Modu Chanyu facts for kids

Modu (also known as Maodun or Modun) was a powerful leader who lived around 234 to 174 BCE. He was the son of Touman and is famous for founding the Xiongnu Empire. Modu became the leader, or Chanyu, of the Xiongnu in 209 BCE.

He ruled the Xiongnu Empire from 209 BCE to 174 BCE. His empire was based on the Mongolian Plateau. Modu was a skilled military leader under his father. He became Chanyu and made the Xiongnu Empire very strong. He brought together many tribes on the Mongolian-Manchurian grassland. This happened after the Qin dynasty took some Xiongnu lands in 215 BCE. Modu made the Xiongnu military powerful and united their rule. The Qin dynasty soon weakened after their first emperor died in 210 BCE. This allowed Modu to expand the Xiongnu Empire. It became one of the largest empires of its time. Its eastern border reached the Liao River. The western borders went to the Pamir Mountains. The northern border stretched to Lake Baikal.

Modu's son, Laoshang, became the next Chanyu after him.

How Modu Became a Leader

Modu was a very talented young man. However, his father, Touman, wanted another son to be the next leader. To try and remove Modu, Touman sent him as a hostage to the Yuezhi people. Touman then attacked the Yuezhi, hoping they would kill Modu in return. But Modu was clever and brave. He managed to escape by stealing a fast horse. He returned to the Xiongnu, who saw him as a hero. Because of his bravery, his father made him a commander of 10,000 horsemen.

Modu was known for his cleverness and bravery. He started to gather a group of very loyal warriors. He invented a special "whistling arrow." This arrow made a sound in flight. He trained his men to shoot exactly where the sound led them. To make sure his warriors were completely loyal, he gave them difficult commands. He tested their obedience by ordering them to shoot things he valued. Only when he was sure of their absolute loyalty did he lead them on a hunting trip. During this trip, his warriors followed his command without hesitation. After this, Modu became the new Chanyu of the Xiongnu.

Once he became Chanyu, Modu made sure his power was secure. He removed anyone who might threaten his new rule. This included his half-brother and other officials who did not support him.

The Rise of the Xiongnu Empire

Domain and influence of the Xiongnu under Modu at the start of his rule.

Under Modu, the Xiongnu Empire actively protected and expanded its lands. Their eastern neighbors, the Donghu people, wanted to take some empty land between them. Modu quickly attacked them. By 208 BCE, the Donghu were defeated. The remaining Donghu people split into the Xianbei and Wuhuan tribes. Modu also conquered the Dingling and other groups to the north. He defeated the Yuezhi in 203 BCE. After these victories, all Xiongnu lords accepted him as their leader.

These conquests helped Modu gain control of important trade routes. These routes later brought a lot of wealth to the Xiongnu.

Wars with the Han Dynasty

In 200 BCE, a Chinese king named Xin, King of Han, joined the Xiongnu. They raided Han territory together. Emperor Gaozu of Han led his army against them. He defeated them several times. Xin then set up another king and marched south. They were also defeated. Emperor Gaozu saw how much influence the Xiongnu had. He marched north with a large army of 320,000 men. But his soldiers suffered from the cold and lack of supplies. Gaozu went ahead with only 40,000 men to Pingcheng District.

Modu Chanyu saw his chance. He quickly surrounded Pingcheng with 400,000 cavalry. This trapped the emperor away from his main army. It is not fully clear why, but Modu eventually pulled back some of his men. Some stories say his wife convinced him to let the emperor escape. A long siege would have been difficult anyway. When Han reinforcements arrived, the Xiongnu withdrew. This event is known as the Battle of Baideng.

Gaozu's narrow escape made him want peace with the Xiongnu. He sent a "princess" to Modu Chanyu. This was part of a peace agreement called heqin, a marriage alliance. He also offered Modu silk, wine, and food. Modu accepted the offer. He mostly limited his raids during Gaozu's rule. The Han dynasty often sent commoner women, not actual princesses, for these alliances. They did this to avoid sending the emperor's own daughters.

After his campaigns in China, Modu made the Yuezhi and the Wusun his vassals. This meant they had to obey the Xiongnu.

In 195 BCE, Lu Wan, the King of Yan, fled to the Xiongnu. This happened after he was defeated by a Han general.

In 178 BCE, the Xiongnu took over the Yuezhi and Wusun lands in Gansu and the Tarim Basin.

Modu died in 174 BCE. His son, Jiyu, became the next leader, known as Laoshang Chanyu.

Marriage Proposal to Empress Lü Zhi

Modu once sent a rude marriage proposal to Empress Lü Zhi of the Han dynasty. The Empress was very angry. Her generals wanted to declare war and destroy the Xiongnu. But a wise attendant named Ji Bu pointed out that the Xiongnu army was much stronger. His words made the court silent with fear.

Despite her anger, Empress Lü Zhi continued the heqin policy. She kept marrying so-called "princesses" to Xiongnu leaders. She also continued paying tribute to the Xiongnu. This helped keep peace between the two sides.

Later Stories and Connections

Historians have noticed that Modu's story is like many folk tales. In these tales, a young hero is left alone, goes on an adventure, proves his worth, finds loyal friends, returns home, defeats a powerful figure, and becomes king.

Modu's name has also been linked to Oghuz Khagan. Oghuz Khagan is a legendary ancestor of the Oghuz Turks. The stories of Oghuz Khagan are very similar to Modu's life. Both stories include a conflict between father and son. They also have similar conquests and events.

Some people also connect Modu's name to the Magyar royal tribe of the Hungarians. It has been suggested that his name, as Bixtun or Beztur, appears in the family tree of Attila. This is found in an old book called the Chronica Hungarorum.

Legacy

Modu Chanyu is also known as Mete Khan (or Mete Han in Turkish). He is famous across many Turkic languages.

The Turkish Land Forces consider the start of Modu's reign in 209 BCE as their symbolic founding date.

Sculptures

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  Sculpture of Modu Chanyu. Chinggis Khaan National Museum, Ulaanbaatar.

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  Bust of Modu (Mete Han), part of the "Monument of Turkishness" in Pinarbashi, Kayseri, Turkey.

See also

• Han–Xiongnu War
• Jin Midi
• Oghuz Khagan
• Ban Chao
• Shan Yu from 1998 Disney's film Mulan