How a Russian invader became the Khan of Mongolia

In 1911, after 300 long years under the rule of the Qing dynasty of China, Mongolia declared itself independent under the leadership of Jebtsundamba Khutuktu, who was a Tibetan Buddhist monk. However, in 1920, China reoccupied Mongolia and dethroned Khutuktu from the seat of the Khan.

In 1921, in the midst of the civil war in Russia, a general of the White Army (the Tsar’s army) named Roman von Ungern-Sternberg descended from Siberia to Mongolia. Roman von Ungern-Sternberg was also known as Baron Ungern, named after his noble title. Ungern’s army occupied Mongolia and Ungern called himself the new Great Khan of Mongolia.

Ungern was born in 1886 in Austria-Hungary, to Germanic parents, who moved to Russia in 1888. Ungern also had Hungarian-Mongolian ancestry, which he claimed was from Batu Khan, the grandson of Ghenghis Khan. Ungern later claimed his legitimacy to the throne arguing that his ancestor was Batu Khan. He also became interested in Tibetan and Mongolian Buddhism and became a Buddhist at the age of 20. His interest in Buddhism and Mongolia increased when he joined the army and was stationed in Siberia, where many Mongolian nomadic tribes lived.

He quickly rose through the ranks as he held noble status and was a general in the Russian army during World War I. When the Russian Civil War broke out in 1917, Ungern pledged allegiance to the Tsar and joined the White Army as a general in Siberia, where he noticed an opportunity to invade Mongolia.

As the Civil War seemed to favor the Red Army, Baron Ungern began to strengthen his ties with the Mongolia-Manchuria region. He married the daughter of a local Manchurian royalty and established relationships with the Chinese warlords controlling the region. He also fully converted to Buddhism around this time, and many suspected that Ungern believed himself to be some sort of reincarnation of Buddha.

When the loss of the White Army became evident in 1920, Baron Ungern rebelled against his superiors, gathered a few thousand of his men, and began marching into Mongolia. Ungern and his men attacked Ulaanbaatar, the capital of Mongolia, but lost to the Chinese warlord and his army. However, many Mongols were unhappy with Chinese rule and supported Baron Ungern.

A few months later, in January 1921, Ungern again attacked Ulaanbaatar with the help of the locals and defeated the Chinese, killing 1,500 people and losing only 60 of his men. His army looted many Chinese shops and businesses and also massacred the small Jewish population in the area. He also ordered to round up the Communists in the area and massacre them as well. Hearing how cruel his army was, no Chinese warlord dared to challenge Baron Ungern. He, along with Bogd Khan (Jebtsundamba Khutuktu), declared Mongolia an independent nation and began a series of reforms to modernize the country.

Baron Ungern’s glory days in Mongolia did not last long. Shortly after he and Bogd Khan established a new government in Ulaanbaatar, the Red Army began marching towards him through Siberia. By 1921 the Red Army had taken control of Russia and the last remaining White Army general was Ungern. Ungern mobilizes his army and marches to confront the Red Army in June 1921.

Ungern’s army was no match for the highly modernized Red Army, equipped with tanks and planes. He was defeated on June 11, 1921 at the border between Mongolia and Siberia and retired to Mongolia. Severely outnumbered, Ungern’s army shrank in size and distrusted Ungern. Ungern suggested fleeing to Tibet but most of his men disagreed and wanted to move to Manchuria to join forces with the remnants of the defeated White Army in the Manchuria region. On August 17 his men rebelled and Ungern lost his right arm and fled to Siberia, where he was captured by the Red Army on August 20. He was tried for dead on September 15 of the same year, and he was hanged to death the same evening.

Baron Ungern is perhaps one of the most interesting people to come out of this era in Russian history. He came from a German family, was a Russian soldier, a Buddhist convert and became the most powerful man in Mongolia. He was most likely delusional to some degree. His overconfidence in his military prowess led to his eventual downfall. He was a controversial figure in history; There are many negative stories and urban legends about Baron Ungern, but one thing that many historians at least agree on is his genuine love for Buddhism and Mongolian culture.