Misplaced Pages

#534465

112-769: During the Imjin War , the military system of the early Joseon period, known as the "Owi" (Five Guards) system, collapsed. In its place, the Military Training Agency was established. Subsequently, the Royal Guard Command, Royal Defence Command, and the Command of the Northern Approaches were established, forming the central military in the late Joseon period. Capital Garrison was the last of these five military camps to be created. It

224-431: A "sinister grin" attached to the outside. Overall, 158,800 soldiers, laborers, and transport troops (of whom a quarter had firearms) were prepared to take part in the invasion, with roughly a third of the force being armed fighting units (samurai, their attendants, and ashigaru conscripts), while the other two thirds filled a support ion (doctors, priests, secretaries, boatmen, and labourers). The following table shows

336-491: A central government agency and a military camp, so it had two organizational structures. One was the organization of yangban officials as central bureaucrats, and the other was the structure of military units. The Capital Garrison played a crucial role in the defense of Hanyang and the protection of the city walls and palaces. Their hierarchical organization and military structure allowed for efficient coordination and execution of their duties. By fulfilling their responsibilities,

448-487: A certain amount of wealth to take the qualification exam. Instead of being treated as a bureaucrat of a certain class and receiving a salary from the state, the military, horses, and servants' food expenses were all on their own. For this reason, the Joseon government, which had to save the budget, tried to increase the number of Gapsa by increasing the lower ranks. As a result, the number of Gapsa increases to 14000 by 1475, but

560-465: A military camp. The establishment of Geumwiyeong had complex reasons. The most important reason was the logic of cost reduction. From the reign of Hyojong to the early years of Sukjong, there were severe disasters, and central resources were scarce, and the people's lives were difficult. Amidst this, the military expenditure also increased due to the expansion of military preparations for northern expeditions from Hyojong's reign to Sukjong's reign. Therefore,

672-417: A position in the imperial tributary system as of 1404. This relationship ended in 1408 when Japan, unlike Korea, chose to end its recognition of China's regional hegemony and cancel any further tribute missions. Membership in the tributary system was a prerequisite for any economic exchange with China. In exiting the system, Japan relinquished its trade relationship with China. One thousand years earlier,

784-461: A samurai to pull his opponent from his horse. If samurai wished to cut his opponent rather than stab, the weapons were the ōdachi , an extremely long sword with a huge handle, or the naginata , a polearm with very sharp curved blade. The most famous of all the samurai weapons was the katana , a sword described by the British military historian Stephen Turnbull as "...the finest edged weapon in

896-572: A separate unit called Hullyeonbyeoldae, which operated under the jurisdiction of Hullyeongdogam was established and operated as a standing army. Capital Garrison was established in February 1682 by the proposal of Yeonguijeong Kim Su-hang (金壽恒, 1629-1689) and later submitted Kim Seok-ju (金錫胄, 1634-1684), who served as the Commander of Training and the Minister of War. It was created by combining

1008-511: A special trading position as the single checkpoint to Korea for all Japanese ships and had permission from Korea to trade with as many as 50 of its own vessels, the Sō family had a vested interest in preventing conflict with Korea, and delayed the talks for nearly two years. Even when Hideyoshi renewed his order, Sō Yoshitoshi reduced the visit to the Korean court to a campaign to better relations between

1120-594: A tactical sense, therefore, Hideyoshi cannot be considered as one of the commanders, but, as his will drove the whole project along until he died, his political influence cannot be underestimated". The Ming Chinese army was the largest in Asia, with a total of around 845,000 troops. However, in 1592 the Imperial Army was engaged in wars with the Mongols and in crushing a rebellion in the northwest . The Ming army

1232-609: A ten-month-long military stalemate. With Toyotomi Hideyoshi's death in 1598, limited progress on land, and continued disruption of supply lines by the Joseon Navy, the Japanese forces in Korea were ordered to withdraw back to Japan by the new governing Council of Five Elders . Final peace negotiations between the parties followed, and continued for several years, ultimately resulting in the normalization of relations. In Korean ,

SECTION 10

#1732780280535

1344-473: A war against China. Upon the ambassadors' return, the Joseon court held serious discussions concerning Japan's invitation, while Hwang Yun-gil reported conflicting estimates of Japanese military strength and intentions. They nonetheless pressed that a war was imminent. Kim Saung-il claimed that Hideyoshi's letter was nothing but a bluff. Moreover, the court, aware only that Japan was in turmoil with various clan armies fighting each other, substantially underrated

1456-489: A withdrawal of Japanese forces towards the coastal regions of the peninsula. The pursuing Ming and Joseon forces, however, failed to dislodge the Japanese from their fortresses and entrenched positions in the southern coastal areas where both sides became locked in a ten-month-long military stalemate. With Toyotomi Hideyoshi's death in September 1598, limited progress on land, and continued disruption of supply lines along

1568-607: Is not easy to define the number and characteristics of the Geumwiyeong military personnel who came to Hanyang (capital city) uniformly. In addition to the basic troops, there were 100 Wonnyeok (officers) who were office workers or collectively referred to as Yeokbu (官部). The Byunggun, there were other units such as the Hyanggisu (Rural Cavalry), which was the successor of the Byeolhyowi (Auxiliary Guards), and 150 cavalry of

1680-593: The Battle of Shizugatake in 1583, where samurai had fought one another mano a mano , and where Katō demonstrated his skills with a cross-bladed spear with great effect by cutting so many men, whose severed and salted heads were thereafter tied to a stalk of green bamboo and carried by one of Katō's attendants into battle. Katō was a devoted follower of Nichiren Buddhism , a type of Buddhism closely associated with militarism and ultra-nationalism in Japan, and his relations with

1792-618: The Catholic Konishi were extremely unfriendly, to the extent that the two men almost never met during the campaign in Korea. Katō's battle standard was a white pennant which carried a message alleged to have been written by Nichiren himself reading Namu Myōhō Renge Kyō ("Hail to the Lotus of the Divine Law"). The naval commander was Wakisaka Yasuharu , another of the "Seven Spears of Shizugatake", who had been named daimyō of

