Battle of Bun'ei
Encyclopedia
The , also known as the First Battle of Hakata Bay was the first attempt by the Yuan Dynasty
founded by the Mongols
to invade Japan
. After conquering the Tsushima Island
and Iki
, Kublai Khan
's fleet moved on to Japan proper, landing at Hakata Bay
, a short distance from Kyūshū
's administrative capital of Dazaifu. Despite the superior weapons and tactics of the Mongols, who established the Yuan Dynasty in China
in the early 1270s, the Yuan navy landing at Hakata Bay were grossly outnumbered by the samurai
force; the Japanese had been preparing, mobilizing warriors and reinforcing defenses since they heard of the losses at Tsushima and Iki.
The Yuan troops withdrew to their ships after only one day of fighting. A storm that night threatened their ships, persuading them to return to Korea.
(now a ward
of Fukuoka
), but were engaged by a number of samurai soon afterwards.
At first, the samurai were hopelessly outmatched; accustomed to ritualized archery duels on horseback, they could not match the organization and massed firepower of the invaders. The Mongols fought with precision, loosing heavy volleys of arrows into the ranks of the Japanese. The Mongols also employed an early form of rocket artillery, and their infantry used phalanx
-like tactics, holding off the samurai with their shields and spears. Though unable to conclusively defeat the Yuan forces, the Japanese fought hard and inflicted heavy casualties.
In the course of the day's fighting, the Hakozaki Shrine
was burned to the ground.
Despite their initial victories, the Yuan did not pursue the samurai further inland to the defenses at Dazaifu. Nihon Ōdai Ichiran
explains that the invaders were defeated because they lacked arrows.
More likely this was as a result of their unfamiliarity with the terrain, the expectation of Japanese reinforcements, and the heavy losses already suffered. This group, which some theorize to have been a reconnaissance in force and not the main invasion force, returned to their ships, intending perhaps to regroup and attack again the following day.
That night, the Yuan lost roughly one-third of their force in a storm. They retreated back to Korea, presumably at the prodding of their Korean sailors and captains.
Yuan Dynasty
The Yuan Dynasty , or Great Yuan Empire was a ruling dynasty founded by the Mongol leader Kublai Khan, who ruled most of present-day China, all of modern Mongolia and its surrounding areas, lasting officially from 1271 to 1368. It is considered both as a division of the Mongol Empire and as an...
founded by the Mongols
Mongols
Mongols ) are a Central-East Asian ethnic group that lives mainly in the countries of Mongolia, China, and Russia. In China, ethnic Mongols can be found mainly in the central north region of China such as Inner Mongolia...
to invade Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. After conquering the Tsushima Island
Tsushima Island
Tsushima Island is an island of the Japanese Archipelago situated in the middle of the Tsushima Strait at 34°25'N and 129°20'E. The main island of Tsushima was once a single island, but the island was divided into two in 1671 by the Ōfunakosiseto canal and into three in 1900 by the Manzekiseto canal...
and Iki
Iki Province
was a province of Japan in the area of Nagasaki Prefecture. The province which occupied the entire area of Iki Island. It is also known as .- Political History :...
, Kublai Khan
Kublai Khan
Kublai Khan , born Kublai and also known by the temple name Shizu , was the fifth Great Khan of the Mongol Empire from 1260 to 1294 and the founder of the Yuan Dynasty in China...
's fleet moved on to Japan proper, landing at Hakata Bay
Hakata Bay
Hakata Bay is a bay in the northwestern part of Fukuoka city, on the Japanese island of Kyūshū. It faces the Tsushima Strait, and features beaches and a port, though parts of the bay have been reclaimed in the expansion of the city of Fukuoka...
, a short distance from Kyūshū
Kyushu
is the third largest island of Japan and most southwesterly of its four main islands. Its alternate ancient names include , , and . The historical regional name is referred to Kyushu and its surrounding islands....
