8 Historical Figures That Deserve To Be Remembered

We all know Genghis Khan. But his right-hand man, Subutai, was equally fearsome.

Subutai was not a Mongol, but he joined them at the age of 14. He was appointed as the door attendant of Genghis Khan. He quickly learned the art of horsemanship, and quickly rose through the ranks.

Subutai was soon appointed as Khan's right-hand man due to his ability as a strategist. He became one of Genghis Khan's 'Dogs of War'.

It was in this capacity that he was sent to lead Ogedei Khan (the son and successor of Genghis Khan)'s Mongol forces at the Battle of Mohi against Hungarian forces. Although the Mongols were receiving heavy casualties as a result of crossbowmen on the other side of the River Sajo, Subutai was able to turn the tide of the battle by using stone throwers, traditionally only used in siege warfare, to directly assault the deadly Hungarian crossbowmen.

In the ensuing chaos, Subutai sent a force to build a bridge downriver, then used the element of surprise to outflank the Hungarians and win the battle.

He returned a hero, and planned an incredibly ambitious assault on the Holy Roman Empire. Ogedei Khan died, however, halting Subutai's invasion so that they may return to witness the election of the new Great Khan. In 1246, the new Khan put Subutai in charge of a campaign against the Chinese. He was now 70 years of age, and still leading the Mongol army into battle.

He returned to Mongolia in 1247, where he then died at the age of 72.

Subutai was born a nobody in the middle of a forest. He joined the Mongols and fought his way to prominence. He stayed in high esteem through three generations of Khans, and died at a ripe old age for a thirteenth century military man.