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Xiongnu

Also known as Great Hun Empire, Xunnu, Xiongnu Empire

The Xiongnu (, ) were a tribal confederation of nomadic peoples who, according to ancient Chinese sources, inhabited the eastern Eurasian Steppe from the 3rd century BC to the late 1st century AD. Modu Chanyu, the supreme leader after 209 BC, founded the Xiongnu Empire.

AI overview

The Xiongnu were a powerful confederation of nomadic tribes who lived on the Eurasian Steppe from around the 3rd century BC until the late 1st century AD, eventually forming an organized empire under their leader Modu Chanyu starting in 209 BC. They matter because they represent one of the earliest and most significant nomadic powers in Eurasian history, and their rise fundamentally shaped the political and military landscape of ancient Asia.

AI-generated from the Wikipedia summary — may contain errors.

Key facts

Country.map_caption: Territory of the Xiongnu in the 2nd century BC (before the Han–Xiongnu Wars of 133 BC – 89 AD): it includes Mongolia, east Kazakhstan, east Kyrgyzstan, south Siberia, and parts of northern China such as western Manchuria, Xinjiang, Inner Mongolia and Gansu.
Country.conventional_long_name: Xiongnu
Country.common_name: Xiongnu
Country.era: Antiquity
Country.government_type: Tribal confederation
Country.common_languages: various
Country.capital: Longcheng
Country.year_start: 3rd century BC
Country.year_end: 2nd century AD
Country.religion: Shamanism, Tengrism, Buddhism
Country.demonym: Xiongnu
Country.title_leader: Chanyu
Country.leader1: Touman
Country.year_leader1: 220–209 BC
Country.leader2: Modu
Country.year_leader2: 209–174 BC
Country.leader3: Laoshang
Country.year_leader3: 174–161 BC

via Wikipedia infobox

Wikidata facts

Image: Warring States Xiongnu Gold Crown - b.jpg

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Commons category: Xiongnu
inception: 0300-00-00
dissolved, abolished or demolished date: 0500-00-00

Sources (2)

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~54 min read

Article

47 sections

Contents

Name
History
Predecessors
Early history
State formation
Xiongnu hierarchy
Marriage diplomacy with Han dynasty
Han–Xiongnu war
Xiongnu Civil War (60–53 BC)
Tributary relations with the Han
Southern Xiongnu and Northern Xiongnu
Northern Xiongnu
Southern Xiongnu
Descendants and later states in northern China
Han-Zhao dynasty (304–329)
Han (304–319)
Former Zhao (319–329)
Tiefu tribe and Helian Xia dynasty (309–431)
Juqu clan and Northern Liang dynasty (401–460)
Significance
Ethnolinguistic origins{{anchor|Language}}
Proposed link to the Huns
Iranian theories
Yeniseian theories
Turkic theories
Mongolic theories
Multiple ethnicities
Language isolate theories
Geographic origins
Archaeology
Genetics
Maternal lineages
Paternal lineages
Autosomal ancestry
Relationship between ethnicity and status among the Xiongnu
Culture
Art
Rock art and writing
Religion and diet
See also
Notes
References
Sources
Primary sources
Other sources consulted
Further reading
External links

After overthrowing their previous overlords, the Yuezhi, the Xiongnu became the dominant power on the steppes of East Asia, centred on the Mongolian Plateau. The Xiongnu were also active in areas now part of Siberia, Inner Mongolia, Gansu and Xinjiang. Their relations with the Chinese dynasties to the south-east were complex—alternating between various periods of peace, war, and subjugation. Ultimately, the Xiongnu were defeated by the Han dynasty in a centuries-long conflict, which led to the confederation splitting in two, and forcible resettlement of large numbers of Xiongnu within Han borders. During the Sixteen Kingdoms era, listed as one of the "Five Barbarians", their descendants founded the dynastic states of Han-Zhao, Northern Liang and Helian Xia and during the Northern and Southern dynasties founded Northern Zhou (founded by members of the Yuwen tribe of Xiongnu origin) in northern China.