Life

Family background

Wuzhu was born in the Wanyan tribe, the most prominent among the Jurchen tribes residing in the area around present-day Harbin, Heilongjiang Province. He was the fourth son of Aguda, the chief of the Wanyan tribe, which was a subject of the Khitan-led Liao dynasty. Wuzhu's mother was Lady Wugulun (烏古論氏), one of Aguda's concubines. She also bore Aguda two other sons, Alu (阿魯; Wanyan Zongqiang) and Alubu (阿魯補; Wanyan Zongmin). Wuzhu had at 13 other brothers and three sisters born to his father's other wives.

War against the Liao dynasty

In the spring of 1114, Aguda united the Jurchen tribes under his leadership and started a rebellion against the Liao dynasty. In 1117, after the Jurchens had conquered several Liao cities, Aguda declared himself emperor and established the Jin dynasty. In December 1121, Wuzhu, then a teenager, participated in battle against Liao forces. When the Jurchens received news that the Liao ruler, Emperor Tianzuo, was out on a hunting expedition at Yuanyang Lake (鴛鴦濼; northwest of present-day Zhangbei County, Hebei Province), Wolibu (斡離不; Wanyan Zongwang) and Wuzhu led an army to attack the Liao emperor in the hope of catching him off guard. During the battle, Wuzhu, after expending all his arrows, seized a Liao soldier's weapon and continued fighting. He killed eight enemy soldiers and captured five, and became famous after the battle.

By 1124, the Liao dynasty had lost most of its territories to the Jurchens. On 26 March 1125, Emperor Tianzuo was captured by Jin forces led by Wanyan Loushi (完顏婁室) in Yingzhou (應州; in present-day northern Shanxi Province). Months later, he was sent to the Jin capital in Shangjing (上京; present-day Acheng District, Harbin, Heilongjiang Province).

War against the Northern Song dynasty

Wuzhu participated in the Jin–Song Wars, which broke out in 1125 between the Jin dynasty and the Han Chinese-led Northern Song dynasty. He served as an officer in the Jin dynasty's Eastern Army, which was commanded by his second brother, Wolibu (斡離不; Wanyan Zongwang), who held the appointment of Right Vice-Marshal (右副元帥). In the first month of 1126, Wolibu sent Wuzhu to attack Tangyin County; Wuzhu won the battle and forced the 3,000 Song defenders to surrender. Soon after, the Eastern Army reached the Yellow River and attempted to cross, but the Song forces had already set the pontoon bridges on fire. The Jin officer Helusuo (合魯索) led 70 horsemen to cross the river at a shallow point and killed 500 Song soldiers burning the bridges. Wolibu sent Wu Xiaomin (吳孝民) as a messenger to the Song capital, Bianjing (present-day Kaifeng, Henan Province), to admonish the Song dynasty for breaking its earlier alliance with the Jin dynasty. At the same time, Wuzhu, leading 3,000 light cavalry, approached Bianjing. When he received news that the Song ruler, Emperor Huizong, had fled from Bianjing after abdicating the throne to his son Emperor Qinzong, he led his horsemen in pursuit but failed to capture the emperor. However, they managed to obtain 3,000 horses. When Jin forces besieged Bianjing, the Song dynasty agreed to cede Taiyuan, Zhongshan (中山) and Hejian (河間) prefectures to the Jin dynasty in return for peace. The Jurchens agreed and retreated back to Yanjing (燕京; present-day Beijing).

In the eighth month of 1126, Wuzhu accompanied Wolibu to attack the Song dynasty. By the fourth month of the following year, Jin forces had conquered Bianjing and captured the Song emperors Huizong and Qinzong. This event, historically known as the Jingkang Incident, marked the fall of the Northern Song dynasty.

