31. Other Mongol Predecessors: The Xiongnu
In 200 BC, China’s emperor Gaozu, founder of the Han dynasty, was plagued by Xiongnu tribesmen raiding his realm, so he invaded their territory. The Xiongnu led the Chinese army on a merry chase through the Steppe, while harrying its supply lines and fraying its nerves with frequent skirmishes. When the Chinese were exhausted, the Xiongnu ambushed and trapped them in a disadvantageous locale, cutting them off from resupply and reinforcement. Emperor Gaozu bought his life with an appeasement treaty that recognized the Xiongnu as equals, sent their leaders Chinese princesses as brides, and sought to buy them off with tribute payments, face-savingly referred to as “gifts”.