1904-548: The Chūgoku region , informed Terumoto of Nobunaga's plan to invade China. In 1585, Hideyoshi told the Portuguese Jesuit Father Gaspar Coelho of his wish to conquer all of East Asia. Hideyoshi asked Coelho to send a message to his master, King Philip II of Spain , who was also King Philip I of Portugal, asking that he make his navy available to help Japan (Ming China, Spain, and Portugal were

2016-598: The Gambeson , or by wearing Scale armour . Pengbaesu ( 팽배수 ; 彭排手 ), heavy infantry specializing in hand-to-hand combat, were the mainstay of early Joseon infantry, wearing Chain mail or Mail and plate armour and armed with a round shield and sword. They responded to nomadic raids with shields and knives in mountain warfare, and in the plains, they built a shield wall to deter the cavalry's attacks. The elite troops and officers, made up of noblemen's sons called Gapsa ( 갑사 ; 甲士 ), They had to have more than

2128-507: The Imjin War , involved two separate yet linked invasions: an initial invasion in 1592 ( Korean :  임진왜란 ; Hanja :  壬辰倭亂 ), a brief truce in 1596, and a second invasion in 1597 ( 정유재란 ; 丁酉再亂 ). The conflict ended in 1598 with the withdrawal of Japanese forces from the Korean Peninsula after a military stalemate in Korea's southern provinces. The invasions were launched by Toyotomi Hideyoshi with

2240-535: The Sui and Tang dynasties of China had complicated political and trading relations with the Three Kingdoms of Korea . Ming China, on the other hand, had close trading and diplomatic relations with the Joseon, which remained integrated in the imperial tributary system, but also received tribute and trade from Sō clan of Tsushima , Japan. Ming China and Joseon Korea shared much in common. Both emerged during

2352-422: The daimyōs from acting on any ambitions against his rule. Fighting a war away from Japanese territory would also prevent territorial destruction, and maintain the infrastructure of the state. Such considerations would be consistent with the fact that Hideyoshi was not shōgun and had no links with the imperial bloodline. Stephen Turnbull also suggests personal ambition and megalomania of Hideyoshi as reasons for

SECTION 20

#1732780280535

2464-669: The tributary states , which also included countries such as the Ryukyu Kingdom , Lan Xang , Đại Việt , and the Ayutthaya Kingdom , in return for accepting the subservient tributary role of a "younger brother". In 1402, the Japanese shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu (despite not being the Emperor of Japan ) was conferred the title of "King of Japan" by the Chinese emperor and through this title had similarly accepted

2576-410: The wakō had staged a series of samurai raids into Korea, some of which were so large as to be "mini-invasions". Hideyoshi mistakenly thought his enemies were weak. Hideyoshi planned for a possible war with Korea long before he had completed the unification of Japan. He made preparations on many fronts. As early as 1578, Hideyoshi, then fighting under Oda Nobunaga against Mōri Terumoto for control of

2688-489: The "great general gun" and the folang zhi ( 佛朗支 ), the latter being breech-loaded artillery guns. One of the Chinese commanders was Li Rusong , a man who has been traditionally disparaged in Japanese accounts. In Turnbull's estimate, he was "one of Ming China's most accomplished generals". Although Li was defeated at the Battle of Pyokjeyek, his defeat was temporary. He was an able strategist who achieved his goal of forcing

2800-467: The 14th century after the end of the Yuan dynasty , embraced Confucian ideals in society, and faced similar threats ( Jurchen raiders and wokou ). Both had competing internal political factions, which would influence decisions made prior to and during the war. Because of close trade and common enemies, Joseon and Ming had a friendly alliance. By the last decade of the 16th century, Toyotomi Hideyoshi ,

2912-803: The 5,707 soldiers of the Training Bureau to the Byungjo, thus reducing the number of soldiers in the Training Bureau. Simultaneously, the Jincho Army and the Training Division were combined to form one battalion (營), five companies (部), twenty platoons (司), and 105 squads (哨). They were further divided into ten groups for rotation purposes, and a "protective unit" called "Geumwi" was established for their operation. In 1682 (8th year of King Sukjong's reign), Jeongchocheong and Hullyeonbyeoldae were integrated to formally establish Geumwiyeong as

3024-674: The Capital Garrison ( Geumwiyeong ) to defend Hanyang and escort the king. The Geumwi Camp was established in March 1682 (the 8th year of King Sukjong's reign). Kim Seok-ju (김석주), who concurrently served as the Chief Training Command Officer (Hunryeondojang, 훈련도감 대장), proposed the reorganization of the military system, combining separate units (훈련별대, Hunryeongbyeoldae) and elite troops (정초군, Jeongchogun) to create an independent military camp called Geumwi Camp. It

3136-546: The Capital Garrison aimed to reduce the financial burden on the country by streamlining the Training Bureau, which was operated by national finances, and to ensure the military power for the defense of the capital. However, as various types of troops and officers increased over time, it not only faced financial shortages but also increased the burden on the taxpayers. In the later stages, the Hyanggun units were gradually halted (tingban) for various reasons, and they were replaced by

3248-481: The Capital Garrison contributed to maintaining the security and stability of the capital. Capital Garrison, which was one of the key military camps responsible for guarding the king and defending the capital, along with the Training Bureau and the Training Administration, had its importance reflected in the fact that the Minister of War held the position of its commander. It had a structure in which

3360-402: The Chinese infantry were the crossbow and the arquebus, while the cavalry were usually mounted archers. Chinese infantry wore conical iron helmets and suits of armor made from leather or iron. According to Turnbull, "Chinese field artillery and siege cannon were the finest in the region". Chinese artillery was made from cast iron, and were divided into several types, the most important being

