1
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.
2
耶律化哥，字弘隱，孟父楚國王之後。 善騎射。 乾亨初，為北院林牙。 統和四年，南侵宋，化哥擒諜者，知敵由海路來襲，即先據平州要地。 事平，拜上京留守，遷北院大王。 十六年，復侵宋，為先鋒，破敵於遂城，以功遷南院大王，尋改北院樞密使。 開泰元年，伐阻卜，阻卜棄輜重遁走，俘獲甚多。 帝嘉之，封豳王。 後邊吏奏，自化哥還闕，糧乏馬弱，勢不可守，上復遣化哥經略西境。 化哥與邊將深入，聞蕃部逆命，居翼只水，化哥徐以兵進。 敵望風奔潰，獲羊馬及輜重。 路由白拔烈，遇阿薩蘭回鶻，掠之。 都監裏繼至，謂化哥曰：「君誤矣！ 此部實效順者。」 化哥悉還所俘。 諸蕃由此不附。 上使按之，削王爵。 以侍中遙領大同軍節度使，卒。
Yelu Huage, whose courtesy name was Hongyin, was a descendant of the Mengfu Prince of Chu. He excelled at riding and shooting from horseback. Early in the Qianheng era he was made secretary of the Northern Court. In Tonghe 4, during a southern campaign against Song, Huage captured a spy, learned the enemy would strike by sea, and at once seized the key positions around Ping Prefecture. After the crisis passed he was appointed garrison commander of the Supreme Capital and promoted to northern great king. In year 16 he again invaded Song as vanguard, routed the enemy at Suicheng, and for his service was made southern great king, then soon reassigned as northern privy council director. In Kaitai 1, on campaign against the Zubu, the Zubu abandoned their baggage train and fled, and Huage took a great haul of captives and booty. The emperor praised him and enfeoffed him as Prince of Bin. Later frontier officials reported that after Huage returned to court, supplies ran short, horses were weakened, and the frontier could not be held; the emperor sent Huage back to manage the western border. Huage marched deep into the frontier with border generals; learning that rebel tribes were encamped on the Yizhi River, he advanced his army at a measured pace. The enemy broke and fled at the sight of his banners, and he seized sheep, horses, and baggage in great numbers. On the march through Babelie he encountered the Aslan Uyghurs and plundered them. Chief overseer Li arrived and told Huage, "My lord is mistaken! This tribe has in fact submitted in good faith." Huage returned all the captives. From that time the frontier tribes would not attach themselves to the court. The emperor ordered an inquiry and stripped him of his princely title. He was made vice director with nominal command of the Datong army as military commissioner, and died.
3
耶律斡臘，字斯寧，奚叠剌部人。 趫捷有力，善騎射。 保寧初，補護衛。 車駕獵頡山，適豪豬伏叢莽，帝射中，豬突出。 禦者托滿舍轡而避，廄人鶴骨翼之，斡臘復射而斃。 帝嘉賞。 及獵赤山，適奔鹿奮角突前，路隘不容避，垂犯蹕。 斡臘以身當之，鹿觸而顛。 帝謂曰：「朕因獵，兩瀕於危，賴卿以免，始見爾心。」 遷護衛太保。 從樞密使耶律斜軫破宋將楊繼業軍於山西。 統和十三年秋，為行軍都監，從都部署奚王和朔奴伐兀惹烏昭度，數月至其城。 昭度請降。 和朔奴利其俘掠，令四面急攻。 昭度率眾死守，隨方捍禦。 依埤堄虛構戰棚，誘我軍登陴，俄撤枝柱，登者盡覆。 和朔奴知不能下，欲退。 蕭恒德謂師久無功，何以藉口，若深入大掠，猶勝空返。 斡臘曰：「深入，恐所得不償所損。」 恒德不從，略地東南，循高麗北鄙還。 道遠糧絕，人馬多死。 詔奪諸將官，惟斡臘以前議得免。 尋加同政事門下平章事，為東京留守。 開泰中卒。
Yelu Wola, whose courtesy name was Sining, came from the Xi Diela tribe. Quick and powerful, he excelled at riding and shooting from horseback. Early in the Baoning era he entered service in the imperial guard. On a hunt at Jieshan Mountain, a giant boar lay hidden in the brush; the emperor struck it with an arrow, and the wounded beast charged out. The charioteer Tuoman dropped the reins to swerve aside, the groom Hegu threw himself in protection, and Wola loosed another shot that brought the boar down. The emperor praised and rewarded him. On another hunt at Red Mountain, a startled stag lowered its antlers and charged; the trail was too narrow to dodge, and the beast was on the verge of striking the imperial procession. Wola threw himself in its path; the stag struck him and knocked him to the ground. The emperor told him, "Twice on the hunt I stood at the edge of death, and twice you saved me—now I know where your loyalty lies." He was promoted to Senior Commissioner of the Imperial Guard. He followed the Privy Council director Yelu Xiezhen in crushing the Song commander Yang Ye's forces in Shanxi. In the autumn of Tonghe 13 he was made chief overseer of the field army and marched with the deployment commissioner, the Xi prince Heshuonu, against the Uyar