Wolibu died of illness in the sixth month of 1127 and was succeeded by his third brother, Eliduo (訛里朵; Wanyan Zongfu or Wanyan Zongyao), as Right Vice-Marshal (右副元帥). In the 12th month, Eliduo received orders to suppress anti-Jin rebellions in Shandong Province. Wuzhu participated in the campaign. First, he defeated a few thousand troops led by Song general Zheng Zongmeng (鄭宗孟) in Qingzhou. Next, he defeated the Huangqiong forces (黃瓊軍) led by Song general Zhao Cheng (趙成) in Linqu. In the first month of 1128, when Eliduo and his army were planning to retreat after successfully suppressing the rebellions, they were ambushed at Qinghe (青河) by a 30,000-strong Song army. Wuzhu led the attack on the enemy and killed thousands of them.

War against the Southern Song dynasty

In the seventh month of 1128, the Jin ruler, Emperor Taizong, ordered the capture of Zhao Gou (Emperor Gaozong), the Song Emperor Huizong's ninth son. Zhao Gou had declared himself emperor, escaped to Yangzhou, and established the Southern Song dynasty as a successor to the fallen Northern Song dynasty. Wuzhu led his own troops to join his third brother, Eliduo (訛里朵; Wanyan Zongfu or Wanyan Zongyao), the Right Vice-Marshal (右副元帥), to attack the Southern Song regime. Wuzhu first attacked Guide Prefecture (歸德府; present-day Shangqiu, Henan Province) but was forced to redirect his forces to attack Puzhou (濮州; around present-day Puyang, Henan Province) instead after realising they had insufficient supplies. The Jin army's vanguard, commanded by Wulinda Taiyu (烏林答泰欲), defeated a 200,000-strong Song army led by Wang Shan (王善) and conquered Puzhou along with five counties in the vicinity. Wuzhu personally led his troops into battle during the subsequent attacks on Kaide Prefecture (開德府) and Daming Prefecture (大名府; in present-day Handan, Hebei Province) and achieved victory. By then, all of Hebei had been occupied by the Jin dynasty.

In early 1129, Wuzhu was promoted to Right Vice-Marshal. Nianhan sent Wuzhu, Wanyan Chang (完顏昌), Balisu (拔離速) and Mawu (馬五) to invade the Southern Song dynasty by two routes. Emperor Gaozong fled southwards from Yangzhou. Wuzhu moved in upon Guide Prefecture (present-day Shangqiu, Henan Province), and the Song generals guarding the city surrendered just before his troops attacked. The cities and towns Wuzhu passed through were all easily captured or gave up without a struggle. Wuzhu kept carrying his victorious arms to the north bank of the Yangtze River, and occupied Hezhou (present-day He County, Anhui Province), an important city to the north of the Yangtze River. Wuzhu intended to cross the river from Caishiji (in present-day Anhui Province), but was blocked by the Song troops from Taipingzhou (太平州) at the ferry, and could not cross the river for three days. So Wuzhu turned to Majiadu (馬家渡) and beat the garrison, beheading the Song general Chen Cui (陳淬). In November, Wuzhu crossed the river and defeated the Song troops led by Du Chong (杜充), capturing Jiankang (present-day Nanjing). Having assigned the subordinate generals to the neighboring towns, he headed the army in person to capture Guangdejunlu (廣德軍路) and Huzhou (in present-day Zhejiang Province), and arrived in Lin'an (present-day Hangzhou). Hearing that Lin'an was to fall, Emperor Gaozong escaped to Mingzhou (present-day Ningbo, Zhejiang Province). Wuzhu sent Ali (阿里) and Puluhun (蒲盧渾) as the spearhead with 4,000 veteran soldiers to chase Emperor Gaozong, and sent another two generals to capture Yuezhou with dramatic swiftness. Ali's army approached Mingzhou after successive victories, and Emperor Gaozong had to escape by sea. Soon afterwards Wuzhu rushed to Mingzhou and captured it. Ali and Puluhun sailed across the sea to Changguo County (present-day Zhoushan Island, Zhejiang Province) and captured the governor of Mingzhou. Learning that Emperor Gaozong had fled to Fuzhou by way of Wenzhou, they pursued at sea but fell back after being blocked by Song naval forces. Wuzhu led his troops back to Lin'an.