3472-411: The Chinese tributary system. Hideyoshi replied with another letter, but since it was not presented by a diplomat in person as expected by custom, the court ignored it. After this denial of his second request, Hideyoshi proceeded to launch his armies against Korea in 1592. At the core of the Japanese military were the samurai , the military caste of Japan who dominated Japanese society. Japanese society

Capital Garrison - Misplaced Pages Continue

3584-469: The Geumgun (Royal Guard) cavalry and infantry formed a pair. Over time, the Capital Garrison expanded in size, and additional units such as ten squads of Byeoljwasu (Auxiliary Soldiers) and one squad of Byeoljungcho (Auxiliary Scouts) were added, resulting in a total of 135 squads, including five companies, twenty-five platoons, and 125 squads of Byungbyungdo Infantry (牙兵). The main focus of the military force

3696-804: The Gyeonggisu (Capital Cavalry), which was the successor of the Hyanggisu. There were also 160 artillery troops called Byeolpajin (Separate Artillery), 50 craftsmen soldiers called Gongjangabyeong (Artisan Soldiers), 12 gate guards called Sumungun (Gate Guards), 15 elite soldiers called Geumsonggun (Imperial Pine Tree Guards), 10 instructors, 17 baggage and horse troops called Chijungbokmabun (Supply and Transport Horse Soldiers), 48 flag bearers called Agisu (Child Flag Bearers), 470 waiting troops called Daenyeongun (Waiting Soldiers), 7 shop guards called Suhopyun (Shop Guards), 700 maritime cavalry called Haeseohyanggisu (Haeseo Rural Cavalry), and 56 troops called Pyohagun (Standard Lower Soldiers). Additionally, soldiers such as

3808-466: The Japanese fighting troops sent into Korea were ashigaru (light infantry), who were usually conscripted peasants armed with spears, tanegashima (Japanese arquebuses), or yumi (Japanese bows). Unlike the samurai with their expensive suits of armor, the ashigaru wore cheap suits of iron armour around their chests. The ashigaru armed with arquebuses were trained to fight in the European style, with

3920-424: The Japanese forces in the south, which weakened the Japanese hold in the cities they occupied. Afterwards, with supply difficulties hampering both sides, neither the Japanese nor the combined Ming and Joseon forces were able to mount a successful offensive or gain any additional territory, resulting in a military stalemate in the areas between Hanseong and Kaesong . The war continued in this manner for five years, and

4032-539: The Japanese forces saw overwhelming success on land, capturing both Hanseong , the capital of Korea, and Pyongyang , and completing the occupation of large portions of the Korean Peninsula in three months. The Japanese forces, well-trained, confident, and experienced after the numerous battles and conflicts of the Sengoku period , typically held the field in most land engagements. This success on land, however,

4144-541: The Japanese out of Korea, and Japanese accounts focusing on his defeat at Pyokjeyek served to distract from his achievements. Another Chinese naval commander was Chen Lin , a native of Guangdong who proved pivotal in defeating Japan and defending Korea. After helping win the war, Chen was celebrated as a hero in Korea and China. Chen subsequently became the founder of the Gwangdong Jin clan of Korea, and today, his descendants are spread across China and Korea. Chen

4256-636: The Jungcho Army (精抄軍) and the separate units of the Training Department (訓鍊都監), based on the "Military Reform and Adaptation Plan" (軍制變通節目) promulgated in March 1682. The Jincho Army, which was part of the Byungjo (Military Reserve) under the command of the Training Division, and the Gyeongbeon Army, which was part of the Training Bureau, were merged to form a single military camp. In other words, Kim Seok-ju, transferred 707 out of

4368-406: The Korean military, Hideyoshi sent an assault force of 26 ships to the southern coast of Korea in 1587. On the diplomatic front, Hideyoshi began to establish friendly relations with China long before he had completed the unification of Japan. He also helped to police the trade routes against the wokou. In 1587, Hideyoshi sent his first envoy, Yutani Yasuhiro ( 柚谷康広 ) , to Korea, which was during

4480-514: The Koreans had come to pay a tributary homage to Japan. For this reason, the ambassadors were not given the formal treatment that was due to diplomatic representatives. In the end, the Korean ambassadors asked for Hideyoshi to write a reply to the Korean king, for which they waited 20 days at the port of Sakai . The letter, redrafted as requested by the ambassadors on the ground that it was too discourteous, invited Korea to submit to Japan and join in

4592-559: The Koreans to resist. Konishi had converted to Catholicism in 1583, and was known to the Spanish and Portuguese as Dom Agostinho. Katō Kiyomasa , who led the Second Division into Korea, was known in Japan as Toranosuke ("the young tiger") and to the Koreans as the "devil general", on account of his ferocity. Katō was one of the " Seven Spears of Shizugatake ", a group of seven samurai who distinguished themselves in combat at

Capital Garrison - Misplaced Pages Continue

4704-574: The Ming court in response to raids by Sino-Japanese pirates known as the wakō . By seeking to invade China, Hideyoshi was in effect claiming for Japan the role traditionally played by China in East Asia as the center of the East Asian international order. He rallied support in Japan as a man of relatively humble origins who owed his position to his military might. Finally, during the 1540s–1550s,

4816-475: The Ming. In 1597, Japan renewed its offensive by invading Korea a second time. The pattern of the second invasion largely mirrored that of the first. The Japanese had initial successes on land, capturing several cities and fortresses, only to be halted and forced to withdraw to the southern coastal regions of the peninsula. However, the pursuing Ming and Joseon forces were unable to dislodge the Japanese from these positions, where both sides again became locked in

4928-535: The Noryangjin Army, which started as a separate camp, were also incorporated into the Geumwi Camp. The task of defending Hanyang's city walls and protecting the palaces was the most important duty of the Capital Garrison. They guarded the city walls and protected the surrounding areas of the palaces through patrolling. The duties of the Capital Garrison, as specified in the compiled "Yukjeonjorye" during

5040-469: The Supoju (tax collection units) to cover the national finances. After the establishment of Capital Garrison, issues such as increasing military expenses led to the emergence of arguments for its abolition. Eventually, the Capital Garrison was strengthened for a while when Prince Heungseon Daewongun was in power, but in 1881, during the 18th year of King Gojong 's reign, it was absorbed into Jangeoyeong. In