leader Wuzhaodu; several months passed before they came to his stronghold. Wuzhaodu offered to submit. Heshuonu, eager for captives and plunder, ordered a fierce assault from every side. Wuzhaodu rallied his people in a desperate defense, beating back attacks wherever they struck. Along the parapets they built sham fighting platforms to lure our men onto the walls, then pulled away the props; every climber was buried beneath the collapse. Seeing the city could not be taken, Heshuonu wanted to pull back. Xiao Hengde argued that they had campaigned for months without victory and asked what face they could show on their return; a deep raid with heavy spoils was still better than going home empty-handed. Wola replied, "If we push deep inland, I fear what we gain will not repay what we lose." Hengde would not heed him. They ravaged the southeast and marched back along Goryeo's northern border. The march was long, supplies ran out, and men and horses died in great numbers. An edict stripped the commanders of rank; only Wola was spared because he had argued against the raid. He was soon made associate director of the Directorate for State Affairs and appointed garrison commander of the Eastern Capital. He died during the Kaitai period.
4
耶律速撒，字阿敏，性忠直簡毅，練武事。 應歷初，為侍從，累遷突呂不部節度使。 歷霸、濟、祥、順、聖五州都總管，俄為敦睦宮太師。 保寧三年，改九部都詳穩。 四年，伐党項，屢立戰功，手詔勞之。 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。 凡臨戎，與士卒同甘苦，所獲均賜將校。 賞順討逆，威信大振。 在邊二十年卒。
Yelu Susa, courtesy name Amin, was loyal and forthright by nature, austere in manner, and thoroughly trained in military affairs. Early in the Yingli reign he entered the emperor's entourage and rose step by step to military commissioner of the Tülübu tribe. He served in turn as chief commander of the five prefectures Ba, Ji, Xiang, Shun, and Sheng, and was soon made grand master of the Dunmu Palace. In Baoning 3 he was reassigned as chief commander of the Nine Tribes. The next year, on campaign against the Tangut, he won repeated victories; the emperor sent him a personal edict of commendation. 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. Whenever he took command he shared the soldiers' hardships, and whatever was captured he divided evenly among his officers. He rewarded those who submitted and punished rebels, and his authority and reputation spread far. He served on the frontier for twenty years and then died.
5
蕭阿魯帶，字乙辛隱，烏隗部人。 父女古，仕至糺詳穩。 阿魯帶少習騎射，曉兵法。 清寧間始仕，累遷本部司徒，改烏古敵烈統軍都監。 大安七年，遷山北副部署。 九年，達理得、拔思母二部來侵，率兵擊卻之。 達理得復劫牛羊去，阿魯帶引兵追及，盡獲所掠，斬渠帥數人。 是冬，達理得等以三百餘人梗邊，復戰卻之，斬首二百餘級，加金吾衛上將軍，封蘭陵縣公。 壽隆元年，第功，加同中書門下平章事，進爵郡公，改西北路招討使。 乾統三年，坐留宋俘當遣還者為奴，免官。 後被征，以老疾致仕，卒。
Xiao Aludai, whose courtesy name was Yixin, came from the Wuwei tribe. His father Nugu rose in office to the rank of commandant. From youth Aludai trained in riding and archery and understood military tactics. He first entered service during Qingning, rose step by step to steward of his tribe, and was reassigned as chief overseer of the Wugu-Dilie field army. In Da'an 7 he was made deputy deployment commissioner of the Northern Mountains. In year 9 the Dalide and Basimu tribes raided the border; he led troops and beat them back. Dalide raided again, driving off cattle and sheep; Aludai pursued, recovered everything that had been taken, and beheaded several chieftains. That winter Dalide and more than three hundred men blocked the frontier; Aludai fought them off again, taking more than two hundred heads, and was made general-in-chief of the Jinwu Guard and enfeoffed as Duke of Lanling County. In Shoulong 1, ranked for merit, he was made associate grand councilor, advanced to duke of a commandery, and reassigned as northwestern route campaign commander. In Qiantong 3 he was dismissed from office for keeping Song captives who should have been repatriated and making them slaves. He was later summoned back to service but retired on account of age and illness, and died.
