Page:Eminent Chinese Of The Ch’ing Period - Hummel - 1943 - Vol. 1.pdf/279

Rh tween the Eleuths and the Khalkas by asking the Dalai Lama to join him in calling another peace conference. But he failed to get the Lama's support, owing to the fact that the Fifth Dalai Lama had died (1682), though his death was not made public by his De-pa or Tipa (temporal administrator) who is known in Chinese accounts as Sangge (see under ). As this Sangge pretended that the Dalai Lama was in retirement and was issuing orders only through him, he had unlimited authority—a fact which Emperor Shêng-tsu suspected but did not make known until 1696. In the meantime, Sangge, who was on good terms with Galdan, urged the latter to carry out his aim of gaining more territory. Galdan demanded the surrender of the Tushetu Khan and his brother, the Mongolian Lama, as the terms on which he would make peace with the Khalkas. As the emperor had accepted (1688) the two fugitives as his subjects, he declined to give them up though he acknowledged their guilt in starting the war. When Sangge, in the name of the deceased Dalai Lama, made the same demands, the emperor realized that war was inevitable and made preparations for it.

It seems that early in 1689 Galdan returned to his headquarters at Khobdo. At this time his nephew,, a son of his brother Senga, rose in power and took a part of Galdan's territory. Galdan made war on his nephew, but was defeated. Early in 1690 Galdan led his men to an invasion of Outer Mongolia where he was sure of rich booty to support his troops. He met almost no resistance and, after passing the summer on the lower Kerulun River, turned south toward Inner Mongolia. He seems to have had Peking as his objective, but was defeated at the battle of Ulan-butung (see under ) by the army sent from China. However, by deputing a high lama to negotiate peace, he managed to retreat northward without being pursued.

The battle of Ulan-butung was far from decisive, yet its effect on the Mongols and on the Tibetans was such that most of them pleaded their loyalty to Emperor Shêng-tsu. The Emperor, however, did not think much of the victory. Apparently then unaware of the death of the Dalai Lama, he berated the Lama for his failure to stop Galdan from inflicting so many calamities on the Khalkas and the Eleuths. He assured Galdan of high rewards should he surrender, but as the proud Bushktu Khan ignored his offers Emperor Shêng-tsu continued to train his armies, especially the division with firearms. In 1691 the Emperor went to Dolonor where he received the homage of all the high Mongolian chiefs who esteemed him not only as their Emperor but as their rescuer. The Khalkas kept their word and never rebelled throughout the dynasty. The titles of Khan of the Khalkas were thereafter conferred in Peking.

When Galdan returned to Khobdo he found that much of his property had been seized by his nephew, Tsewang Araptan. However, he still declined the invitation of Emperor Shêng-tsu to come to Peking and be pardoned. On the contrary, he demanded that the Tushetu Khan and the Mongolian Lama be handed over to him. In 1694 his territory was afflicted by famine and in the following year he again invaded the Khalkas. As previously, he was encouraged by Sangge who, in the name of the deceased Dalai Lama, promised him victory and prosperity.

This time Emperor Shêng-tsu was determined to confront Galdan himself. About eighty thousand men marched northward on three routes while an army under guarded the eastern borders of Mongolia. In 1696 the Emperor personally commanded the Central Route Army, arriving at the Kerulun River in advance of the others. Galdan, being unprepared to engage such a formidable foe, fled westward a few days before the Emperor arrived. On June 12, 1696 he reached Jao Modo at the very time that the Western Route Armies under and  came on the scene. In the ensuing battle the Chinese forces dealt a crushing blow to Galdan's power. His wife, Ana dara ( 阿奴), whom he had married as widow of his brother, Senga, and thousands of his men, were killed. Among those who escaped many died of hunger or surrendered later. Galdan and several of his generals fled westward. Some of his men joined Tsewang Araptan who had taken Khobdo. With only a thousand men and some three thousand women and children left of his empire, Galdan wandered miserably near the Altai Mountains. He thought for a time of taking tribute from the Mohammedans at Hami but desisted. Abdulla Beg of Hami had surrendered to Emperor Shêng-tsu in 1696 and had taken captive Galdan's son, Septen Bailsur 塞卜騰巴兒珠爾—a lad then about fourteen years old. The miseries of Galdan grew as more of his subordinates deserted him, apparently owing to his irritability. Still he declined to surrender and even demanded of Emperor Shêng-tsu the return of the troops that 267