The Mongol invasions of Korea are a series of military campaigns by the Mongol Empire against Korea , then known as Koryo from 1231 to 1259 . There were six main invasions that caused significant damage to the country. As a result, Korea became a tributary of the Mongol Yuan Dynasty for the next 80 years.
| Mongol invasions of Korea | |||
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| Main Conflict: Mongol Conquests | |||
| date | 1231, 1232, 1235–1239, 1251, 1254, 1255, 1257 | ||
| A place | Korean peninsula | ||
| Total | Capitulation of the Koryo Dynasty in 1259 | ||
| Opponents | |||
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| Commanders | |||
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Content
First Campaigns
| History of Korea |
|---|
Prehistoric korea |
Chronology |
Van Kodjon (reigned from 1213 to 1259) was the twenty-third ruler of Koryo. In 1225, the Mongol empire demanded tribute from Koryo, but was refused, and the Mongolian ambassador Cho Goyo (저 고여, 箸 告 與) was killed.
In 1231, by decree of Khan Ugedei , the Mongol invasion of Koryo began, which was part of the Mongolian operations to seize the northern Chinese territories . The Mongols led by Saritai (撒 禮 塔) reached Chungju in the central part of the Korean Peninsula , but after several battles the offensive was stopped.
In 1232, due to Mongolian danger, the Koryo imperial court moved from Keson to Kanghwado Island at the mouth of the Hangan River and began construction of defense structures.
The Mongols immediately launched a second attack. They reached the south of the Korean Peninsula, but they failed to capture Kanghwado, and after the battle at the Choinson Fortress (처 인성) near the modern city of Yongin, the Mongol army again had to retreat. During this battle, the commander of the Mongols Saritai was killed by the Buddhist monk Kim Yunhu.
Third Campaign
In 1235, the Mongols began a new campaign on Koryo, devastating the provinces of Gyeongsangdao and Chollado . Resistance was stubborn, the Emperor seriously strengthened his castle on the island of Kanghwado, but the army of Koryo could not cope with the conquerors. In 1236, Kojon signed a decree reviving Tripitaka Korean , destroyed during the 1232 invasion. This surviving collection of Buddhist texts has been carved for 15 years on 81 thousand wooden blocks.
In 1238, Koryo surrendered and requested a truce. The Mongols retreated in exchange for an agreement that Koryo would send the imperial family to Mongolia as hostages. However, Koryo sent dummies instead of members of the imperial family. Opening the trick, the Mongols began to insist on banning Korean ships from going to sea and on arresting and executing anti-Mongol activists. Koryo had to send one of the princesses and ten children of the nobility to Mongolia. The remaining claims were rejected.
Fourth and Fifth Campaigns
In 1247, the Mongols launched their fourth campaign against Koryo, insisting on the return of the capital to Kaesong. With the death of Khan Guyuk in 1248, the Mongols again retreated.
Until 1251 , when Khan Munke ascended the throne, the Mongols repeated their demands. After the failures of Koryo, they began a new large campaign in 1253 . Kodjon finally agreed to move the capital back and sent one of his sons, Prince An Gyeonggon (안경 공) to Mongolia as a hostage, after which the Mongols retreated.
Sixth Campaign and Peace Treaty
Upon learning that most of the Korean nobility remained in Kanghwado, the Mongols began a new campaign on Koryo. Between 1253 and 1258, they carried out a series of attacks against Korea.
After a series of battles, the Mongols settled in Keson and threatened to block Kanghwado. In 1259, another peace treaty was concluded, according to which Koryo recognized the sovereignty of Mongolia and began to pay tribute.
Consequences
The struggle inside the Court continued until the peace with the Mongols in 1270 . Some of the military leaders who refused to obey led the Sambölchkho uprising (1270–1273) and defended the islands on the south coast of the Korean Peninsula. Sambolchkho were the personal military units of the Choi family, which had real power in the country.
Since the reign of Wang Wonjon for about 80 years, Korea has been a tributary of the Mongol Yuan Dynasty .
After conquering Korea, the Mongols dropped the title of King Koryo. In the posthumous title, instead of the word “jeong” (the great ancestor), the word “van” (prince, sovereign) was used, indicating vassal dependence, and before the posthumous name they were forced to write “chun” (“devotee”): for example , Chunnel-van or Chunson-wan . The Mongols also intervened in the affairs of the royal court, obliged the king to marry a Mongolian princess, it depended on them who was to occupy or leave the royal throne in Koryo.
The Koryo dynasty suffered from the Mongol yoke until the power of the Mongol Yuan dynasty was destroyed in China in 1368 .
See also
- History of Korea
- Mongolian Diaspora in South Korea
Literature
- Kurbanov, O.S. History of Korea from Antiquity to the Beginning of the 21st Century .. - SPb: Publishing House of St. Petersburg University, 2009. - ISBN 9785288048524 .
- S. Beck. Korea to 1800 .