6
耶律那也，字移斯輦，夷離堇蒲古只之後。 父斡，嘗為北克，從伐夏戰歿。 季父趙三，始為宿直官，累遷至北面林牙。 咸雍四年，拜北院大王，改西南面招討使。 大康中，西北諸部擾邊，議欲往討，帝以為非趙三不可，遂拜西北路招討使，兼行軍都統，平之，以功復為北院大王。 那也敦厚才敏。 上以其父斡死王事，九歲加諸衛小將軍，為題裏司徒，尋召為宿直官。 大康三年，為遙輦克。 大安九年，為倒塌嶺節度使。 明年冬，以北阻卜長磨古斯叛，與招討都監耶律胡呂率精騎二千往討，破之。 那也薦胡呂為漢人行宮副部署。 壽隆元年，復討達理得、拔思母等有功，賜詔褒美，改烏古敵烈部統軍使，邊境以寧。 部民乞留，詔許再任。 乾統六年，拜中京留守，改北院大王，薨。
Yelu Naye, whose courtesy name was Yisinian, was a descendant of Yilijin Puguzhi. His father Wo had served as a northern ke and died in battle on campaign against Xia. His uncle Zhao San began as a palace attendant and rose step by step to secretary of the Northern Court. In Xianyong 4 he was made northern great king and reassigned as southwestern route campaign commander. During Dakang, when northwestern tribes raided the frontier and an expedition was proposed, the emperor insisted that only Zhao San could lead it; he was made northwestern route campaign commander and field army commander-in-chief, pacified the rebels, and for his service was again made northern great king. Naye was sincere and generous, talented and quick-witted. Because his father Wo had died in the state's service, Naye was at age nine made a junior general of the guards, appointed steward of Tili, and soon summoned as a palace attendant. In Dakang 3 he was made yaolian ke. In Da'an 9 he was made military commissioner of Daotaoling. The next winter, when the Northern Zubu chieftain Mogusi rebelled, he and campaign chief overseer Yelu Hulu led two thousand elite cavalry against him and defeated him. Naye recommended Hulu for appointment as deputy deployment commissioner of the Han palace. In Shoulong 1, on renewed campaigns against Dalide, Basimu, and others he won further merit, received an edict of commendation, was made commander of the Wugu-Dilie field army, and the frontier was pacified. The tribesmen asked that he stay on, and an edict allowed him to serve another term. In Qiantong 6 he was made garrison commander of the Central Capital, reassigned as northern great king, and died.
7
那也為人廉介，長於理民，每有鬥訟，親核曲直，不尚威嚴，常曰：「凡治人，本欲分別是非，何事迫脅以立名。」 胡所至以惠化稱。
Naye was upright and incorruptible, and excelled at governing the people; whenever disputes arose he judged the rights and wrongs himself, without leaning on intimidation, and often said, "The point of governing people is to tell right from wrong—why browbeat them merely to build a reputation?" Wherever he served he was praised for ruling through kindness.
8
耶律何魯掃古，字烏古鄰，孟父房之後。 重熙末，補祗候郎君。 清寧初，加安州團練使。 大康中，歷懷德軍節度使、奚六部禿裏太尉。 詔與樞密官措畫東北邊事，改左護衛太保。 侍上，言多率易，察無他腸，以故上優貸之。 大安八年，知西北路招討使事。 時邊部耶睹刮等來侵，何魯掃古誘北阻卜酋豪磨古斯攻之，俘獲甚眾，以功加左僕射。 復討耶睹刮等，誤擊磨古斯，北阻卜由是叛命。 遣都監張九討之，不克，二室韋與六院部、特滿群牧、宮分等軍俱陷於敵。 何魯掃古不以實聞，坐是削官，決以大杖。 壽隆間，累遷惕隱，兼侍中，賜保節功臣。 道宗崩，與宰相耶律儼總山陵事。 乾統中，致仕，卒。
Yelu Helusaogu, whose courtesy name was Wugulin, was a descendant of the Mengfu branch of the imperial clan. Late in the Chongxi era he was appointed an attendant gentleman. Early in Qingning he was made training commissioner of An Prefecture. During Dakang he served in turn as military commissioner of the Huaide army and as grand commandant tuli of the Six Xi Tribes. He was ordered to work with privy council officials on northeastern frontier strategy and was made senior commissioner of the left guard. In the emperor's presence he spoke bluntly and without ceremony; inquiry showed no hidden designs, and for that reason the throne treated him with indulgence. In Da'an 8 he took charge of northwestern route frontier campaigns. When the frontier tribes led by Yeduogua raided the border, Helusaogu induced the Northern Zubu chieftain Mogusi to strike them, took a great haul of captives, and was promoted to left vice director for his service. On a renewed campaign against Yeduogua and his allies he mistakenly attacked Mogusi, and the Northern Zubu thereupon rebelled. The overseer Zhang Jiu was sent to suppress them but failed; the two Shiwei divisions, together with the Six Yuan Division, the Temun herd office, the palace garrison troops, and other units, were all lost to the enemy. Helusaogu failed to report what had really happened; for that his offices were stripped and he was sentenced to a heavy beating. During Shoulong he rose through several posts to tiyin and vice director, and was granted the title of meritous minister who preserves integrity. When Emperor Daozong died, he and the chancellor Yelu Yi jointly directed the imperial tomb works. Under Qiantong he retired from office and died.
