16 Facts About Western Xia

1.

Western Xia or the Xi Xia, officially the Great Xia, known as the Tangut Empire, and known as Mi-nyak to the Tanguts and Tibetans, was a Tangut-led Buddhist imperial dynasty of China that existed from 1038 to 1227.

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2.

Western Xia occupied the area around the Hexi Corridor, a stretch of the Silk Road, the most important trade route between northern China and Central Asia.

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3.

Western Xia's son was still an infant, so Jiyun's brother, Jipeng, assumed leadership.

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4.

Western Xia rebounded from this defeat by capturing Yinzhou the next year.

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5.

Western Xia counterattacks experienced initial success before failing to take Lanzhou multiple times.

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6.

Western Xia forbade his troops from cooking their meals because he feared it would alert Xia raiders of their position.

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7.

Western Xia's troops became ill from their uncooked food, started to starve, and came under attack by enemy cavalry anyway.

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8.

In 1113, the Western Xia started building fortifications in disputed territory with the Song, and took the Qingtang region.

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9.

Western Xia tried to enlist the help of the Jurchens, but they refused his overtures.

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10.

In 1207, Genghis led another raid into Western Xia, invading the Ordos Loop and sacking Wulahai, the main garrison along the Yellow River, before withdrawing in the spring of 1208.

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11.

Emperor Shenzong of Western Xia was the first person in the imperial family to pass the palace examinations and receive a jinshi degree.

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12.

Western Xia'snzong appeased the Mongols by attacking the Jurchens and in 1214, supported a rebellion against the Jurchens.

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13.

In 1216, Western Xia provided auxiliary troops to the Mongols for an attack on Jin territory.

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14.

Emperor Xianzong of Western Xia began peace talks with the Jurchen Jin in 1224 and the peace agreement was finalized in the fall of 1225.

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15.

Genghis divided his army and sent general Subutai to take care of the westernmost cities, while the main force under Genghis moved east into the heart of the Western Xia and took Suzhou and Ganzhou, which was spared destruction upon its capture due to it being the hometown of Genghis's commander Chagaan.

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16.

The brother of Emperor Chongzong of Western Xia, Chage, mentioned that Trekker infantry had difficulty fighting Mighty-Arm bows, a type of Song dynasty crossbow:.

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