Guo Kan facts for kids

Guo Kan (Chinese: 郭侃; pinyin: Guō Kǎn, 1217–1277 AD) was a brave Chinese general. He served the Mongol Empire as they conquered many lands, including parts of China and the West. Guo Kan came from a family of famous Chinese generals. His father and grandfather both served under Genghis Khan. Even his ancestor, Guo Ziyi, was a well-known general from the Chinese Tang dynasty.

Guo Kan became the first governor of Baghdad when the Mongols took control. He was very important in planning the attack on Baghdad in 1258. He led Chinese artillery (big cannons) units for the Yuan dynasty. Guo Kan was one of the many Chinese soldiers who helped the Mongol Empire. Some of the Mongols' later victories were thanks to armies he commanded. The book History of Yuan says that Guo Kan was so feared by his enemies that they called him the "Divine Man."

Early Life and Family

Guo Kan grew up in the home of Prime Minister Shi Tianzhe. Shi Tianzhe was also Chinese, and his father and two brothers all served the Yuan dynasty. This shows that even non-Mongols could hold important positions in the Mongol Empire.

Guo Kan's Military Adventures

Guo Kan was a key general in many of the Mongol Empire's biggest conquests. He helped them expand their huge empire across Asia and into Europe.

Conquering the Jin Dynasty

Guo Kan took part in the final battles to conquer the Jin dynasty in China. This included capturing the important city of Kaifeng. After this, he joined General Subutai in conquering lands in West Asia, Europe, and the Middle East.

Battles in the Middle East

Later, Guo Kan served Hulagu, another Mongol leader. He played a big part in Hulagu's conquest of the Middle East. He was especially important in the Battle of Baghdad. Guo Kan planned a clever strategy: he used dikes (walls that hold back water) to flood the Caliph's army. He also oversaw the destruction of Baghdad's strong walls. After Baghdad was captured, Hulagu made Guo Kan the first Mongol governor of the city.

According to the History of Yuan, Guo Kan was also at the siege of Maymun-Diz. This was during Hulagu's fight against the Nizaris. Guo Kan attacked the very strong fortress using special "catapults on mounts."

Unifying China

After the death of Möngke Khan, Guo Kan returned to China with Hulagu Khan. He then helped Kublai Khan in the difficult conquest of the Southern Song dynasty in Southern China. Kublai Khan became the new Great Khan and chose his best generals to serve him. Guo Kan was one of the last great generals from the early Mongol conquests. So, Kublai Khan put him in charge of the final push to unify China under the Yuan dynasty.

Guo Kan reportedly advised Kublai Khan to adopt a Chinese-style name for his dynasty. He also suggested establishing a capital city, a central government, and building schools. He is said to have been the general who proposed capturing Xiangyang. This was a key strategy for invading the Southern Song.

In 1262, Guo Kan defeated Song forces in a battle at Xuzhou. In 1266, he urged Kublai Khan to create military farms in Huaibei. These farms would provide supplies for the invasion of the Southern Song. In 1268 and 1270, he put down local rebellions. Then, he was sent to join the siege of Xiangyang. In 1276, the Song dynasty finally fell. Guo Kan served as a local official for one more year before he died in 1277.

Guo Kan was a general who helped create the huge Yuan Mongol empire. He played a very important role in their conquests across the entire empire, from the east to the west.

Mongol Meritocracy

The Mongols were known for promoting people based on their skills and abilities in battle, not just their family background. This was quite revolutionary for their time. Generals like Guo Kan, who was Chinese, and others like Subutai, who was the son of a blacksmith, showed this. They could command even Mongol nobles, including relatives of the Great Khan.

For example, even though Batu Khan was officially in charge of conquering Europe, it was Subutai who truly led the army. Similarly, Guo Kan planned the strategy that quickly broke through Baghdad's strong walls. He also defeated their brave army in just a few hours by flooding them. Promoting people based on their merit (skill), not their birth, was one of Genghis Khan's most important new ideas. Guo Kan, who came from a group that had been strong rivals of the Mongols, became one of their most valued generals. He remained loyal to five generations of Great Khans.