Modu Chanyu and his horde besieging a Chinese city by unknown artist

"Modu followed up this victory by defeating also the powerful Yuezhi to the west. Victory followed victory and the Xiongnu Huns went on to recover all the territory in the south that they had lost to the Chinese under the Qin dynasty. In the north Modu campaigned successfully against tribes such as the Hunyu and the Dingling. For the first time in history all of eastern Inner Asia was united under the banner of a single imperial state. Sima Qian notes that the Xiongnu lords and officials realized that Modu was wise and capable and rendered him complete obedience. The standing army of the Xiongnu also expanded to 300,000 men, a match for the mighty armies of Han China. Modu then achieved his greatest triumph in 200 BC at Ping Cheng where he defeated and surrounded the army of Emperor Gaozu of the recently established Han dynasty of China. Gaozu had to buy his freedom by submitting to humiliating terms. He was forced to surrender one of his daughters as the concubine of the Xiongnu Chanyu (Gaozu sent a relative instead after lying to the Xiongnu that the girl was indeed his daughter). The Han Chinese agreed to pay an annual tribute consisting of silk, wine, grain and other foodstuffs to the Chanyu as well to placate this powerful northern adversary. Han China had in effect become a tributary state dependent on the good will of the Xiongnu Empire. When Gaozu died Modu sent an insulting letter to the empress dowager of Han China, suggesting that she become one of his wives. The Empress reacted with anger and asked her officials if a punitive expedition could be launched against the Xiongnu. To this belligerent talk Han officials replied that not even the wise and martial Gaozu could defeat the Xiongnu, but suffered the humiliating debacle at Ping Cheng. The empress relented and sent a humble letter to the Chanyu asking for the latter’s indulgence, explaining to him that she was unfit to be the wife of the Chanyu due to old age and deteriorating physical condition. To wrap up she reminded the Chanyu that her country had done nothing wrong and begged the Xiongnu emperor to spare it (Han Shu, 94A: 5a).

During the early years of the subsequent reign of China’s Han Wendi (179–57 BC) Modu again scored a decisive victory over the Yuezhi and conquered the Tarim basin (modern Xinjiang) and a total of 26 nations to the west including the powerful Wusun nation (eastern Kazakhstan). Wendi decided that the Xiongnu were too formidable to provoke and renewed the payment of tribute paid during the times of Emperor Gaozu and Empress Dowager Lu. The tribute was in fact increased to 1,000 pieces of gold a year (Han Shu, 94B:12b). Modu died in 174 BC and was able to pass on the imperial throne to his son Laoshang without any political disturbance. Such was his influence and authority over the Xiongnu. In a remarkable reign that lasted 35 years the great Modu Chanyu founded the Xiongnu Empire, reorganized the system of governance of the Xiongnu and greatly expanded the boundaries of the state so that it was now larger than the famous empire of Alexander the Great. Modu had also subjected an equally large empire of China to the payment of tribute. Modu was in many ways Alexander’s equal, maybe even superior when it comes to the extent of his conquests. The two rulers were also similar in that they were both suspected of having assassinated their fathers (Touman and Philip) in order to seize the throne. Modu, however, was clearly the more competent politican and administrator of the two. While Alexander’s empire collapsed and splintered right after his death, Modu’s Hunnic Xiongnu Empire would last a further 400 years under the rule of Modu’s direct descendants. Alexander’s death not only led to the end of his empire, but also the extinction of his royal house."

-Kim, Hyun Jin. The Huns (Peoples of the Ancient World) (pp. 22-23). Taylor and Francis. Kindle Edition.  

Modu Chanyu and his horde besieging a Chinese city by unknown artist. Istanbul Military Museum.

Source:

https://historycollection.com/great-daring-moments-from-history/11/

Quote:

Kim, Hyun Jin. The Huns (Peoples of the Ancient World) (pp. 22-23). Taylor and Francis. Kindle Edition.