Khan, Jin Emperor Wanyan Yongji, Shimo Minggan, and the Mongol general Muqali. The episode also touches on the Khitan rebellion, the use of gunpowder weapons, and the long-term consequences for the Yuan Dynasty. #GenghisKhan #JinDynasty #MongolConquest #Zhongdu #Yehuling #ShimoMinggan #WanyanYongji #Muqali #Khitan #Siegecraft #ChineseHistory #SteppeWarfare #YuanDynasty #MongolEmpire #History #FexingoHistory #CentralAsia #MedievalWarfare Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo