Muqali
Muqali (c. 1170–1223), also known as Mukhali, was a Merkit tribesman who became one of Chinggis Khan's most trusted generals and commanders, rising through loyalty demonstrated in early campaigns to lead the Mongol forces against the Jin dynasty in northern China.[1] Originally from the rival Merkit tribe, Muqali joined the Mongols after his clan's defeat and was appointed among the elite companions, receiving the title of Guy-Ong and command over ten thousand households as detailed in the Secret History of the Mongols.[2] In 1217, Chinggis Khan entrusted him with overall command of the eastern front, where, with a relatively small force augmented by local allies, he conducted sustained operations that captured key Jin territories, including Zhongdu (modern Beijing) and much of the north, confining Jin resistance by the time of his death from illness in 1223.[3] His achievements exemplified the merit-based integration of non-Mongol talent into the imperial structure and secured vital gains that facilitated the Jin's complete overthrow a decade later.[4]