5152-776: The cavalry, five Pachong (Captain)(squadron commanders) who were in charge of the five Hyanggun units. The cavalry were organized under the Jung (cavalry) and Yeong (infantry) units, and the Hyanggun units were connected in the order of Sa-Cho-Gi-Dae-O. There were twelve Oebanggyeompachong (Deputy Commanders in the Outer Frontier), and forty-one Chogwan (Scout Officers). In addition, there were two Jongsagwan (Officials in Charge), twelve Gyo-ryeonggwan (Training Officials), and ten Gipaegwan (Flag Officials), among others. These officials served as commanders of organized units, were responsible for

5264-583: The center for the mobilization of the invasion forces. In 1592, Hideyoshi sent a letter to the Philippines demanding tribute from the Spanish governor general and stating that Japan had already received tribute from Korea (which was a misunderstanding) and the Ryukyus. As for the military preparations, the construction of as many as 2,000 ships may have begun as early as 1586. To estimate the strength of

5376-444: The city walls, and guarded them through three military gates. There were reconnaissance and ambush duties. Reconnaissance and ambush involved escorting the king's processions and making preparations to prevent any unexpected incidents. When the king stayed outside the city walls, reconnaissance troops were sent to strengthen the defense, and additional soldiers were stationed as reserves to prepare for any possible disturbances. There were

5488-534: The city walls. The Capital Garrison received salaries from the state and serving for an extended period as long-term soldiers (jangbeongun, (장번군)). The financial operations of the Geumwi Camp were managed by various funds such as Gwanboju (official funds)ju5, Jaboju (capital funds)ju6, Byeolpajinbo (separate artillery funds), and later the Haeseohyanggisa (maritime defense forces). The total compensation amounted to about 90,000 individuals. The establishment of

5600-504: The city's boundaries. The "Doseongsamgunmunbungejido" shows how the defense of the city walls was divided among three army camps. The Capital Garrison guarded from Donuimun (Gate of Benevolence and Righteousness) in the west to Sungnyemun (Gate of Exalted Ceremonies) in the south, and to Gwanghuimun (Gate of Extended Joy) in the south small gate. Moreover, they divided the walls of Changdeokgung and Changgyeonggung (eastern palaces) and Gyeonghuigung (western palace) into three sections, similar to

5712-403: The combined strength and abilities of many Japanese armies at the time. Some, including King Seonjo, argued that Ming should be informed about the dealings with Japan, as failure to do so could make Ming suspect Korea's allegiance, but the court finally concluded to wait further until the appropriate course of action became definite. In the end, Hideyoshi's diplomatic negotiations did not produce

SECTION 50

#1732780280535

5824-541: The crown as Taejo of Joseon, thus establishing a new dynasty. In search of a justification for its rule given the lack of a royal bloodline, the new regime received recognition from China and integration into the Imperial Chinese tributary system within the context of the Mandate of Heaven . Within this tributary system, China assumed the role of a "big brother", with Korea maintaining the highest position among

5936-424: The defense of Gyeonggi Province, while Military Training Agency and Royal Guard Command guarded Hanyang Fortress. With the establishment of Capital Garrison, the "Three Military Gates" system was formed, which defended the capital city. Thirdly, there were political reasons for the establishment of Capital Garrison. Kim Seok-ju, who was the Minister of War at the time, exerted a strong influence. The Ministry of War

6048-445: The desired result with Korea. The Joseon Court approached Japan as a country inferior to Korea, and saw itself as superior according to its favored position within the Chinese tributary system. It mistakenly evaluated Hideyoshi's threats of invasions to be no better than the common wokou Japanese pirate raids. The Korean court handed to Shigenobu and Genso, Hideyoshi's third embassy, King Seonjo's letter rebuking Hideyoshi for challenging

6160-701: The development of the capital defense system in the late Joseon Dynasty . It consists of the Military Training Agency, the Royal Guards Command, and the Capital Garrison. The soldiers of the Three Military Garrisons lived in Hanyang and played a key role in guarding the king, guarding the palace, defending the capital, and maintaining public order. The defense of the city walls and palaces, as well as guarding and patrolling. The city walls surround Hanyang with four main gates and serve as

6272-511: The dreams of his late lord, Oda Nobunaga , and to mitigate the possible threat of civil disorder or rebellion posed by the large number of now-idle samurai and soldiers in unified Japan. It is also possible that Hideyoshi might have set a more realistic goal of subjugating the smaller neighbouring states (the Ryukyu Islands , Taiwan , and Korea) and treating the larger or more distant countries as trading partners, because throughout

6384-509: The duties of enforcing restricted areas, dredging rivers, and capturing tigers. These were irregular tasks performed as needed. Enforcing restricted areas involved monitoring the logging of timber around the city walls. Dredging rivers referred to the periodic excavation of the Cheonggyecheon River, which flowed through the city walls, to prevent flooding. Capturing tigers referred to the task of capturing tigers that appeared near

6496-481: The early stage of its establishment, since the Jincho Army, which was part of the Byungjo, constituted the majority, the Ministry of War held the position of commander as before. However, in 1754 (30th year of King Yeongjo's reign), an independent military camp was established for the first time with the appointment of a separate commander, not the Ministry of War. Secondly, let's learn about the formation structure of

6608-407: The emperors of China as their overlords and paid tribute in exchange for being allowed to trade with China. Japan had usually resisted the demand to pay tribute to China, but shōgun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu had acknowledged the emperor of China as his overlord in return for access to the huge Chinese market. Japan's right to pay tribute and, with it, the right to trade with China was ended in the 1540s by

6720-408: The establishment of Geumwiyeong was a measure to reduce military expenses by integrating Jeongchocheong and Hullyeonbyeoldae, two military camps. Firstly, it aimed to reduce military expenses by integrating Jeongchocheong and Hullyeonbyeoldae, as there were severe disasters and scarce resources during that time. Secondly, Geumwiyeong was established to strengthen the defense of the capital city. It had

