Yelü Susa (耶律速撒)

Overview

Yelü Susa was a Liao General.

IdentityHistorical · Male

Roles

Found in

Other names

Type	English	Chinese	Pinyin
Courtesy name	Amin	阿敏	Āmǐn

Life and dates

Death

served on the frontier twenty years then died
Directly stated · History of Liao 94, passage 34

Attested activity

AD 983 統和元年
Dated from the passage context · History of Liao 10, passages 17, 108
AD 983 統和初
Dated from the passage context · History of Liao 94, passage 31
AD 951 應歷初
Dated from the passage context · History of Liao 94, passage 27
AD 984 統和二年
Dated from the passage context · History of Liao 10, passage 154; History of Liao 85, passage 32
AD 982 乾亨四年
Dated from the passage context · History of Liao 10, passage 212
AD 975 保寧七年
Directly stated · History of Liao 8, passage 108

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AD 971 保寧三年
Directly stated · History of Liao 94, passage 29
AD 972 四年
Directly stated · History of Liao 94, passage 30
AD 951 to AD 969 應歷初
Directly stated · History of Liao 48, passage 262

Key source chapters

Career and standing

attendant 侍從
Appointed · From Source Date: Text: 應歷初 · Reign Id: liao-yingli · Regnal Year: 1 · Western Year: AD 951
Dated from the passage context · History of Liao 94, passage 27
grand master of the Dunmu Palace 敦睦宮太師
Appointed
Directly stated · History of Liao 94, passage 28
Overall commander of Yi, Ba, Xiang, Shun, and Sheng five prefectures 義、霸、祥、順、聖五州都總管
AD 951 to AD 969 應歷初 · Held
Directly stated · History of Liao 48, passage 262
chief commander of Ba, Ji, Xiang, Shun, and Sheng prefectures 霸、濟、祥、順、聖五州都總管
Held
Directly stated · History of Liao 94, passage 28
military commissioner of the Tülübu tribe 突呂不部節度使
Promoted
Directly stated · History of Liao 94, passage 27
chief commander of the Nine Tribes 九部都詳穩
Transferred · From Source Date: Text: 保寧三年 · Western Year: AD 971
Directly stated · History of Liao 94, passage 29

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personal edict of commendation 手詔勞之
Received
Directly stated · History of Liao 94, passage 30

Places and affiliations

Polity Id liao · Relation Served
Strongly inferred · History of Liao 8, passage 108
Polity Id liao · Relation Served
Directly stated · History of Liao 10, passage 212; History of Liao 48, passage 262; History of Liao 94, passage 27

Events and relationships

Campaigned against
Military · Commander · Other Label Zubu 阻卜
Directly stated · History of Liao 10, passage 212
Campaigned against Tangut
AD 972 四年 · Military · Commander
Directly stated · History of Liao 94, passage 30
Killed Zubu chieftain Talagan
Military · Commander · With Talagan (撻剌幹)
Directly stated · History of Liao 10, passage 154
Presented Tangut captives
AD 975 保寧七年三月 · Military · Presenter
Directly stated · History of Liao 8, passage 108
Settled frontier tribes
Political · Pacifier
Directly stated · History of Liao 94, passage 31
Relation Trusted by · Person Empress Dowager (太后)
Directly stated · History of Liao 94, passage 31

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Relation Served under · Person Emperor Muzong of Liao (穆宗)
Directly stated · History of Liao 48, passage 262

Assessments and attributes

Assessment commended for defeating Zubu · Mode edict
Directly stated · History of Liao 10, passage 22
Assessment labored-to-settle-tribes · Mode historian-judgment
Directly stated · History of Liao 94, passage 76
loyal, upright, austere, trained in military affairs
Character
Directly stated · History of Liao 94, passage 26
shared soldiers hardships and distributed booty evenly
Character
Directly stated · History of Liao 94, passage 32

Source notes

Historicity historical
Directly stated · History of Liao 8, passage 108

References in the histories

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History

13 passages

History of Liao, Chapter 8Volume 8 Annals 8: Jingzong 1 · 1 passage

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三月壬午，耶律速撒等獻党項俘，分賜群臣。 In the third month, on renwu day, Yelü Susa and others presented Tangut captives, which were distributed among the ministers.

History of Liao, Chapter 10Volume 10 Annals 10: Shengzong 1 · 6 passages

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十二月戊午朔，耶律速撒討阻卜。 On the wuwu new moon of the twelfth month, Yelü Susa campaigned against the Zubu.

辛巳，速撒獻阻卜俘。 On xinsi day Susa presented prisoners taken from the Zubu.

乙酉，以速撒破阻卜，下詔褒美； On yiyou day, because Susa had broken the Zubu, an edict commended him;

速撒奏討党項捷，遣使慰勞。 Susa reported victory over the Tangut; envoys were dispatched to comfort and reward the troops.

癸巳，速撒奏敵烈部及叛蕃來降，悉復故地。 On guisi day Susa reported that the Dilie division and rebellious tribes had submitted and that all lost territory had been recovered.

是月，速撒等討阻卜，殺其酋長撻剌幹。 That month Susa and others campaigned against the Zubu and killed their chieftain Talagan.

History of Liao, Chapter 48Volume 48 Treatises 18: Official Posts 4 · 1 passage

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耶律速撒，穆宗應歷初為義、霸、祥、順、聖五州都總管。 Muzong Yingli: Yelu Susa as overall commander of Yi, Ba, Xiang, Shun, and Sheng.

History of Liao, Chapter 85Volume 85 Biographies 15: Xiao Talin, Xiao Guanyinnu, Yelu Tizi, Yelu Xieli, Yelu Nugua, Xiao Liu, Gao Xun, Xi Heshuonu, Xiao Taliege, Yelu Sahe · 1 passage

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統和二年，將兵與西邊詳穩耶律速撒討陀羅斤，大破之。 In the second year of Tonghe he took command alongside Western Frontier Commander Yelu Susa to attack the Tuoluojin and routed them decisively.

History of Liao, Chapter 94Volume 94 Biographies 24: Yelu Huage, Yelu Wola, Yelu Susa, Xiao Aludai, Yelu Naye, Yelu Helusaogu, Yelu Shiliang · 4 passages

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耶律化哥耶律斡臘耶律速撒蕭阿魯帶耶律那也耶律何魯掃古耶律世良 Yelu Huage, Yelu Wola, Yelu Susa, Xiao Aludai, Yelu Naye, Yelu Helusaogu, and Yelu Shiliang.

耶律速撒，字阿敏，性忠直簡毅，練武事。 Yelu Susa, courtesy name Amin, was loyal and forthright by nature, austere in manner, and thoroughly trained in military affairs.

統和初，皇太后稱制，西邊甫定，速撒務安集諸蕃，利害輒具以聞，太后益信任之。 When Tonghe began, the empress dowager ruled as regent and the western frontier had only just been pacified; Susa worked to settle the frontier tribes and reported every advantage and risk in full, and the empress dowager came to rely on him still more.

若斡臘之戒深入，速撒之務安集，亦鐵中之錚錚者邪？ Yet are not Wola, who warned against pushing too deep, and Susa, who labored to settle the tribes, the true steel among iron?