Battle of Khalakhaljid Sands

Battle of Khalkhaljid Sands
Part of Campaigns of Genghis Khan
Date1203
Location
Khalakhaljid Sands, Mount Mauo Mongolia
Result Comprehensive Kereit victory
Belligerents
Borjigin Mongols Kereit tribe
Commanders and leaders
Temujin
Ögedei  (WIA)
Toghrul Khan
Jamukha
Strength
2,500 3,000
Casualties and losses
Ögedei wounded and missing

The Battle of Khalakhaljid Sands was fought between Genghis Khan, then known as Temüjin, and the forces of Toghrul, khan of the Kereit. The Kereit elites, deeply suspicious of Temüjin's diplomatic overtures to Toghrul, had convinced their leader to turn on his vassal. Warned by two herdsmen, Temüjin had escaped a planned ambush, but was pursued by a larger force. His Mongol allies came to his aid at the Khalakhaljid Sands, but they were defeated. Following the battle, in which Temüjin's 17-year-old son Ögedei was severely wounded, Temüjin swore the Baljuna Covenant with his companions.[1][2][3]

  1. ^ Powers, J.; Templeman, D. (2012). Historical Dictionary of Tibet. Asian/Oceanian historical dictionaries. Scarecrow Press. p. 493. ISBN 978-0-8108-6805-2. Retrieved 2021-05-04.
  2. ^ Atwood, Christopher P. (2004). Encyclopedia of Mongolia and the Mongol Empire. New York: Facts on File. p. 98. ISBN 978-0-8160-4671-3. Retrieved 2 March 2022.
  3. ^ Ratchnevsky, Paul (1991). Genghis Khan: His Life and Legacy. Translated by Thomas Haining. Oxford: Blackwell Publishing. pp. 68–71. ISBN 978-06-31-16785-3.