From HovdTravel
[edit] History of Hovd
The history of Hovd dates back to 1685, making it one of Mongolia's oldest cities. Originally founded as a western military outpost by the Jungarian King Galdan Boshogt in 1685, the city of Hovd was born out of warfare and struggled against the Manchus for the next 225 years. After the area finally fell to Manchu forces in 1758, Hovd was developed into a real city on the banks of the Buyant River with the establishment of the Manchu fortress Sangiin Kherem in 1762.
The people of Hovd's battle against the Manchus came in 3 major waves. King Galdan led the first wave from 1688 until 1697 when his armies were defeated by a joint force of Manchus and Khalkha Mongols. The second wave was led by another Mongolian King named Amarsanaa from 1755-1758. Amarsanaa was a King from present-day Khovsgol aimag who headed west to organize the people of western Mongolia in a last stand against the westward-sweeping Manchurian armies, but was unsuccessful in his defense. The final wave started in 1903 when a local man named Ard Ayush started rallying the locals and filed what has become a very famous public petition against the Manchus. This final wave culminated on August 1912 when the combined forces of Magsarjav, Damdinsuren, and the madman Dambijantsan finally ousted the Manchurians from their stronghold of Sangiin Kherem in a ferocious two-day battle after a ten-day siege. The entire 1,500 man garrison of Manchu troops was killed in the battle, as were many of the local Mongolian aristocrats who had helped the Manchurians subjugate the people of Hovd. (For additional details on any of these historical figures or their struggles, please follow the links provided)
