Yelü Wotela (耶律斡特剌)

Overview

The translated histories identify Yelü Wotela as an administrator, aristocrat, general, and official. This record brings together 16 passages from 4 chapters across 1 history, with names, dates, relationships, offices, and events preserved as source-backed claims.

Names

Type	English	Chinese	Pinyin
Personal	Yelü Wotela	耶律斡特剌	Yēlǜ Wòtèlá
Title	administrator of Northern Court privy affairs	知北院樞密使事
Posthumous	Jingsu	敬肅	Jìngsù
Title	Prince of Huntong Commandery	混同郡王
Title	Prince of Qishui Commandery	漆水郡王
Title	supreme commander	都統
Given	Wotela	斡特剌	Wòtèlá
Alternate	Wotela	斡特剌	Wòtèlá
Personal name	Wotela	斡特剌
Surname	Yelu	耶律	Yēlǜ
Surname	Yelü	耶律	Yēlǜ
Personal	Yelu Wotela	耶律斡特剌	Yēlǜ Wòtèlá
Personal name	Yelü Wotela	耶律斡特剌
Courtesy	Yixin Yin	乙辛隱	Yǐxīn Yǐn

Identity

Historicity: Historical
Identification: Named
Sex: Male

Sex: male
Explicit · liaoshi:024:s0186, liaoshi:025:s0178, liaoshi:027:s0013
Sex: male
Strongly inferred · liaoshi:097:s0002

Roles

Administrator
Aristocrat
General
Official
Statesman

Life and dates

Death

Explicit · liaoshi:097:s0021

Age

Age: 41 · Reckoning: sui · Context: first appointment
Explicit · liaoshi:097:s0003

Attested activity

Source Date: Text: 大安元年 · Reign Id: liao-daan · Regnal Year: 1 · Western Year: AD 1085
Explicit event contextual date · liaoshi:097:s0006
Source Date: Text: 乾統元年六月 · Reign Id: liao-qiantong · Regnal Year: 1 · Western Year: AD 1101
Explicit event contextual date · liaoshi:027:s0013
Source Date: Text: 乾統初 · Reign Id: liao-qiantong · Regnal Year: 1 · Western Year: AD 1101
Explicit event contextual date · liaoshi:097:s0018
Source Date: Text: 二年六月丁亥朔 · Reign Id: liao-daan · Regnal Year: 2 · Western Year: AD 1086
Explicit event contextual date · liaoshi:024:s0186
Source Date: Text: 大安四年 · Reign Id: liao-daan · Regnal Year: 4 · Western Year: AD 1088
Explicit event contextual date · liaoshi:097:s0007
Source Date: Text: 大康中 · Reign Id: liao-dakang · Western Interval: Start: AD 1075 · End: AD 1084
Explicit event contextual date · liaoshi:097:s0005
Source Date: Text: 十年九月 · Western Year: AD 1094
Explicit event contextual date · liaoshi:025:s0198
Source Date: Text: 十年四月 · Western Year: AD 1094
Explicit event contextual date · liaoshi:025:s0178
Source Date: Text: 壽隆五年 · Western Year: AD 1099
Explicit event contextual date · liaoshi:097:s0016
Source Date: Text: 壽隆六年 · Western Year: AD 1100
Explicit event contextual date · liaoshi:097:s0017

Family

Descendant of Yindishi (寅底石)
Kinship Term: sixth-generation descendant / 六世孫 · Generation Distance: 6 · Line: paternal

