Battle of Mingtiao (ca. 1600 B.C.) - When discussing the topic of the first recorded battle in history, the Battle of Mingtiao is rarely brought up. Partly because it is considered semi-mythological and very little is known. While the existence of the Xia Dynasty is debated, the Shang is not. Sima Qian, the greatest Chinese historian of antiquity, complied an extensive account of the Shang Dynasty in his Records of the Grand Historian; and the Battle of Mintao is the story of its origin. While Jie of Xia had been living a life of excess, the Shang Clan had been steadily rising in power. Under the leadership of Tang, the Shang had been gaining the support of neighboring clans as resentment of Jie grew. Finally, when resentment turned to revolt, Tang decided the time was right to challenge Jie. They met at the Battle of Mingtiao. Tang is said to have given a rousing speech, now called Tang's Pledge, to boost his troops' morale. Because of their hatred for Jie, Tang's soldiers fought fiercely, and Jie's quickly withered away. When the battle was over, Jie had fled and lived the rest of his life in exile, and a new dynasty was born.