Go Back
Xiongnu Confederation. The Xiongnu Confederation was a powerful alliance of nomadic pastoralist tribes that dominated the eastern Eurasian Steppe from the 3rd century BCE to the late 1st century CE. Centered in modern Mongolia, these incredibly skilled horse archers created the first major steppe empire in history. They matter significantly because their constant, devastating raids into northern China forced the newly unified Chinese empires to drastically adapt their foreign policy. The Xiongnu threat was the primary reason the Chinese began heavily investing in massive border fortifications that evolved into the Great Wall.
The relationship between the Xiongnu and the Chinese Han Dynasty alternated wildly between lucrative marriage alliances and brutal all out wars. The Han eventually launched a series of highly aggressive military campaigns deep into the steppe, severely weakening the nomadic confederation. Internal succession crises and harsh winters further fractured the Xiongnu leadership, splitting them into northern and southern factions. The southern faction surrendered to the Han, while the northern faction was destroyed by rival tribes.