The siege of Kuju () which occurred in 1231 was a decisive

Goryeo Goryeo (; ) was a Korean state founded in 918, during a time of national division called the Later Three Kingdoms period, that unified and ruled the Korea, Korean Peninsula until the establishment of Joseon in 1392. Goryeo achieved what has b ...

victory against the

Mongol Empire The Mongol Empire was the List of largest empires, largest contiguous empire in human history, history. Originating in present-day Mongolia in East Asia, the Mongol Empire at its height stretched from the Sea of Japan to parts of Eastern Euro ...

. After the Mongol army crossed the Yalu river, it quickly captured almost all of Goryeo's border defenses. The Mongol army, however, ran into stiff resistance both at Anju and the city of Kuju (modern-day

Kusong Kusŏng (; ) is a city in central North Pyongan province, North Korea. It borders Taegwan to the north, Taechon to the east, Kwaksan and Chongju to the south, and Chonma to the west. The highest point is Chongryongsan (청룡산, 920 m). E ...

), commanded by General Park Seo. For thirty days, the Mongols besieged the city and attacked it hundreds of times. To take Kuju, Saritai used a full array of siege weapons to bring down the city's defenses. Lines of catapults launched both boulders and molten metals at the city's walls. The Mongols deployed special assault teams who manned siege towers and scaling ladders. Other tactics used were pushing flaming carts against the city's wooden gates and tunneling under the walls. The most grisly weapon used during the siege were fire-bombs which contained boiled down, liquefied

human fat Human fat was mentioned in European pharmacopoeias since the 16th century as an important fatty component of quality deemed ointments and other pharmaceuticals in Europe. In old recipes human adipose tissue was mentioned as ''Pinguedo hominis'' ...

. During the siege, an old Mongol General of over seventy years of age toured beneath the city walls to look over the citys ramparts and equipment. He sighed and said: :"I have follow the ongolarmy since I bound my hair nto plaits as a youthand so I am accustomed to seeing the cities of the earth attacked and fought over. Still I have never seen cityundergo an attack like this which did not, in the end, submit." Despite the fact the Goryeo army was heavily outnumbered and after over thirty days of brutal siege warfare, Goryeo soldiers still refused to surrender and with mounting Mongol casualties, the Mongol army could not take the city and had to withdraw.

Aftermath

Kuju would submit to the Mongols in 1232, after multiple demands by the Goryeo court which had sued for peace with the Mongols much earlier. Pak Seo and Ch'oe Ch'unmyŏmg, defender of Chaju, were almost executed but the Mongols spared them owing to their courage, which they admired. Despite this initial peace, fighting would resume between Goryeo and the Mongol Empire in June 1232.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kuju, Siege of Military of Goryeo Kuju Kuju 1230s in the Mongol Empire 1231 in Asia Kuju Kuju

Aftermath

See also

References