In February, 1130, Wuzhu declared that he had finished the search for Emperor Gaozong, and moved back north along the Jinghang canal, carrying large amounts of gold, silver, treasures and jewels plundered by the troops from all places of Jiangnan. Before leaving, he committed Lin'an, which was a city steeped in history, to the flames, and his troops burnt, killed and looted on their way, which became a calamity for the people in Jiangnan. In March, Wuzhu's army arrived in Zhenjiang. They were blocked by Han Shizhong's troops. The navy led by Han Shizhong had huge and lofty warships which were guarding the estuary, preventing Jin troops from crossing. Jin troops had less and smaller battleships and were not good at battles on water, though they outnumbered their enemies. At the beginning, Jin troops suffered great losses, and Wuzhu still could not cross the river after a stalemate for 48 days. His troops had to penetrate up the river to Jiankang. When they got to Huangtiandang, the troops dug a 15-kilometre canal along the old water channel of the Laoguan River (老鹳河) overnight, which led to the Qinhuai River and finally enabled them to escape back to Jiankang. Since Han Shizhong pursued to Jiankang and blockaded the river with warships, Wuzhu posted a reward for the scheme to destroy the warships to cross the river. A man from Fujian Province gave him a suggestion of shooting flaming arrows into the sails of the warships, which could not move without wind. Wuzhu followed his advice and made flaming arrows that very night. On a still sunny day, Wuzhu carried out the scheme and succeeded. Countless Song soldiers were burnt to death or drowned in the river. Han Shizhong had to abandon his ship and escape back to Zhenjiang with only dozens of his men.

In May, Jin troops set fire to Jiankang before they headed back to the north crossing the Yangtze River. On their way back, Wuzhu's army was attacked by the troops led by Song general Yue Fei, and suffered a heavy loss.

In September, 1130, Emperor Taizong of Jin made Eliduo command the armies of Shaanxi to attack Sichuan and Shaanxi provinces, followed by Wuzhu with his own army. The Jin and Song dynasties fought the battle in Fuping. At that time, the Song soldiers were several times more than those of Jin, and Wuzhu and his soldiers were surrounded by the troops led by Zhang Jun, the local military commissioner of Shaanxi, and had a hard time. With the help of Wanyan Loushi, they finally got through the close siege. With the recovery of Jin troops, the commander of Song troops got afraid and deserted on the eve of battle, which led to the failure of the Song. Not long after the battle in Fuping, Eliduo and Wuzhu captured most of the lands in Shaanxi Province.

In January, 1131, Eliduo went back to Yanjing, and Wuzhu took the lead of the armies of Shaanxi. In September, Wuzhu led his soldiers to invade Sichuan Province. While he made his way through Heshangyuan (southeast of present-day Baoji, Shaanxi Province), he met heavy resistance by the Song generals Wu Jie and Wu Lin. Wuzhu lost almost half of his troops and was shot by an arrow, which became his biggest failure since he started serving the military. Two years later in November, Wuzhu's troops marched again and this time they defeated Wu Lin and captured Heshangyuan. In February the next year, Wuzhu sent out troops but was defeated by Wu Jie. In March he returned to Yanjing.

In 1139, the Jin ruler, Emperor Xizong, accepted Wuzhu's proposal and declared war against the Song dynasty again. The Jurchen troops invaded the area, which had been given back to the Song dynasty in Henan and Shaanxi provinces. Because many of the generals used to be Jin officers, they soon surrendered and within one month the Jin dynasty captured most of the area as mentioned before. In that case, Yue Fei and other generals had to retreat to the south of Yingchang (present-day Xuchang, Henan Province), and Wuzhu garrisoned at Bianjing without difficulty. Wuzhu had intended to strike while the iron is hot and captured the area to the north of the Huai River, so he led his army to the north. But was defeated by Liu Qi in Shunchang (present-day Fuyang, Anhui Province), and got a worse defeat by Yue Fei in Yancheng (in present-day Henan Province) and Yingchang. Wuzhu was within an inch of being captured. The situation was very good for Song dynasty, and Yue Fei was going to recapture the area in Henan and Hebei. But Emperor Gaozong commanded Yue Fei to go back to the capital, so the army of Song retreated from Henan.

