Key Facts
- Siege start date
- April 8, 1232
- City entered by Mongols
- May 29, 1233
- Duration of siege
- Over one year
- Prior war duration
- Nearly two decades (from 1211)
- Notable weapons used
- Fire lances and gunpowder bombs (Jin defenders)
Strategic Narrative Overview
The Mongols arrived before Kaifeng's walls on April 8, 1232, placing the city under sustained siege. Jin defenders employed fire lances and gunpowder bombs, inflicting significant Mongol casualties. Famine and disease ravaged the besieged population. A Jin peace initiative collapsed when a Mongol diplomat was assassinated. Emperor Aizong abandoned the city, fleeing to Caizhou. The new commander, General Cui Li, executed the emperor's loyalists and surrendered Kaifeng to Subutai's forces.
01 / The Origins
The Mongol Empire and the Jurchen-led Jin dynasty had been at war since 1211, when the Jin refused Mongol demands to submit as a vassal state. After nearly two decades of conflict, Ögedei Khan resolved to strike at Kaifeng, the Jin capital, dispatching two converging armies — one under himself and one under his brother Tolui — to bring the dynasty to its knees and consolidate Mongol dominance over northern China.
03 / The Outcome
The Mongols entered Kaifeng on May 29, 1233, and looted the city. Emperor Aizong continued resistance from Caizhou, but Mongol and allied Song forces besieged that town as well. In 1234 Aizong died by suicide, Caizhou fell, and the Jin dynasty was extinguished. Mongol control over northern China was secured, setting the stage for eventual unification of China under the later Yuan dynasty.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
Ögedei Khan, Tolui, Subutai.
Side B
1 belligerent
Emperor Aizong of Jin, General Cui Li.
Kinetic Engagement Axis
Scroll horizontally to view full axis. Events plotted relatively.