Subutai (also known as Sรผbe'etei) was a trusted general of Genghis Khan and later Ogedei Khan. He was not a prince or from a noble family, but the son of a blacksmith from the Uriankhai tribe. He rose through the ranks based purely on his extraordinary military talent.
His brilliant strategies relied on highly coordinated movements, deceptive retreats, and rapid, long-distance attacks. He was the mastermind behind the Mongol invasions of Eastern Europe and Russia, and he played a crucial role in defeating the massive armies of the Jin dynasty and the Khwarazmian Empire.
In the famous Battle of the Kalka River (1223), Subutai's smaller scouting force lured a much larger combined army of Rus' princes and Cumans into an ambush after a nine-day feigned retreat, annihilating them completely.
He continued to serve the Mongol Empire until his old age. His military innovations and unmatched record of conquering massive territories across multiple continents place him among the most successful commanders in world military history.