Wuzhu had never given up the idea of being bounded on the Huai River with Song forces, though he had met with severe defeat. In February 1141, he captured Luzhou and fought a battle with Song forces in Tuogao (in present-day Anhui Province), but was severely defeated. Wuzhu exploited Qin Hui, the Song chancellor, to kill Yue Fei, and later declared that he was willing to keep peace with the Song dynasty. Emperor Gaozong agreed to have peace talks with the Jin dynasty, and the next year the two countries signed a peace agreement, which is called the "Treaty of Shaoxing".

Political career

In 1137, Wuzhu was appointed as Right Vice-Marshal (右副元帥) and enfeoffed as the "Prince of Shen" (沈王) by Emperor Xizong in recognition of his contributions in battle. In the 11th month of that year, the Jin dynasty abolished the puppet regime of Qi and brought it back under centralised control.

In 1138, Wanyan Zongpan and Wanyan Zongjuan seized power. They connected with Left Vice-Marshal Talan and gave back some areas in Henan and Shaanxi provinces to the Song dynasty. Wuzhu, Wanyan Zonggan and others firmly disagreed with them. The next year, Emperor Xizong charged Wanyan Zongpan and Wanyan Zongjuan with treason and ordered their execution. He also stripped Talan of his military command.

Later, Wuzhu was appointed as Marshal of the Capital (都元帥) and "Prince of Yue" (越王). In 1140, Wuzhu found evidence that Talan had connections with the Song dynasty. Emperor Xizong made Wuzhu kill Talan, after which appointed Wuzhu as Taibao (太保; Grand Protector).

In November, Wuzhu went to the imperial court, at which time Emperor Xizong was on a trip to Yanjing, with Left Vice-Marshal Wanyan Xiyin by his side. Wuzhu wanted to go back to his own mansion. At the farewell dinner, Wanyan Xiyin and Wuzhu had an unhappy conversation, which made Wuzhu very angry. The next day when Wuzhu said goodbye to the empress, he told the details that Wanyan Xiyin was up to no good. After his leaving, the empress told everything to Emperor Xizong. The emperor recalled Wuzhu back and permitted him to kill Wanyan Xiyin. Wuzhu forced Wanyan Xiyin and his two sons to commit suicide, and killed Xiao Qing and his son. The next year, Wuzhu was appointed as Left Chancellor and Shizhong (侍中), and was still the Marshal of the Capital.

In March, 1142, Wuzhu was appointed as Taifu (太傅). In November 1147, he was appointed as Taishi (太師; Grand Tutor). After the Shaoxing Treaty, Wuzhu stuck to the treaty terms, and advocated to wait until everything was ready to destroy the Song dynasty in a very short time. And in that case, in the later 20 years, there were few wars between the two empires, which was positive to their development of economy and culture.

In October 1148, Wuzhu died of illness.

生平

早年

兀朮生年不詳。幼年時隨金太祖完顏阿骨打起兵反遼。在反遼作戰之中，完顏希尹獲知遼天祚帝正在鴛鴦濼一帶活動，于是宗望帶領兀朮分兵攻打，戰鬥中，兀朮弓箭用盡，于是搶過遼國士兵的武器，殺了八名士兵，又生擒五人，通過審問獲知天祚帝在鴛鴦濼打獵。兀朮經此一戰，聲名鵲起。

