Lan Yu

Timeline

1. 1356–1369Chuzhou · Chuzhou CityLan Yu was the brother-in-law of Chang Yuchun and campaigned with him in his early years, renowned for his bravery and strategy. After Chang Yuchun died of illness, Lan Yu gradually rose to prominence and became an important general of the early Ming.
2. 1371–1372Liaodong · Liaoning ProvinceIn the fourth year of Hongwu, Lan Yu and Feng Sheng led forces to campaign against the Yuan general Nahachu in Liaodong, compelling his surrender and accepting over 100,000 of his followers, consolidating Ming control of Liaodong; this was an important early military achievement of Lan Yu.
3. 1373–1380Beiping · North ChinaIn the 1370s Lan Yu participated multiple times in northern campaigns and western campaigns into Sichuan and elsewhere; in the 11th year of Hongwu he was enfeoffed as Marquis of Yongchang for his merits, and thereafter continued fighting on the northern frontier, gradually becoming one of the core military figures of the early Ming.
4. 1388Buir Lake · MongoliaIn the 21th year of Hongwu, Lan Yu led an army of 150,000 deep into the northern steppes and crushed the Northern Yuan at Buir Lake, capturing Northern Yuan imperial clan members and large numbers of personnel and supplies; this was one of the greatest Ming military victories over the Northern Yuan in the early dynasty.
5. 1393Yingtian Prefecture · Nanjing CityLan Yu, for his arrogance, lawlessness, and interference in court politics, was finally imprisoned and executed on charges of treason, implicating many; this is known in history as the Lan Yu case, marking a large-scale purge of the meritorious officials of the early Ming.