6832-491: The first invasion (1592–1593) is called the "Japanese Disturbance of Imjin" ( 倭亂 ), where 1592 is an imjin year in the sexagenary cycle . The second invasion (1597–1598) is called the "Second War of Jeong-yu" ( 丁酉 ). Collectively, the invasions are referred to as the "Imjin War". In Chinese , the wars are referred to as the " Wanli Korean Campaign", after the reigning Chinese emperor . In Japanese ,

SECTION 60

#1732780280535

6944-507: The forces of Gotō Sumiharu, who held the fief of Fukue (assessed at 140,000 koku ) on the Gotō archipelago . Family records show he led a force of 705, with 27 horses, 220 of which were fighting men, while 485 filled a support role. The breakdown of the fighting contingent was the following: Another daimyō whose military service quota has been preserved in a written record is Shimazu Yoshihiro , whose contribution consisted of: The majority of

7056-548: The height of its power. Under the rule of the Wanli Emperor , Ming China quickly interpreted the Japanese invasions as a challenge and threat to the Imperial Chinese tributary system . The Ming's interest was also to keep the war confined to the Korean peninsula and out of its own territory. They entered into the conflict by dispatching reinforcements to attack from the north. In the engagements that followed,

7168-405: The history of warfare". Samurai never carried shields, with the katana being used to deflect blows. By 1592, the armor of the samurai was lamellae made from iron or leather scales tied together which had been modified to include solid plate to help protect the samurai from bullets. Samurai engaged in psychological warfare by wearing an iron mask into battle with a mustache made of horsehair and

7280-399: The initial phase of the war) Ming: 1st. (1592–93) 48,000 Japan 1st. (1592) 158,800 (including labourers and sailors) 700 transport ships 300 warships 2nd. (1597–98) 141,900 Joseon: 1,000,000+ civilian and military deaths (including 260,000+ troops killed or wounded) 50,000–60,000 captives The Japanese invasions of Korea , commonly known as

7392-556: The intent of conquering the Korean Peninsula and China proper , which were ruled by the Joseon and Ming dynasties, respectively. Japan quickly succeeded in occupying large portions of the Korean Peninsula, but the contribution of reinforcements by the Ming, as well as the disruption of Japanese supply fleets along the western and southern coasts by the Joseon Navy , forced the Japanese forces to withdraw from Pyongyang and

7504-431: The invasion of Korea, Hideyoshi sought for legal tally trade with China. Hideyoshi's need for military supremacy as a justification for his rule, which lacked shōgunal background, could have, on an international level, been eventually transformed into an order with Japan's neighboring countries below Japan. Hideyoshi did not take the title of Shōgun on the grounds that he lacked the necessary Minamoto descent, but since it

7616-483: The invasion. Hideyoshi had, in a series of wars, conquered Japan and now wanted to turn to bigger things, noting that he spoke not only of his desire to "slash his way" into Korea to invade China, but also the Philippines , and India . Furthermore, for thousands of years, China had been the intellectual, economic, military, and political center of East Asia, and traditionally, the states of East Asia had acknowledged

7728-561: The island of Awaji in the Seto Inland Sea in 1585, where he learned much about seafaring as the island is located close to whirlpools which are notoriously dangerous for sailors. Toyotomi Hideyoshi never left Japan, remaining near Kyoto; however, the idea of conquering China was his obsession, and throughout the war, he refused to accept defeat, treating the war as simply a question of willpower, believing if only his samurai fought hard enough, he could take China. Turnbull writes: "In

7840-650: The leaders of the Royal Guard Command and Military Training Agency, was responsible for the military gates and was usually chosen from capable military families, individuals connected to the royal family or external nobility, or descendants of meritorious service to the state. The upper command structure of the Capital Garrison included advisory institutions such as administrative positions such as Daejang (General), one Junggun (Lieutenant General), one Jung-3-pum Byeoljang (Colonel) (captain of artillery), four Cheonchong (Thousand Commanders)(infantry commander). Below them were three Gisajang (cavalry commanders) who directly commanded

7952-704: The main naval powers of the time). However, Philip refused Hideyoshi, preferring not to upset China. The defeat of the Odawara -based Hōjō clan in 1590 finally brought about the second unification of Japan, and Hideyoshi began preparing for the next war. Beginning in March 1591, the Kyūshū daimyōs and their labor forces constructed Nagoya Castle in Nagoya, Saga (modern-day Karatsu, Saga , not to be confused with present-day Nagoya city in Aichi Prefecture ), as

8064-429: The majority of the Joseon army was focused on defending the northern provinces from Japanese offensives, while also supporting Ming army campaigns to recapture territory occupied by the Japanese. Consequently, it was the combination of these Ming-led land campaigns and Joseon-led naval warfare that eventually forced the Japanese army to withdraw from Pyongyang to the south, where the Japanese continued to occupy Hanseong and

8176-633: The men trained to fire their guns in formation to create a volley of fire, then to go down on their knees to reload, while the men behind them fired, and the cycle repeated over and over again. The commander of the Japanese First Division and overall commander of the invasion force was Konishi Yukinaga , a daimyō of Uto from Higo Province in Kyushu , chosen as commander of the invasion force more because of his diplomatic skills than military skills, as Toyotomi Hideyoshi did not expect

8288-427: The military expanded during the reign of Hyojong. Just before being integrated into Geumwiyeong in the early years of King Sukjong's reign, the number of economic supporters attached to Jeongchocheong, known as Bohin (保人), who were economic supporters attached to the military, reached 12,474. Hullyeonbyeoldae was a unit established in 1669 (10th year of Hyojong 's reign). Among the central military camps, Hullyeongdogam