Career and standing

Label: administrator of Left yilibi affairs / 知左夷離畢事 · Action: appointed-concurrent
Explicit · liaoshi:024:s0186
Label: Tutor to the Prince of Yan / 燕王傅 · Action: appointed · Date Context: Source Date: Text: 大安元年 · Reign Id: liao-daan · Regnal Year: 1 · Western Year: AD 1085
Explicit · liaoshi:097:s0006
Label: Northern Court privy commissioner / 北院樞密使 · Action: appointed · Date Context: Source Date: Text: 乾統二年十月丙寅 · Reign Id: liao-qiantong · Regnal Year: 2 · Western Year: AD 1102
Explicit · liaoshi:027:s0046
Label: Vice Commissioner of the Northern Administration / 北院樞密副使 · Action: appointed · Date Context: Source Date: Text: 大安四年 · Reign Id: liao-daan · Regnal Year: 4 · Western Year: AD 1088
Explicit · liaoshi:097:s0007
Label: Commissioner for Pacification of the Northwest Route / 西北路招討使 · Action: appointed · Date Context: Source Date: Text: 壽隆五年 · Western Year: AD 1099
Explicit · liaoshi:097:s0016
Label: Defender Grand Guardian / 守太保 · Action: appointed · Date Context: Source Date: Text: 壽隆六年 · Western Year: AD 1100
Explicit · liaoshi:097:s0017
Label: Acting Commissioner of the Northern Administration / 知北院樞密使事 · Action: appointed
Explicit · liaoshi:097:s0008
Label: attendant of the standard corps / 本班郎君 · Action: appointed
Explicit · liaoshi:097:s0003
Label: Chancellor of the Southern Administration / 南府宰相 · Action: appointed
Explicit · liaoshi:097:s0011
Label: Chief Deployer of the Khitan Imperial Camp / 契丹行宮都部署 · Action: appointed
Explicit · liaoshi:097:s0012
Label: Commissioner for Pacification of the Northwest Route / 西北路招討使 · Action: appointed
Explicit · liaoshi:097:s0010
Label: Defender Grand Preceptor / 守太師 · Action: appointed
Explicit · liaoshi:097:s0020
Label: Southern Court privy commissioner / 南院樞密使 · Action: concurrent · Date Context: Source Date: Text: 乾統元年六月戊戌 · Reign Id: liao-qiantong · Regnal Year: 1 · Western Year: AD 1101
Explicit · liaoshi:027:s0013
Label: Commissioner of the Southern Administration / 南院樞密使 · Action: concurrent · Date Context: Source Date: Text: 乾統初 · Reign Id: liao-qiantong · Western Year: AD 1101
Explicit · liaoshi:097:s0019
Label: Left and Right Guard Commissioner / 左右護衛太保 · Action: held · Date Context: Source Date: Text: 大康中 · Reign Id: liao-dakang · Western Interval: Start: AD 1075 · End: AD 1084
Explicit · liaoshi:097:s0005
Label: night-duty officer / 宿直官 · Action: held · Date Context: Source Date: Text: 大康中 · Reign Id: liao-dakang · Western Interval: Start: AD 1075 · End: AD 1084
Explicit · liaoshi:097:s0005
Label: administrator of Privy Council affairs / 知樞密院事 · Action: held
Explicit · liaoshi:024:s0186
Label: Southern Court chancellor / 南府宰相 · Action: held
Explicit · liaoshi:027:s0013
Label: Left Tribal Affairs Commissioner / 左夷離畢 · Action: transferred · Date Context: Source Date: Text: 大安元年 · Reign Id: liao-daan · Regnal Year: 1 · Western Year: AD 1085
Explicit · liaoshi:097:s0006
Label: Commissioner of the Northern Administration / 北院樞密使 · Action: transferred
Explicit · liaoshi:097:s0020
Title: Prince of Huntong Commandery / 混同郡王 · Action: enfeoffed
Explicit · liaoshi:097:s0019
Title: Prince of Qishui Commandery / 漆水郡王 · Action: enfeoffed
Explicit · liaoshi:097:s0010
Label: Sincere in Counsel and Praiseworthy in Governance / 推誠贊治功臣 · Action: granted
Explicit · liaoshi:097:s0020
Label: Supporting the State and Rectifying Transformation / 奉國匡化功臣 · Action: granted
Explicit · liaoshi:097:s0017
Label: Upholding Integrity with Dedicated Strength / 宣力守正功臣 · Action: granted
Explicit · liaoshi:097:s0010
Label: Worthy Assistant in Supporting the Sage / 翼聖佐義功臣 · Action: granted
Explicit · liaoshi:097:s0008
Status: retired · Action: entered
Explicit · liaoshi:097:s0021

Places and affiliations

Polity Id: liao · Relation: served
Explicit · liaoshi:024:s0186, liaoshi:097:s0002

Works and attributed material

Kind: memorial · Role: author · Summary: requested restoration of old lawsuit investigation practice
Explicit · liaoshi:097:s0015

Events and relationships

Kind: military · Role: supreme-commander · Action: campaign against Mogusi · Other Person Id: Mogusi (磨古斯) · Date Context: Source Date: Text: 十年四月庚戌 · Western Year: AD 1094
Explicit · liaoshi:025:s0178
Kind: military · Role: commander · Action: campaigned-against · Place: Yedugua tribe / 耶睹刮部 · Date Context: Source Date: Text: 壽隆五年 · Western Year: AD 1099
Explicit · liaoshi:097:s0016
Kind: military · Role: commander · Action: captured · Other Person Id: Mogusi (磨古斯) · Date Context: Source Date: Text: 壽隆六年 · Western Year: AD 1100
Explicit · liaoshi:097:s0017
Kind: military · Role: commander · Action: defeated Mogusi · Other Person Id: Mogusi (磨古斯) · Date Context: Source Date: Text: 十年九月 · Western Year: AD 1094
Explicit · liaoshi:025:s0198
Kind: military · Role: commander · Action: defeated · Opponent: Zubu / 阻卜
Explicit · liaoshi:027:s0043
Kind: military · Role: commander · Action: defeated · Place: Zanguhuliba tribe / 閘古胡裏扒部
Explicit · liaoshi:097:s0012
Kind: political · Role: subject · Action: requested-retirement · Date Context: Source Date: Text: 乾統初 · Reign Id: liao-qiantong · Regnal Year: 1 · Western Year: AD 1101 · Negated: false
Explicit · liaoshi:097:s0018
Kind: military · Role: commander · Action: suppressed · Other Person Id: Mogusi (磨古斯) · Date Context: Source Date: Text: 大安 · Reign Id: liao-daan · Western Interval: Start: AD 1085 · End: AD 1094
Explicit · liaoshi:097:s0009, liaoshi:097:s0010

Assessments and attributes

Assessment: worthy for military achievements · Provenance: Mode: historian-judgment
Explicit · liaoshi:097:s0086

Source notes

Historicity: historical
Explicit · liaoshi:027:s0013

References in the histories

Open any source group to read the Chinese and English passage in context.