1125年宋金戰爭爆發，兀朮隨軍征伐，受完顏宗望節制，宗望派遣兀朮攻打湯陰縣，招降守軍三千餘人。在強攻黃河之時，面對宋軍已經焚毀浮橋，金軍無法渡河的情況之下，金軍將領合魯索率領七十騎涉淺水過河，殺宋焚橋軍隊五百人。宗望先派遣使者吳孝民進汴京城去質詢宋人背盟，然後兀朮率三千輕騎威逼開封，聽聞宋徽宗從開封出逃，兀朮率百騎去追趕，但是沒有追上，獲得三千良馬。金兵圍開封，宋以割讓太原、中山、河間三鎮與金等條件求和，金軍返回燕京。同年八月，宗弼再次隨右副元帥宗望南下。翌年四月，金軍攻下開封，徽宗、欽宗二帝降，靖康之變發生，北宋滅亡。

1127年六月，完顏宗望病卒，完顏宗輔繼任右副元帥。十二月，宗輔受命平定淄、青（山東境內）抗金武裝。兀朮先在青州大敗宋將鄭宗孟數萬宋軍，又在臨朐城大破宋將趙成率領的黃瓊軍，攻下臨朐。宗輔回軍之時，在青河遇到三萬宋軍襲擊，兀朮一馬當先，殺宋軍萬餘人。

1128年（天會六年）七月，金太宗下詔追擊逃在揚州的宋高宗趙構，完顏兀朮率本部隨宗輔軍南下。兀朮首攻歸德府，但因為後勤供應不足，轉攻濮州。金軍先鋒烏林答泰欲破除宋軍王善二十萬軍隊，濮州隨即被攻占，順便招降附近五個縣城。在攻打開德府時，兀朮親自領兵攻城，宋軍懼其勇猛，開德被金軍攻占。兀朮用同樣的方法攻下大名府，于是金軍平定河北。

搜山檢海，一戰成名

1129年，宋高宗從揚州渡長江逃到江南，兀朮分兵追擊，攻打歸德，金軍前鋒海多將從西門出來挑戰的宋軍擊敗。于是圍住歸德和外地的道路，將火砲架在城壕上，威脅攻城。歸德軍民大懼，開城投降。隨後兀朮派遣阿里、蒲盧渾兵至壽春，兀朮後軍繼之。兵至壽春之時，宋安撫使馬世元率官員出降。又逼降盧州和巢縣。兀朮率領的金軍一路南下，一直打到長江北岸，金兀朮軍先鋒當海在和州打敗酈瓊的一萬宋軍，進占和州，宗弼欲從採石磯渡江，在渡口遭到宋知太平州郭偉的阻擊，一連三日均不得渡。

1129年（天會七年）十一月，完顏兀朮軍改由建康（今江蘇南京）府西南的馬家渡過江。在距離建康西邊二十里的地方，宋將杜充率領步兵六萬來拒戰，金將鶻盧補、當海、迪虎、大抃等人對其進行合擊破之。宋將陳邦光率江寧府投降。兀朮留長安奴、斡里也守江寧。又派阿魯補、斡里也別等攻占太平州、濠州及句容、溧陽等縣，溯江而西，屢敗張永等兵，逼降杜充。兀朮親自統率大軍追擊宋高宗，先後攻下湖州，逼近宋都臨安（今浙江杭州），宋高宗聞臨安不守，倉惶出逃跑向明州（今浙江寧波），兀朮進占臨安。派遣阿里、蒲盧渾率精兵四千追擊。金將訛魯補、術列速攻占越州，擊敗宋將周汪軍。金將阿里、蒲魯渾連破宋兵三千，渡過曹娥江。在距離明州（今浙江台州）二十五里的地方，大破宋兵，追到明州城下。城中守軍出兵，大敗，宋高宗從明州出海，不久金軍攻下明州。金將阿里、蒲盧渾渡海至舟山群島的昌國縣，活捉宋明州守將趙伯諤，審問趙伯諤得知宋高宗已經跑到溫州附近的海域，還要從溫州跑福州去。金軍于是入海追擊，但是金軍長途奔襲，後勤供應不上，再加上不習水戰，在連續遭到宋水師的進攻之後，金軍放棄追擊，返回北方。

