Support HistoryMaps

Settings

Dark Mode

Voice Narration

3D Map

MapStyle
HistoryMaps Last Updated: 02/01/2025

© 2025 HM


AI History Chatbot

Ask Herodotus

Play Audio

Instructions: How it Works


Enter your Question / Request and hit enter or click the submit button. You can ask or request in any language. Here are some examples:


  • Quiz me on the American Revolution.
  • Suggest some books on the Ottoman Empire.
  • What were the causes of the Thirty Year's War?
  • Tell me something interesting about the Han Dynasty.
  • Give me the phases of the Hundred Years’ War.
herodotus-image

Do you have a question about History?


ask herodotus

History of Mongolia

Mongolia during the Xianbei State

© Anonymous

History of Mongolia

Mongolia during the Xianbei State

147 Jan 1 - 234
Shangdu County, Ulanqab, Inner Mongolia, China
Mongolia during the Xianbei State
Xianbei warrior horsemen armed with long bows. Northern Qi dynasty (北齊 550–577 CE), Taiyuan, Shanxi Province. © Anonymous

After the fragmentation of the Xiongnu in 48 CE, the Xianbei emerged as the dominant power in Mongolia, filling the vacuum left by the Xiongnu's decline. Originating as a northern branch of the Donghu, a proto-Mongolic group mentioned as early as the 4th century BCE, the Xianbei gained prominence through their nomadic warfare and adaptability. Their rise marked the beginning of a new era of Mongolic influence on the steppe.


Map of the Xianbei state. © Khiruge

Map of the Xianbei state. © Khiruge


Rise of the Xianbei

By the 1st century CE, the Xianbei had begun consolidating their power. Under Tanshihuai, who became their leader in 147 CE, the Xianbei unified various tribes and expelled the remaining Xiongnu from key regions like Jungaria. They also pushed the Dingling further north into the Sayan Mountains, solidifying their dominance over the Mongolic peoples in what is now northern Mongolia and Inner Mongolia.


Tanshihuai’s leadership enabled the Xianbei to repel a Han invasion in 167 CE and later to raid northern China in 180 CE. The Xianbei economy blended livestock husbandry with limited farming and handicraft, distinguishing them from the more nomadic Xiongnu. They utilized mounted archers and elected their leaders in a congress of nobility, emphasizing collective decision-making.


Fragmentation and Successor States

The Xianbei state fractured in the 3rd century, giving rise to several smaller tribal states. Among the most significant successors were the Tuoba, a subgroup of the Xianbei, who established control over modern Shanxi Province and later founded the Northern Wei dynasty (386–534 CE). This dynasty combined Xianbei tribal traditions with Chinese administrative practices, becoming a major power in northern China.


The Northern Wei drove back the Rouran, a Mongolic nomadic group rising in the Altai Mountains, and extended their influence into the Tarim Basin. However, the sinicization of the Tuoba under the Northern Wei alienated many traditionalists within the Xianbei and contributed to internal dissent.


Impact on Inner Asia

By the late 3rd century, the Xianbei and their offshoots dominated much of Inner Asia and northern China. They were key players in the chaotic period following the collapse of the Han dynasty, during which nomadic peoples overran China north of the Yangtze River. The Tuoba-controlled Northern Wei became a stabilizing force, reconstructing the Great Wall and defending against incursions from groups like the Rouran.


The legacy of the Xianbei extended through their cultural, military, and administrative influence, shaping the development of later Mongolic and Turkic empires. Their ability to integrate steppe traditions with Chinese governance provided a model for future nomadic states that sought to rule both the steppe and settled societies.

Page Last Updated: 12/30/2024

Support HistoryMaps

There are several ways to support the HistoryMaps Project.

Shop Now
Donate
Say Thanks