Siege of Baideng: The Xiongnu Trap the Han Emperor (200 BCE)

200 BCE · Baideng (Shanxi) · military

Emperor Gaozu took the field in person; Modu Chanyu besieged him for seven days with 300,000 Xiongnu horsemen.

He escaped only by a diplomatic maneuver (an offer of gifts to the Chanyu's wife made through his own wife's envoy). | It shaped the Han's northern policy: the heqin (peace-marriage) system; the sending of a Chinese lady plus tribute.

Related civilizations

Frequently asked questions

What was Siege of Baideng: The Xiongnu Trap the Han Emperor (200 BCE)?
Emperor Gaozu took the field in person; Modu Chanyu besieged him for seven days with 300,000 Xiongnu horsemen.
When did Siege of Baideng: The Xiongnu Trap the Han Emperor (200 BCE) happen?
200 BCE
Where did Siege of Baideng: The Xiongnu Trap the Han Emperor (200 BCE) take place?
Baideng (Shanxi)