The Battle of Haengju was a siege of February, 1593, during the Seven-Year War (1592-1598). It was one of the biggest Korean military victories of the war. Over 10,000 Japanese were killed and the Japanese commanders Ukita Hideie and Kato Kiyomasa retreated. The main reason why the Japanese failed was because Haengju fortress was located behind natural barriers such as cliffs and steep slopes; all of which would be difficult for an attacking army to scale. Combatants Joseon Dynasty Korea Ming Dynasty China Japan under Toyotomi Hideyoshi Commanders Adm. ... Events May 18 - Playwright Thomas Kyds accusations of heresy lead to an arrest warrant for Christopher Marlowe. ... February 12 is the 43rd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... Hideyoshi in old age. ... Kwon Yúl (권율, 權慄, 1537-1599) was a Korean Army General and Field Marshal during the Joseon Dynasty, who led his forces in the Battle of Haengju during the Seven Year War against Japan. ... Ukita Hideie (宇喜多秀家, 1573-1655) was the daimyo of Bizen and Mimasaka provinces (modern Okayama Prefecture), and one of the council of five regents appointed by Toyotomi Hideyoshi. ... Statue of Kato Kiyomasa in front of Kumamoto Castle Katō Kiyomasa (加藤清正, Katō Kiyomasa, July 25, 1562-August 2, 1611) was a daimyō during the Azuchi-Momoyama and Edo periods of Japanese history. ... Konishi Yukinaga (小西 行長 Konishi Yukinaga, born 1555 and died November 6, 1600) was a Japanese Kirishitan (Christian) daimyo under Toyotomi Hideyoshi. ... Kuroda Nagamasa (1568-1623) Kuroda Nagamasa, the son of Kuroda Kanbei. ... Ishida Mitsunari (石田 三成 Ishida Mitsunari 1560 - November 6, 1600) was a samurai who led the West side in the Battle of Sekigahara. ... Kobayakawa Takakage ) (1532-1597) Kobayakawa Takakage, the third son of Mori Motonari. ... Kobayakawa Hideaki (小早川秀秋, 1582-December 1, 1602) was fifth son of Kinoshita Iesada and the nephew of Toyotomi Hideyoshi. ... Events May 18 - Playwright Thomas Kyds accusations of heresy lead to an arrest warrant for Christopher Marlowe. ... Combatants Joseon Dynasty Korea Ming Dynasty China Japan under Toyotomi Hideyoshi Commanders Adm. ... Ukita Hideie (宇喜多秀家, 1573-1655) was the daimyo of Bizen and Mimasaka provinces (modern Okayama Prefecture), and one of the council of five regents appointed by Toyotomi Hideyoshi. ... Statue of Kato Kiyomasa in front of Kumamoto Castle Katō Kiyomasa (加藤清正, Katō Kiyomasa, July 25, 1562-August 2, 1611) was a daimyō during the Azuchi-Momoyama and Edo periods of Japanese history. ...

Prelude

During the second week of February, 1593, a 30,000-strong Japanese army commanded by Ukita Hideie and Kato Kiyomasa approached the fortress to take control of the region of Goyang. The Japanese commanders were eager to attack, since they won a great battle at Pyŏkje sometime ago. Kwon Yul realised that the Japanese wanted to finish the battle as quickly as possible since their supplies were running short due to Yi Sun-shin's navy in the south stopping more Japanese troops and supplies from entering the Korean peninsula. Events May 18 - Playwright Thomas Kyds accusations of heresy lead to an arrest warrant for Christopher Marlowe. ... Goyang is a city in Gyeonggi Province, South Korea. ... Yi Sun-sin (April 18, 1545 — December 16, 1598), was a famous Korean naval leader. ...

Kwon Yul's Preparations

Meanwhile, General Kwon Yul had gathered about 2,300 men, including a monk contingent under the monk Ch'oyoung, and left his base at Toksan, near Suwŏn, and arrived at the run-down mountain fortress of Haengju (행주산성)(幸州山城). Kwon Yul set up camp and began to make plans for rebuilding the fortress. He soon set about strengthening the mountain fortress's defences by having the Korean soldiers build ditches, wooden pikes, and paliside walls on the steep slopes of the mountain. Kwon Yul made sure the soldiers had enough ammunition. Also, in the armory of Haengju, Kwon Yul's men found 40 hwachas in good condition. Kwon Yul distributed them around the fortress. After finishing the defences, Kwon Yul and his men waited for the Japanese to come. Kwon Yúl (권율, 權慄, 1537-1599) was a Korean Army General during the Joseon Dynasty, who led his forces in the Battle of Haengju. ... A Hwacha in the grounds of Deoksu Palace. ...

