Genghis in 1209 undertakes his campaign to…

Genghis in 1209 undertakes his campaign to actually conquer Western Xia.

Li Anquan requests aid from the Jin dynasty, but the new Prince Shao of Wei refuses to send aid.

After defeating a force led by Kao Liang-Hui outside Wulahai, Genghis captures the city and pushes up along the Yellow River, defeating several cities as he went, until he reached the fortress Kiemen which guarded the only pass through the Helan Mountains to the capital, Yinchuan.

Containing an army of up to seventy thousand plus fifty thousand reinforcements, the fortress proves too difficult to capture, and after a two-month standoff the Mongols feign a retreat, luring the garrison, led by Wei-ming Ling-kung, out onto the field where it is easily destroyed.

Genghis, his path now open, advances to the capital.

Yinchuan, well fortified, holds about one hundred and fifty thousand soldiers, nearly twice the size of the Mongol army.

This being the one of the Mongols’ first endeavors in siege warfare, they lack the proper equipment and experience to take the city.

They arrive at the city in May, but by October are still unsuccessful at breaking through.

Genghis attempts to flood the capital by diverting the river and its network of irrigation canals into the city.