Who was the Mongol general who captured the Song capital Hangzhou?

Bayan of the Baarin was the Mongol general who captured the Song capital of Hangzhou, then known as Lin'an, in 1276.

Bayan commanded the final major Mongol campaign against the Southern Song. After the Mongols defeated Song forces along the Yangtze and seized key cities, his army advanced toward Lin'an. The young Song emperor and the imperial court surrendered, effectively ending the dynasty's control over most of China.

Bayan served under Kublai Khan, who established the Yuan dynasty in 1271. Although Kublai was the supreme ruler who completed the conquest, Bayan was the field commander directly responsible for taking the capital. This distinction explains why Kublai, Mongke, and other famous Mongol rulers are not the best answers to this question.

The Southern Song continued resisting in coastal strongholds after Lin'an fell. Final resistance ended in 1279 at the naval Battle of Yamen.