8400-493: The military forces. Initially, when the Jungcho Army and Training Units were integrated, Capital Garrison was composed of 5 units, 20 companies, and 105 squads, which were divided into 10 rotations for rotation duty. Later, as the numbers increased, it was reorganized into 5 units, 25 companies, and 125 squads, including 10 squads of Pyeongan Province soldiers and 1 squad of Byeoljungcho (special scouts), totaling 136 squads. Since approximately 127 personnel were assigned to each squad,

8512-3193: The military reform of 1895, during the 32nd year of King Gojong's reign, the concept of military camps was abolished, and a new military system was established. Imjin War Joseon Political leaders [REDACTED] King Seonjo [REDACTED] Prince Gwanghae [REDACTED] Ryu Seong-ryong Yun Du-su Military commanders [REDACTED] Yi Sun-sin   † [REDACTED] Yi Eokgi   † [REDACTED] Won Gyun   † [REDACTED] Gwon Yul [REDACTED] Sin Rip   † [REDACTED] Gim Si-min   † Song Sang-hyeon   † Go Gyeong-myeong   † Gim Cheon-il   † Jo Heon   † Yi Il Gwak Jae-u Jeong Gi-ryong Kim Deok-ryeong Yujeong Hyujeong Jeong Mun-bu Gim Chung-seon Ming Political leaders [REDACTED] Wanli Emperor Zhao Zhigao Wang Xijue Inspectors, generals, field commanders Li Rusong Chen Lin Song Yingchang Ma Gui (pr.) Yang Hao Li Shizhen Wu Weizhong Deng Zilong   † Toyotomi regime Political leaders [REDACTED] Emperor Go-Yōzei [REDACTED] Toyotomi Hideyoshi [REDACTED] Toyotomi Hidetsugu Military commanders [REDACTED] Ukita Hideie [REDACTED] Kobayakawa Hideaki [REDACTED] Kobayakawa Takakage [REDACTED] Kobayakawa Hidekane [REDACTED] Ishida Mitsunari [REDACTED] Katō Kiyomasa [REDACTED] Konishi Yukinaga [REDACTED] Mōri Terumoto [REDACTED] Mōri Hidemoto [REDACTED] Mōri Yoshimasa [REDACTED] Nabeshima Naoshige [REDACTED] Hosokawa Tadaoki [REDACTED] Katō Yoshiaki [REDACTED] Shimazu Yoshihiro [REDACTED] Shimazu Toyohisa [REDACTED] Shimazu Tadatsune [REDACTED] Hachisuka Iemasa [REDACTED] Ōtomo Yoshimune [REDACTED] Tachibana Muneshige [REDACTED] Tsukushi Hirokado [REDACTED] Ankokuji Ekei [REDACTED] Ikoma Chikamasa [REDACTED] Ikoma Kazumasa [REDACTED] Kuroda Nagamasa [REDACTED] Fukushima Masanori [REDACTED] Sō Yoshitoshi [REDACTED] Kurushima Michifusa   † [REDACTED] Chōsokabe Motochika [REDACTED] Tōdō Takatora [REDACTED] Arima Harunobu [REDACTED] Akizuki Tanenaga [REDACTED] Itō Suketaka [REDACTED] Kuki Yoshitaka [REDACTED] Wakisaka Yasuharu [REDACTED] Ōmura Yoshiaki [REDACTED] Ōtani Yoshitsugu [REDACTED] Hasegawa Hidekazu [REDACTED] Gamō Ujisato [REDACTED] Ōyano Tanemoto   † [REDACTED] Asano Nagamasa Joseon: 84,500+ –192,000 (including sailors and insurgent fighters) 300 ships (200 scuttled in

8624-458: The most preeminent daimyō , had unified all of Japan in a brief period of peace. Since he came to hold power in the absence of a legitimate successor of the Minamoto lineage necessary for the imperial shōgun commission, he sought military power to legitimize his rule and to decrease his dependence on the imperial family. It is also suggested that Hideyoshi planned an invasion of China to fulfill

8736-464: The north. During the reign of King Jeongjong in 1400, the private army system was overthrown, and during the reign of King Sejo in 1457, a unit called Five Guards ( 오위 ; 五衛 ; Owi ) was formed, which continued until the Imjin War. In the early days of the war, Joseon had a conscripted light infantry, standing army, and an elite cavalry-oriented organization, especially Horse Archer. It

8848-465: The northern provinces. Afterwards, with righteous armies (Joseon civilian militias) conducting guerrilla warfare against the occupying Japanese forces and supply difficulties hampering both sides, neither force was able to mount a successful offensive or gain any additional territory, resulting in a military stalemate. The first phase of the invasion ended in 1596, and was followed afterwards by ultimately unsuccessful peace negotiations between Japan and

8960-462: The number of days worked to determine their salary. The Hyanggun served for two months, rotating every 25 days for a total of five rotations. The Gyeonggisa, which consisted of Hwanghaedo Hyanggisa (local defense forces), served for long periods, while the Byeolpajin served in 16 rotations. The Three Military Garrisons ( Samgunyeong , 삼군영 ; 三軍營 ) was a central military camp formed during

9072-542: The number of militia coming up at once was only 5 squads. Since there were about 127 personnel in one squad, approximately 635 personnel came up for duty at a time. However, this only applies to the local militias, and in addition to the militias, there were various types of troops such as hyang gisa (local cavalry), byeolpajin (special formation breakers), and gongjangabyeong (artisan soldiers), each operating according to their own standards. Some troops, like Gyeonggisa (capital knights), also served as reserve forces. Therefore, it

9184-488: The power of the arquebus greatly contributed to the failures of the Korean army early in the war. In April 1590, the Korean ambassadors, including Hwang Yun-gil and Kim Saung-il, left for Kyoto , where they waited for two months while Hideyoshi was finishing his campaign against the Hojo clan . Upon his return, they exchanged ceremonial gifts and delivered King Seonjo's letter to Hideyoshi. Hideyoshi mistakenly assumed that

