Gojoseon–Han War
| Gojoseon-Han War | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Belligerents | |||||||
| Gojoseon | Han Dynasty | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| King Ugeo † Seong Gi † Min. No In (POW) Min. Han Eum (POW) Min. Sam (POW) Gen. Wang Gyeop (POW) |
Yang Pu Xun Zhi |
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| Strength | |||||||
| Unknown | 57,000+ | ||||||
The Gojoseon–Han War was a campaign launched by the Han Dynasty of China against Wiman Joseon, the last remaining part of Gojoseon after many kingdoms in the Korean peninsula became independent states, between 109 BC and 108 BC.[1]
Contents |
[edit] Background
After King Wiman took the Gojoseon throne, relations between Han and Gojoseon deteriorated.[2] The direct pretext for war came when King Ugeo of Gojoseon had a Han envoy executed, which angered Emperor Wu of Han.[3]
The Chinese viewpoint on this struggle is described in the Records of the Grand Historian (史記), according to which the kingdom of Gojoseon had blocked trade between the Han Dynasty and the other kingdoms to the east and did not pay any homage to Han. The Korean viewpoint on this struggle is that Wiman Joseon did not have any duty of homage to Han because Wiman Joseon was a sovereign nation and in a political alliance including Xiongnu against the Han Dynasty.
Another assessment of the situation seems to be that Han was looking for a chance to exercise its might as a unified Chinese dynasty. Emperor Wu of Han appointed She He (涉何) as an ambassador to Gojoseon in 109 B.C. After a failed negotiations, She He killed a general Jang (長) at the border on his way back to Han. She He later became an administrator of a north eastern Han province.
Enraged by this act, King Ugeo attacked the territory of She He and killed him. Seeing a chance to declare war against Gojoseon, the Han Dynasty thus sent 50,000 strong army and 7,000 strong navy to conquer the Gojoseon.
[edit] Course of the war
In 109 BC, Emperor Wu of Han launched a military campaign into Gojoseon.[4]
[edit] Siege of Wanggeom
A force of Yang Pu (杨仆) was defeated and another force of Xun Zhi (荀彘) was also obstructed by Wiman Joseon.[citation needed] So, Emperor Wu sent an envoy ordering surrender.[citation needed] King Ugeo sent the crown prince for negotiations. Due to misunderstandings the negotiations failed and war was resumed.
King Ugeo kept Wanggeom-seong, the capital city of Wiman Joseon, for several months from Han forces. Xun Zhi, having overall command by the Emperor Wu, imprisoned Yang Pu and unified the whole Han forces and the attacks became stronger. Wiman Joseon officials such as No In (朝鮮相 路人), Han Eum (相 韓陰), Sam (尼谿相 參), Wang Gyeop (王唊) insisted to surrender to Han. But king Ugeo disagreed. Eventually, in April of 108 BC, three of the ministers surrendered to Han and Sam later let King Ugeo be assassinated.
Though the king died the capital city didn't fall. Under the leadership of Minister Seong Gi (成己), Gojoseon people still struggled against Han. But, Seong Gi was also assassinated and the city finally fell to Han.
[edit] Aftermath
After the war, four Han commanderies were founded to administer the former Gojoseon territories,[2] with its most significant commandery located in Lelang (near present-day Pyongyang).[3] It controlled the region until 313 AD.[4] The conquest of Gojoseon in 108 BC by Han, ultimately led to the Proto-Three Kingdoms period of Korea.[5]
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ Il-yeon (2006). Samguk Yusa: Legends and history of the Three Kingdoms of Ancient Korea (Translated by Ha, Tae-Hung & Mintz, Grafton K.). Rockville: Silk Pagoda. pp. 20-22. ISBN 1-59654-348-5.
- ^ a b Sin, Hyŏng-sik (2006). A brief history of Korea (2nd print ed.). Seoul: Ewha Womans University Press. pp. 22−23. ISBN 9788973006199.
- ^ a b Pai, Hyung II (1992). "Culture contact and culture change: The Korean Peninsula and its relations with the Han Dynasty commandery of Lelang". World Archaeology 23 (3): 309.
- ^ a b Matray, James Irving (2005). Korea divided: The thirty-eighth parallel and the Demilitarized Zone. Philadelphia: Chelsea House Publishers. p. 18. ISBN 9780791078297.
- ^ West, Barbara A. (2009). Encyclopedia of the peoples of Asia and Oceania. New York: Infobase Publishing. p. 412. ISBN 9780816071098.
