Zhang Shijie

In thisChinese name,thefamily nameisZhang.

Zhang Shijie Trương thế kiệt
Personal details
Died	1279 Yamen, Guangdong, China
Military service
Battles/wars	Battle of Yamen

Zhang Shijie(Chinese:Trương thế kiệt;pinyin:Zhāng Shìjíe) was a Chinese admiral, military general, and politician during theMongol invasion of China.

Zhang was born to a prosperous family in present-dayHebei(part of theLiao empire,thenJin empire). After the fall of the Jin to theMongol Empire,Zhang joined the Mongol army and was stationed in present-dayHenan provinceunder the command of Zhang Rou, aHan Chinesegeneral of the Mongol Empire.

Zhang Shijie defected from the Mongols to theSouthern Songdynasty after he committed a crime, to evade punishment. Zhang Shijie gained his position in the Song administration after passing hiscivil service examination,eventually becoming a successful administrator overseeing civil, military, and naval duties for theSouthern Song.

After the fall of the capital Lin'an (modern-dayHangzhou), Zhang commanded the Song naval forces during the Mongol invasion of China in 1276, and served as the last commander of the Song fleet, during the attempt to escortEmperor Bing of Songand other Imperial officials as they fled the Mongols in 1279. However, Zhang's fleet was intercepted by Mongol forces under the command ofZhang Hongfan(the son of Zhang Shijie's former commander Zhang Rou) off the coast ofXinhuiand destroyed at theBattle of Yamenon 19 March 1279. Prime MinisterLu Xiufucommitted suicide, drowning the child Emperor with him, following their defeat. Although Zhang Shijie was able to escape with his remaining ships, he was said to have died a few days later during a storm at sea. Along withLu XiufuandWen Tianxiang,Zhang is considered one of the "Three Loyal Princes of the Song".

References

• Giles, Herbert A.A Chinese Biographical Dictionary.Taipei, 1975.