The Mongol siege of the Jin capital: double walls, siege lines and 'cannon'
Editorial contextTranslating the Chinese history 'word for word', Visdelou describes the Mongol siege of the southern Jin capital (called Nan-kim here, which he stresses is not our Nanking but Kaifeng). The city had a double wall, the outer 120 li round; Subutai battered it with every kind of engine 'and even cannon', and the defenders answered in kind, so he ringed it with siege lines 54,000 paces round. In twelve days of fighting, the dead were counted 'by millions'.
The city was surrounded by a double wall. The outer one was 120 li, or 43,200 geometric paces, round … he had the walls battered with every sort of war machine, and even cannon; but as the besieged resisted with the same weapons, the siege made no progress.
Working translation
Original wording
La Ville étoit ceinte d'une double muraille. L'extérieure avoit 120 Li, ou 43200 pas géometriques de tour … il fit battre les murailles avec toutes sortes de machines de guerre, & même des Canons; mais comme les assiegés resistoient avec les mêmes armes, le siège n'avançoit point.
About Mongols (Moumgols) under Ögedei and Subutai; the Jin (Jurchen) court
Keep in mind
'Canons' is Visdelou's word for Chinese fire-weapons of 1232, which were not European-style cannon; the 'millions' of dead is annalistic exaggeration.