9
耶律世良，小字斡，六院部人。 才敏給，練達國朝典故及世譜。 上書與族弟敵烈爭嫡庶，帝始識之。 時北院樞密使韓德讓病，帝問：「孰可代卿？」 德讓曰：「世良可。」 北院大王耶律室魯復問北院之選，德讓曰：「無出世良。」 統和末，為北院大王。 開泰初，因大冊禮，加檢校太尉、同政事門下平章事。 時邊部拒命，詔北院樞密使耶律化哥將兵，以世良為都監，往禦之。 明年，化哥還，將罷兵，世良上書曰：「化哥以為無事而還，不思師老糧乏，敵人已去，焉能久守？ 若益兵，可克也。」 帝即命化哥益兵，與世良追之。 至安真河，大破而還。 自是邊境以寧。 以功王岐，拜北院樞密使。 三年，命選馬駝於烏古部。 會敵烈部人夷剌殺其酋長稍瓦而叛，鄰部皆應，攻陷巨母古城。 世良率兵壓境，遣人招之，降數部，各復故地。 四年，伐高麗，為副部署。 都統劉慎行逗留失期，執還京師，世良獨進兵。 明年，至北都護府，破追兵於郭州。 以暴疾卒。
Yelu Shiliang, known in youth as Wo, came from the Six Yuan Division. Quick-witted and capable, he had mastered the court's precedents and the imperial genealogies. He submitted a memorial disputing legitimacy of birth with his clansman Dilie, and the emperor first took notice of him. When the northern privy council director Han Derang fell ill, the emperor asked, "Who can take your place?" Derang answered, "Shiliang will do." The northern great king Yelu Shilu asked again who should lead the northern court; Derang said, "No one stands above Shiliang." At the end of Tonghe he was made northern great king. Early in Kaitai, on the great enthronement ceremony, he was made honorary grand commandant and associate director of the directorate for state affairs. When frontier tribes defied orders, the court ordered the northern privy council director Yelu Huage to take the field, with Shiliang as chief overseer, to repel them. The following year Huage returned and was about to disband the army; Shiliang memorialized, "Huage thinks all is well and comes home, heedless of our weary troops and empty stores; the enemy has only withdrawn—how can they be held at bay for long? Reinforce the army and they can still be defeated." The emperor at once ordered Huage to add troops and pursue with Shiliang. At the Anzhen River they won a crushing victory and returned. From that time the frontier was calm. For his service he was enfeoffed as prince of Qi and appointed northern privy council director. In the third year of his tenure he was ordered to levy horses and camels from the Ugu tribe. Then Yila of the Dilie tribe murdered his chieftain Shaowa and rose in revolt; neighboring tribes joined him and they stormed Jumu Old City. Shiliang marched to the border, sent envoys to win them over, and several tribes submitted and were restored to their former lands. In the fourth year, on the campaign against Goryeo, he served as deputy deployment commissioner. The commander-in-chief Liu Shenxing lingered and missed the rendezvous; he was arrested and sent back to the capital, and Shiliang pressed forward alone. The next year he reached the northern capital protectorate and routed pursuing troops at Guo Prefecture. He died suddenly of a violent illness.
10
論曰：大之懷小也以德，制之也以威。 德不足懷，威不足制，而欲服人也難矣。 化哥利俘獲，而諸蕃不附，何魯掃古誤擊磨古斯，而阻卜叛命，是皆喜於一旦之功，而不圖後日之患，庸何議焉。 若斡臘之戒深入，速撒之務安集，亦鐵中之錚錚者邪？
The historian remarks: The great win the loyalty of the small through virtue and restrain them through might. When virtue is too thin to win hearts and might too weak to enforce obedience, making others submit is hard indeed. Huage prized captives while the frontier tribes would not attach themselves; Helusaogu struck Mogusi by mistake and the Zubu rebelled—these men rejoiced in a single day's gain and gave no thought to tomorrow's trouble; what is there to commend? Yet are not Wola, who warned against pushing too deep, and Susa, who labored to settle the tribes, the true steel among iron?