's administrative capital of Dazaifu. Despite the superior weapons and tactics of the Mongols, who established the Yuan Dynasty in China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
in the early 1270s, the Yuan navy landing at Hakata Bay were grossly outnumbered by the samurai
Samurai
is the term for the military nobility of pre-industrial Japan. According to translator William Scott Wilson: "In Chinese, the character 侍 was originally a verb meaning to wait upon or accompany a person in the upper ranks of society, and this is also true of the original term in Japanese, saburau...
force; the Japanese had been preparing, mobilizing warriors and reinforcing defenses since they heard of the losses at Tsushima and Iki.
The Yuan troops withdrew to their ships after only one day of fighting. A storm that night threatened their ships, persuading them to return to Korea.
The battle
After landing in the bay, the Yuan force quickly overran the town of HakataHakata-ku, Fukuoka
is one of the seven wards of Fukuoka City, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. It is best known as the location of Fukuoka's main train station, Hakata Station.-Geography:...
(now a ward
Wards of Japan
A is a subdivision of one of the cities of Japan that is large enough to have been designated by government ordinance. Wards are used to subdivide each city designated by government ordinance...
of Fukuoka
Fukuoka, Fukuoka
is the capital city of Fukuoka Prefecture and is situated on the northern shore of the island of Kyushu in Japan.Voted number 14 in a 2010 poll of the World's Most Livable Cities, Fukuoka is praised for its green spaces in a metropolitan setting. It is the most populous city in Kyushu, followed by...
), but were engaged by a number of samurai soon afterwards.
At first, the samurai were hopelessly outmatched; accustomed to ritualized archery duels on horseback, they could not match the organization and massed firepower of the invaders. The Mongols fought with precision, loosing heavy volleys of arrows into the ranks of the Japanese. The Mongols also employed an early form of rocket artillery, and their infantry used phalanx
Phalanx formation
The phalanx is a rectangular mass military formation, usually composed entirely of heavy infantry armed with spears, pikes, sarissas, or similar weapons...
-like tactics, holding off the samurai with their shields and spears. Though unable to conclusively defeat the Yuan forces, the Japanese fought hard and inflicted heavy casualties.
In the course of the day's fighting, the Hakozaki Shrine
Hakozaki Shrine
is a Shintō shrine in Fukuoka .-History:Hakozaki Shrine was founded in 923, with the transfer of the spirit of the kami Hachiman from Daibu Hachiman Shrine in what is Honami Commandry, Chikuzen Province in Kyūshū....
was burned to the ground.
Despite their initial victories, the Yuan did not pursue the samurai further inland to the defenses at Dazaifu. Nihon Ōdai Ichiran
Nihon Odai Ichiran
is a 17th century chronicle of the serial reigns of Japanese emperors with brief notes about some of the noteworthy events or other happenings.According to the 1871 edition of the American Cyclopaedia, the translation of Nihon Ōdai Ichiran in 1834 was one of very few books about Japan; and it was...
explains that the invaders were defeated because they lacked arrows.
More likely this was as a result of their unfamiliarity with the terrain, the expectation of Japanese reinforcements, and the heavy losses already suffered. This group, which some theorize to have been a reconnaissance in force and not the main invasion force, returned to their ships, intending perhaps to regroup and attack again the following day.
That night, the Yuan lost roughly one-third of their force in a storm. They retreated back to Korea, presumably at the prodding of their Korean sailors and captains.
See also
- Battle of KōanBattle of KoanThe ', also known as the Second Battle of Hakata Bay, was the second attempt by the Yuan Dynasty founded by the Mongols to invade Japan...
- the second invasion attempt by Kublai KhanKublai KhanKublai Khan , born Kublai and also known by the temple name Shizu , was the fifth Great Khan of the Mongol Empire from 1260 to 1294 and the founder of the Yuan Dynasty in China...
, in 1281. - Mongol invasions of JapanMongol invasions of JapanThe ' of 1274 and 1281 were major military efforts undertaken by Kublai Khan to conquer the Japanese islands after the submission of Goryeo to vassaldom. Despite their ultimate failure, the invasion attempts are of macrohistorical importance, because they set a limit on Mongol expansion, and rank...