激戰黃天蕩

金軍回到臨安，決定班師回朝，臨走之時一把火燒了臨安城。金軍決定從鎮江渡江北還，此時韓世忠率宋朝水師截與焦山金山之間，兀朮趁夜到鎮江金山龍王廟偵察，險被韓世忠的伏兵俘虜。此後雙方在長江上展開大戰，金軍因為船小，敵不過宋軍的艨艟巨艦，宋金雙方沿著長江且戰且行，宋軍將金軍逼入黃天蕩，金軍進退無路。于是新開老鶴河故道30里，逃出黃天蕩。韓世忠追至建康，以戰船封鎖江面。兀朮張榜立賞，招人獻破海船渡江策，一王姓福建人貪賞獻策：海船無風不動，以火箭射其篷帆，不攻自破。兀朮連夜趕製火箭。二十五日，麗日無風，韓世忠的船隊停在江上不能動，兀朮令將士駕小船射火箭中其篷帆，宋水師被燒死、淹死的將士不可勝數，韓世忠和少數將士在瓜步棄舟，從陸路逃回鎮江。。

同年五月，金軍自靜安鎮（今南京西北）渡江北歸，北返時放火焚燒了建康城。同時在回去路上岳飛在牛首山設伏，就地取石，壘築工事，伏擊金兵。大敗金兵，岳飛乘勝追擊，將金兵驅逐過江，趁勢收複建康 。。

川陝大戰

兀朮從江南回軍之後，金國朝廷決定改變直接南下攻宋的路線，首攻川陝西，迂迴包抄。1130年，金太宗調右副元帥宗輔統帥陝西諸軍攻打川陝，完顏宗弼率本部奉調前往。9月，宗輔進兵洛水，以婁室、宗弼為左、右翼督統，並進合擊，富平之戰拉開帷幕。而當時的宋朝川陝宣撫處置使張浚也以劉錫為帥，集結了劉錡、趙哲、吳玠等將領統率的數倍于金兵的大軍，以層層包圍之勢，與金軍在富平（今陝西富平縣北）展開決戰。戰鬥中，兀朮身陷重圍，部將韓常眼睛被宋軍弓箭射中，韓常大怒，拔下箭矢，一時間鮮血淋漓，韓常用泥土覆蓋創口，然後躍馬繼續作戰，金將完顏婁室找到了宋軍的薄弱處——趙哲統率的宋軍，于是以其所率的所有精銳騎兵衝擊趙哲軍，趙哲軍一觸即潰，婁室與宗弼合兵掩殺，金軍士氣大振，致使南宋十八萬大軍頃刻間土崩瓦解。金軍乘勝追擊，以少勝多，取得了富平之戰的勝利。

富平之戰之後，金軍繼續進攻川陝，1131年冬，兀朮領兵攻打吳玠駐守的和尚原，吳玠憑險據守，金軍久攻不下，于是退軍，這時候宋軍伏兵四起，金軍且戰且退。退了三十里，即將離開和尚原谷口的時候，宋軍在谷口列陣，金軍迎面撞上，大敗。兀朮「剃其須髯而去」，麾下將士死傷大半。1134年，兀朮領軍偷襲和尚原，擊敗吳璘，占領和尚原。兀朮繼續進軍進攻仙人關，半路又被吳氏兄弟殺得大敗，只好退回秦中。

出將入相

公元1135年（天會十三年）正月，金太宗完顏吳乞買駕崩，金太祖完顏阿骨打的孫子完顏亶繼位，他就是金熙宗，兀朮開始入主中樞。而此時，完顏昌和宗磐執掌大權，兩人力主議和，以陝西河南之地歸還宋朝為條件逼宋議和，遣使張通古出使南宋。第二年（1136年），宋高宗派遣端明殿學士韓肖胄奉上表稱謝，並遣使王倫等出使金國要求歸還宋徽宗的梓宮以及母親韋氏和兄弟。