9296-499: The promise of a Korean embassy to Japan in exchange for a group of Korean rebels which had taken refuge in Japan. In 1587, Hideyoshi had ordered the adopted father of Yoshitoshi and the daimyō of Tsushima Island , Sō Yoshishige ( 宗義調 ) , to offer the Joseon Dynasty an ultimatum of submitting to Japan and participating in the conquest of China, or facing the prospect of open war with Japan. However, as Tsushima Island enjoyed

9408-564: The reign of King Gojong, include the defense of the city walls and palaces, guarding the palaces, patrolling the city walls and palaces, protecting the eight military stores (gunpo-palcheo), reconnaissance and ambush, enforcing restricted areas, dredging the Juncheon River, and capturing tigers. Let's examine these duties divided into three categories. Their duties varied depending on their rank and role, such as Jangbeon or Beonche (番遞) and Sayeok (official service), and included calculating

9520-593: The rule of King Seonjo , to re-establish diplomatic relations between Korea and Japan (broken since the wokou raid in 1555). Hideyoshi hoped to use this as a foundation to induce the Korean court to join Japan in a war against China. Yasuhiro, with his warrior background and an attitude disdainful of the Korean officials and their customs, failed to receive the promise of future ambassadorial missions from Korea. Around May 1589, Hideyoshi's second embassy, consisting of Sō Yoshitoshi , Yanagawa Shigenobu ( 柳川調信 ) , and Buddhist monk Genso ( 玄蘇 ) , reached Korea and secured

9632-414: The same operational system and organizational structure as Hullyeongdogam and played a crucial role in the defense of the capital. Thirdly, there were political reasons for its establishment, driven by the influence of Kim Seok-ju, the Minister of War at the time. Kim Seok-ju wanted the Ministry of War to directly control the organized military forces, and Geumwiyeong allowed for that oversight. Secondly, it

9744-495: The southern regions with the exception of the southwestern Jeolla Province . The pursuing Ming and Joseon armies attempted to advance further into the south, but were halted by the Japanese army at the Battle of Byeokjegwan . Subsequently, the Japanese armies launched a counterattack in an attempt to reoccupy the northern provinces but were repelled by the defending Joseon army at Haengju fortress . Additionally, Joseon's civilian-led armies actively waged guerrilla warfare against

9856-566: The standing army, which actually has to maintain a certain number, is not managed, causing a problem that most of the numbers are falsely stated just before the war. they wore Brigandine armor, which was popular in Manchuria and Mongolia at the time. This is called Dujeong-gap ( 두정갑 ; 頭釘甲 ). Gyeonggi Too Many Requests If you report this error to the Wikimedia System Administrators, please include

9968-597: The total number of soldiers could be estimated to be around 17,000. However, this is the total number of personnel, and the actual number of soldiers on duty was much smaller. The soldiers of Capital Garrison were mainly composed of local militias (hyanggun) and the Gyeonggisa (capital artillery) and Byeolpajin (separate artillery) units from six provinces excluding Pyeongan Province and Hamgyeong Province. They took turns coming up for duty in rotations of 25. In other words, since they came up every 25 squads starting from 125,

10080-720: The training and education of soldiers, and engaged in various tasks as elite forces. In addition to this military command structure, there were also officers responsible for military training, such as Gyoryeonggwan (training officials) and Gipae-gwan (flag officials), as well as special positions for those skilled in martial arts or those who had contributed to the country, such as Byulmusa (special warrior) and Byulgiwi (special cavalry). There were also Dojejo-gun (military officials) and Byulgun (special officials) who served as messengers and attendants for Dojejo and Jangsin (senior officials). In addition, there were Kwonmugungwan (martial arts officials) established to provide martial arts training to

10192-564: The training units with the Jungcho Army, establishing Geumwiyeong with a total of 14,098 regular soldiers (正軍) and 78,000 reserves (保人). As a result, the financial burden of the Training Agency, which had been significant, was reduced to a fixed number of 5,000 personnel. Originally, Capital Garrison was under the jurisdiction of the Minister of War, but in 1754 (30th year of King Yeongjo's reign), it gained independence and had its own commander, called Capital Daejang. Sukjeong established

10304-426: The two countries. Near the end of the ambassadorial mission, Yoshitoshi presented King Seonjo a brace of peafowl and matchlock guns—the first advanced firearms to come to Korea. Ryu Seong-ryong , a high-ranking scholar official, suggested that the military put the arquebus (a matchlock firearm) into production and use, but the Korean court failed to appreciate its merits. This lack of interest and underestimation of

10416-483: The vicinity. The Seoyeong Camp (West Camp) was located across from Changdeokgung Palace's Gyeongchumun, while the Namyong Camp (South Camp) was situated above Gyeonghuigung Palace's Gaeyangmun. In 1704, during the military reform, in order to match the scale of the Training Agency, it was reorganized into a rotational rank system with a total of one battalion, five companies, twenty-five platoons, and 125 squads. In

10528-543: The war is called Bunroku no eki ( 文禄の役 ) . Bunroku referring to the Japanese era name spanning the period from 1592 to 1596. The second invasion (1597–1598) is called Keichō no eki ( 慶長の役 ) . During the Edo period (17–19th centuries), the war was also called Kara iri ( 唐入り ) ("entry into China" or, more accurately, "entry into Tang ", the dynasty whose name is synonymous with China ). Japan's ultimate purpose

10640-478: The western and southern coasts by the Joseon navy, the remaining Japanese forces in Korea were ordered to withdraw back to Japan by the new governing Council of Five Elders . Final peace negotiations between the parties followed afterwards and continued for several years, ultimately resulting in the normalization of relations. In 1392, General Yi Seonggye led a successful coup to take political power in Korea from U of Goryeo . Seonggye's followers forced him to take

10752-617: The yangban ruling class, as well as Jongsagwan (staff officers) in charge of military affairs and Chamsa (staff officers) for the Geumsong (forbidden pine) of the Hanseongbu. The plan submitted by Kim Seok-ju partially accepted the discussions on the reform of the Training Agency that had been proposed among the officials. First, the plan included reducing 707 out of 5,707 personnel in the Training Agency and sending them to separate training units operated as reserve soldiers. It also combined