History of Liao, Chapter 24Volume 24 Annals 24: Daozong 4 · 1 passage

Open chapter

六月丁亥朔，以左夷離畢耶律坦為惕隱，知樞密院事耶律斡特剌兼知左夷離畢事。 On the dinghai new moon of the sixth month Left yilibi Yelü Tan was made tiyin; Yelü Wotela, who administered Privy Council affairs, also administrator of Left yilibi affairs.

History of Liao, Chapter 25Volume 25 Annals 25: Daozong 5 · 2 passages

Open chapter

庚戌，以知北院樞密使事耶律斡特剌為都統，夷離畢耶律禿朵為副統，龍虎衛上將軍耶律胡呂都監，討磨古斯，遣積慶宮使蕭虬裏監戰。 On gengxu day Yelü Wotela, who administered Northern Court privy affairs, was made supreme commander; yilibi Yelü Tuduo deputy commander; Dragon-Tiger Guard upper general Yelü Hulu army supervisor to attack Mogusi; Jiqing Palace commissioner Xiao Qiuli supervised the campaign.

是月，斡特剌破磨古斯。 That month Wotela defeated Mogusi.

History of Liao, Chapter 27Volume 27 Annals 27: Emperor Tianzuo 1 · 4 passages

Open chapter

戊戌，以南府宰相斡特剌兼南院樞密使。 On wuxu day Southern Court chancellor Wotela was also made Southern Court privy commissioner.

五月乙丑，斡特剌獻耶睹刮等部捷。 On yichou day of the fifth month Wotela presented the victory of the Yeduoge and other divisions.

阻卜來侵，斡特剌等戰敗之。 When Zubu came to invade, Wotela and others defeated them.

丙寅，以南府宰相耶律斡特剌為北院樞密使，三知政事牛溫舒知南院樞密使事。 On bingyin day Southern Court chancellor Yelü Wotela was made Northern Court privy commissioner; third associate administrator of affairs Niu Wenshu administered Southern Court privy commissioner affairs.

History of Liao, Chapter 97Volume 97 Biographies 27: Yelu Wotela, Hai Li, Dou Jingyong, Yelu Yinji, Yang Ji, Zhao Hui, Wang Guan, Yelu Xisun · 9 passages

Open chapter

耶律斡特剌孩裏竇景庸耶律引吉楊績趙徽王觀耶律喜孫 Yelu Wotela, Hai Li, Dou Jingyong, Yelu Yinji, Yang Ji, Zhao Hui, Wang Guan, and Yelu Xisun

耶律斡特剌，字乙辛隱，許國王寅底石六世孫。 Yelu Wotela, whose style name was Yixin Yin, was a sixth-generation descendant of Prince Xu of State, Yindi.

時樞密使耶律乙辛擅權，讒害忠良，斡特剌恐禍及，深自抑畏。 At the time Yelu Yixin, Commissioner of Military Affairs, held power arbitrarily and slandered loyal ministers; fearing that disaster might reach him, Wotela kept himself deeply subdued and cautious.

北阻卜酋長磨古斯叛，斡特剌率兵進討。 When Mogusi, chief of the northern Zubu, rebelled, Wotela led troops to suppress him.

會天大雪，敗磨古斯四別部，斬首千餘級，拜西北路招討使，封漆水郡王，加賜宣力守正功臣。 Heavy snow fell at the time; he defeated four of Mogusi's sub-divisions, took more than a thousand heads, was appointed Commissioner for Pacification of the Northwest Route, enfeoffed as Prince of Qishui Commandery, and further granted the merit title Upholding Integrity with Dedicated Strength.

斡特剌奏請如舊，從之。 Wotela memorialized asking that the former practice be restored, and the court agreed.

復兼南院樞密使，封混同郡王。 He again served concurrently as Commissioner of the Southern Administration and was enfeoffed as Prince of Huntong Commandery.

致仕，薨，謚曰敬肅。 He retired from office, died, and was posthumously titled Jingsu.

若斡特剌之戰功，竇景庸之讞獄，楊績之忠告，亦賢矣夫。 As for Wotela's military achievements, Dou Jingyong's adjudication of cases, and Yang Ji's loyal counsel—they too were worthy men indeed.