紹興九年（1139年），宋高宗與金議和，南宋向金稱臣納貢。完顏昌和宗磐的行為遭到很多人的反對，兀朮察覺完顏昌接受南宋的賄賂，才決定將河南陝西歸還南宋為條件，奏請誅殺完顏昌，恢復之前的疆域。于是金熙宗以謀反罪，誅宗磐、宗雋，解除完顏昌兵權。拜兀朮為都元帥，封越國王。完顏昌想從燕京跑到南宋去，兀朮派追兵追殺，在半路上殺死完顏昌。完顏昌被誅殺之後，兀朮進封太子太保，領行台尚書省，兼都元帥。

兀朮掌握大權之後，向金熙宗要求討伐南宋，于是金熙宗再一次發動對宋的戰爭，出兵奪回原交還宋朝的河南、陝西之地。。1140年，宋金大戰又起，開戰一個月之後，金軍重新占領河南陝西等地。兀朮進入汴京，企圖渡淮南下繼續攻宋。結果先在順昌被劉錡擊敗，又在郾城和潁昌被岳家軍擊敗，岳飛揮師北伐，一直打到開封附近的朱仙鎮。此時，兀朮已經逃出開封，眼看故都開封收複在即，但是宋高宗命令岳飛立刻撤軍，並連發十二道金牌，岳飛收到命令，憤惋泣下，朝東往「行在」臨安府的方向一再行拜禮：「十年之力，廢于一旦。」不得不下令班師。

河南暫平之後，兀朮入朝，金熙宗南巡燕京（今北京），兀朮回軍時候，金熙宗賜予兀朮御酒甲冑弓矢良馬，在餞行宴會上，左丞相完顏希尹與兀朮言語相忤，兀朮大怒。次日向皇后裴滿氏辭行時，詳述其事，言希尹有不軌言行。兀朮走後，皇后向熙宗奏明，熙宗派人追回宗弼，許兀朮誅殺希尹。遂殺希尹及其二子，又殺了希尹的心腹右丞蕭慶及子。

翌年，兀朮升為左丞相兼侍中，仍任都元帥，領行台尚書省事。完顏兀朮乘各路宋軍奉詔南撤之機，率騎兵號稱10餘萬，再次進攻南宋，結果在柘皋被宋軍擊敗。宋將張俊乘勝追擊，部下王德和楊沂中在濠州遭金軍伏擊，張俊部出兵救援。楊沂中、王德隻身逃回，部眾大部被殲。韓世忠奉命從楚州率部趕到濠州時，敗局已無可挽回。金軍還企圖阻斷其歸路，韓軍且戰且退，又回師楚州。待命舒州的岳飛得知戰局變化即揮師北上。十二日，岳家軍抵達濠州以南的定遠縣，金軍聞風渡淮而去。楊沂中部敗于金軍後，也于十二日從宣化渡江返回杭州。張俊于十四日渡江返回建康。劉錡部在和州稍作停留，于十八日從採石返回太平州。

戰後，宋金開始商談和議，完顏兀朮要求「必殺岳飛，方可議和」。但有關史實存有爭議。紹興十一年（1141年）宋高宗奪韓世忠、岳飛的兵權，掌握軍隊。秦檜乃誣岳飛謀反，將其下獄，由于找不到証據而無審訊結果，最終岳飛被宋高宗以「莫須有」的罪名于紹興十一年農曆十二月廿九（1142年1月27日）除夕之夜，在杭州大理寺風波亭以鴆賜死。岳雲及張憲則在紹興十一年冬十一月二十七日遭到斬首。紹興十一年十一月，金朝派使者到臨安，談判議和條件，宋高宗派遣端明殿學士何鑄等進誓表，其表曰：「臣構言，今來畫疆，合以淮水中流為界，西有唐、鄧州割屬上國。自鄧州西四十里並南四十里為界，屬鄧州。其四十里外並西南盡屬光化軍，為弊邑沿邊州城。既蒙恩造，許備籓方，世世子孫，謹守臣節。每年皇帝生辰並正旦，遣使稱賀不絕。歲貢銀、絹二十五萬兩、匹，自壬戌年為首，每春季差人般送至泗州交納。有渝此盟，明神是殛，墜命亡氏，踣其國家。臣今既進誓表，伏望上國蚤降誓詔，庶使弊邑永有憑焉。」于是金國接受合議。