10864-457: Was a key organization dealing with military issues, but the military camps existed as independent organizations under the Ministry of War. However, Kim Seok-ju wanted the Minister of War to directly control the organized military forces. Capital Garrison allowed the Minister of War to oversee the military camps under the Ministry of War. Although Capital Garrison was established in 1682 under the Ministry of War (8th year of King Sukjong's reign), it

10976-466: Was capable of considerable feats of organization, for example bringing 400 artillery guns across 480 km of harsh landscape to provide firepower against the Mongols. The core of the Ming army was the infantry, divided into five sections; those armed with guns, swords, archers with fire arrows , archers with ordinary arrows, and spearmen, backed up by the cavalry and artillery. The basic weapons for

11088-463: Was constrained by the naval campaigns of the Korean navy which would continue to raid Japanese supply fleets in its coastal waters, hampering the Japanese advances as supply lines were disrupted along the Western Korean coast and Japanese naval reinforcements were repelled. These trends, with some exceptions on both sides, held true throughout much of the conflict. In 1592, Ming China was at

11200-421: Was divided into four castes : samurai, peasants, artisans, and merchants, in that order. The samurai caste owned most of the land in Japan, had the sole right to carry swords and to execute on the spot any commoner who was insufficiently deferential, and were allowed to own horses and ride into battle. The standard samurai weapon by 1592 was the yari , a spear meant to stab, often with a cross-blade that allowed

11312-401: Was established due to the practical need to strengthen the defense of the capital city. Geumwiyeong had the same operational system and organizational structure as Military Training Agency, and together with Military Training Agency, it played a crucial role in the defense of the capital city. The Royal Defence Command and Command of the Northern Approaches were stationed in the outer regions for

11424-562: Was established in 1682, during the 8th year of King Sukjong's reign, by integrating Jeongchocheong and Hullyeonbyeoldae. Jeongchocheong was originally a unit created by selecting excellent cavalry from the Sokogun (束伍軍), a military unit in Gyeonggi Province, for the purpose of defending the capital city and guarding the royal family during King Injo's reign. It later evolved into an independent military camp called Jeongchocheong as

11536-444: Was followed by a brief interlude between 1596 and 1597 during which Japan and the Ming engaged in ultimately unsuccessful peace talks. In 1597, Japan renewed its offensive by invading Korea a second time. The pattern of the second invasion largely mirrored that of the first. The Japanese had initial successes on land, but the contribution of the Ming forces, as well as the Joseon navy's disruption of Japanese supply fleets, resulted in

11648-492: Was given the nickname Guangdong Master for his naval and military accomplishments. Officers in the Joseon Army and Navy came exclusively from the aristocracy, but unlike the high militarist Japanese aristocracy trained to be soldiers from their youth onward, for the Joseon aristocracy, scholarship was valued and war was disparaged as something unworthy of a Confucian gentleman-scholar. The quality of Korean generalship

11760-419: Was not a completely independent military camp. It was not until 1754 (30th year of King Yeongjo 's reign) that Capital Garrison, like other military camps, had a separate "Daejang" (Grand General) and became fully independent as a military camp. Until the late 19th century, Capital Garrison served as one of the "Three Military Gates," playing a central role in the central military. The Capital Garrison served as

11872-578: Was reassigned as an independent army by King Yeongjo. The Geumwi Camp, also known as "Shinyeong," had its main camp located outside Changdeokgung Palace's Geumho Gate (金虎門) in the central Jungseonbang. The camp was also referred to as "Shinyeong" (新營). As for its subordinate camps, the Nambyeol Camp (South Separate Camp) was established in Naksanbang, southern Nakseondong, along with Namchang (South Warehouse) and Hanamchang (Lower South Warehouse) in

11984-523: Was specialized in dealing with nomadic looters. However, as the Joseon army was easily defeated in the early days of the Imjin War, the Joseon government felt limited in the Five Guard system and switched to the Five Army Camps system. Light infantry protected their chests by wearing eomsimgap ( 엄심갑 ; 掩心甲 ), which was made of leather over a cloth robe that served a similar function to

12096-470: Was the invasion of Ming China. However, during the war, as the reality that the conflict was largely confined to the Korean Peninsula seeped in, Toyotomi Hideyoshi would soon alter his original objectives. In 1592, with an army of more than 160,000 soldiers and approximately 700 ships, Toyotomi Hideyoshi launched what would end up being the first of two invasions of Korea , with the intent of conquering Joseon Korea and eventually, Ming China . Initially,

12208-476: Was the only one operated as a standing army, which placed a heavy financial burden. The government demanded that Hullyeongdogam be operated as a standing army like other military camps. The standing army system involved rotating local farmers who served in Seoul, which did not incur significant costs. However, there was considerable opposition, and ultimately the Military Training Agency could not be abolished. Instead,

12320-575: Was the provinces excluding Pyeongan and Hamgyeong. It consisted of the following positions: one Dojejo (chief councilor of the Central Military Training Institute), one Jejo (councilor) who also served as a Byungjo Panseo (Minister of War). The Dojejo and Jejo held dual positions, and the actual person in charge of the Capital Garrison was the Capital Daejang (Commander-in-Chief). The Capital Daejang, along with

12432-409: Was very common in 16th-century Japan for genealogists to "discover" that someone had illustrious ancestry for the right price, that suggests that Hideyoshi was planning on creating a new office for himself to replace the bakufu . Hideyoshi was also tempted by an external conflict to prevent internal rebellion within Japan, which would keep his newly formed state united against a common enemy, and prevent

12544-514: Was very variable, with some Korean officers being able and others being men who had not devoted much time to the study of war, preferring archery, writing, practicing their calligraphy, and reading Confucian classics. At the end of the period of chaos after the collapse of the Yuan Dynasty, Joseon was mainly focused on dealing with the looting of the Jurchen people and Japanese pirates in

#534465