The Attack

The Battle of Haengju, a hwacha can be seen on the Korean side.

Ukita Hideie was the Japanese general who won the battle at Pyŏkje. Sure of another victory at Haengju, he and Kato Kiyomasa marched 30,000 soldiers out of Seoul hopefully to annihilate the puny army of 2,300 at Haengju. Arriving at Haengju at dawn, Ukita divided his force into 3 groups and surrounded the fortress. Knowing that they would crush the Koreans with numbers, Kato and Ukita ordered the Japanese to attack by simply advancing up the slopes of Haengju. On 12th February, 1593 at about 6:00 the Japanese launched their attack. But the Koreans were waiting for them. While the Japanese soldiers struggled to breach the wooden paliside walls and fences, the Koreans fired arrows, arquebuses, mortars, boulders, threw tree trunks, and creatively used the anti-personnel artillery rockets called hwacha, which were a major factor in defeating the Japanese. Although the Japanese overran the first line of defense, they never got farther then that. Kwon Yul rallied the Koreans and finally beat off the Japanese after substantial use of the hwacha. A total of nine repeated attacks were made by the Japanese, but the Japanese failed to overrun Haengju. Kato ordered the retreat after seeing that the battle was hopeless. Ukita was wounded and Kato lost at least 10,000 men. Other Japanese commanders who were wounded were Ishida, Maeno, and Kikkawa. The Koreans recovered 727 spears and swords from the retreating Japanese. Image File history File links Haengju_Mountain_Fortress. ... Image File history File links Haengju_Mountain_Fortress. ... A Hwacha in the grounds of Deoksu Palace. ... Ukita Hideie (宇喜多秀家, 1573-1655) was the daimyo of Bizen and Mimasaka provinces (modern Okayama Prefecture), and one of the council of five regents appointed by Toyotomi Hideyoshi. ... Statue of Kato Kiyomasa in front of Kumamoto Castle Katō Kiyomasa (加藤清正, Katō Kiyomasa, July 25, 1562-August 2, 1611) was a daimyō during the Azuchi-Momoyama and Edo periods of Japanese history. ... (Redirected from 12th February) February 12 is the 43rd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... Events May 18 - Playwright Thomas Kyds accusations of heresy lead to an arrest warrant for Christopher Marlowe. ... Japanese arquebus of the Edo era (teppo) The Arquebus (sometimes spelled harquebus or hackbut) was a primitive firearm used in the 15th to 17th centuries. ... A Hwacha in the grounds of Deoksu Palace. ... Kwon Yúl (권율, 權慄, 1537-1599) was a Korean Army General during the Joseon Dynasty, who led his forces in the Battle of Haengju. ... A Hwacha in the grounds of Deoksu Palace. ...

It was during this battle that the now-famous Haengju Chima (Haengju apron) was created. While Korean men fought the Japanese, Korean women helped their men by gathering rocks to fight off the Japanese siege of the fortress. However, General Kwon noticed women wearing aprons over their skirts to carry rocks, when he asked why, the answer was simple; a single layer of skirt would reveal women's legs when carrying rocks. Haengju Chima became a famous symbol of the region. An apron is an outer protective garment that covers primarily the front of the body. ... A siege is a prolonged military blockade and assault of a city or fortress with the intent of conquering by force or attrition. ... Fortifications (Latin fortis, strong, and facere, to make) are military constructions designed for defensive warfare. ...

Aftermath

One reason why the Japanese lost the battle, even with overwhelming numbers, was that there was a lack of planning. The dense formations of the Japanese lumbering up the hill were perfect for the hwacha, mortars, and boulders to kill the Japanese. Another reason why the Japanese lost was that the Japanese position at Haengju was geographically inferior to fight. Finally, the brave and strong figure of Kwon Yul during the battle helped the Korean morale and the Koreans fought fiercely. After the war, in 1602, King Sonjo erected a monument for General Kwon Yul and the fighters at Haengju fortress. Sadly, this monument was destroyed in the Korean War. From the 1960s to the mid 1990s, the Korean government reconstructed another memorial and Haengju fortress is currently open to tourists now. A Hwacha in the grounds of Deoksu Palace. ... Kwon Yúl (권율, 權慄, 1537-1599) was a Korean Army General during the Joseon Dynasty, who led his forces in the Battle of Haengju. ... Combatants Western Allied/UN combatants: South Korea, United States Communist combatants: North Korea, Peoples Republic of China, Soviet Union Commanders Douglas Macarthur Park Chang-Ju Jang Tak-Sang Kim Il Sung Oh Chol-Lyong Mun Dong-Gee Choi Un-Hyeok Strength Note: All figures may vary according to source. ...

External links

• Haengju Mountain Fortress
• 행주산성
• 행주대첩에 대해