金熙宗皇統二年（1142年）完顏兀朮還朝，官拜太傅，獨掌軍政大權。兀朮派遣左宣徽使劉筈初時南宋，以袞冕圭寶佩璲玉冊冊封趙構為南宋皇帝。其冊文曰：

「皇帝若曰：咨爾宋康王趙構。不弔，天降喪于爾邦，亟瀆齊盟，自貽顛覆，俾爾越在江表。用勤我師旅，蓋十有八年于茲。朕用震悼，斯民其何罪。今天其悔禍，誘爾衷，封奏狎至，願身列于籓輔。今遣光祿大夫、左宣徽使劉筈等持節冊命爾為帝，國號宋，世服臣職，永為屏翰。嗚呼欽哉，其恭聽朕命。」此通告昭告天下。這一次和議因為在宋高宗紹興年間簽訂，故稱「紹興和議」。

「紹興和議」之後，金熙宗賜予完顏宗弼人口牛馬各千、駱駝百頭、羊萬隻，將每年南宋進貢歲幣中銀絹各分出兩千兩賜予兀朮。

1146年8月，因為蒙古諸部侵略金國北部邊疆，完顏宗弼率領金軍並帶上神臂弓弩手八萬人討蒙古，但是無法攻克，這一月，令汴京行台尚書省事蕭保壽努與蒙古議和，割西平河以北二十七團寨與之，歲遺牛羊米豆，且冊其長為蒙古國，蒙古不受。1147年3月，金人與蒙古始和，金國賜予蒙古豐盛的物資，有牛、羊、米、豆、綿、絹等。于是蒙古長鄂羅貝勒自稱祖元皇帝，改元天興。金人用兵連年，卒不能討，但遣精兵分據要害而還。

後來完顏宗弼上表乞求致仕，金熙宗不許，厚賞之。皇統七年（1147年），封兀朮為太師，領三省事，都元帥、領行台尚書省事。皇統八年十月初七（1148年11月19日），完顏兀朮在上京會寧府病亡，諡忠烈。葬於燕京九龍峰下（今日北京市房山區周口店鎮龍門口村北的九龍山主峰下）。子完顏亨。

評價

宗弼蹙宋主于海島，卒定畫淮之約。熙宗舉河南、陝西以與宋人，矯而正之者，宗弼也。宗翰死，宗磐、宗雋、撻懶湛溺富貴，人人有自為之心，宗幹獨立，不能如之何，時無宗弼，金之國勢亦曰殆哉。世宗嘗有言曰：「宗翰之後，惟宗弼一人。」非虛言也。

文學作品中的形象

完顏宗弼，民間常稱為金兀朮、四太子，是民間通俗文藝作品《岳飛傳》中的岳飛的主要對手，大反派之一。

魯迅在雜文《補白》中寫到：「記得宋人的一部雜記里記有市井間的諧謔，將金人和宋人的事物來比較。譬如問金人有箭，宋有什麼？則答道，「有鎖子甲」。又問金有四太子，宋有何人？則答道，「有岳少保。」臨末問，金人有狼牙棒（打人腦袋的武器），宋有什麼？卻答道，「有天靈蓋」！自宋以來，我們終于只有天靈蓋而已，現在又發現了一種「民氣」，更加玄虛飄渺了。」

家族

妻妾

• 次妃：趙圓珠，北宋儀福帝姬

子女

• 完顏亨

• 完顏偉，世宗時尚在，對當時太子、諸王效法漢人文士賦詩，漸失勇力大為不滿。

• 壽康公主完顏蒲刺，原封靜樂縣主，原有夫，不知其名，被海陵王強占為淑妃位

• 完顏習捻，嫁稍喝押，被海陵王強占

• 永安縣主，嫁紇石烈志寧

注釋