Battle of Muye
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| Battle of Muye | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
| Shang | Zhou and its alliances | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Di Xin | Wu | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| 530,000 Shang troops |
300 Zhou chariots 3,700 rebel principalities chariots 3,000 Zhou elite 45,000 Zhou footmen 170,000 defecting Shang slaves | ||||||
The Battle of Muye (or Mu) (牧野之戰) was fought in China in 1046 BC. The battle led to the end of the Shang dynasty, and the beginning of the Zhou dynasty. The Zhou dynasty marks the beginning of the feudal phase of Chinese history.
Background
By the 13th century BC, Shang influence had reached what is now Gansu Province, a region that was occupied by a people known as the Zhou. King Wen of Zhou (Ji Chang), the ruler of the Zhou, who was a Shang vassal, was given the title "Count of the West" by the King Di Xin of Shang(King Zhou). Di Xin used Duke Wen to guard his rear while he was involved in a south-eastern campaign.
Eventually Di Xin, fearing Duke Wen's growing power, imprisoned him. Although Wen was later released, the tension between Shang and Zhou grew. Wen prepared his army, and conquared a few smaller loyal states to Shang, slowly weakening Shang 's allies. However, Duke Wen died in 1050BC before Zhou 's actual offence against Shang.
Di Xin paid very little attention to these, as he viewed himself as the rightful ruler of China, a position appointed by the heavens.
Duke Wen's son Duke Wu (Ji Fa) led the Zhou in a revolt a few years later. The reason for this delay was because Duke Wu believed that the "heavenly order" to conquar Shang had not been given.
The Chinese civilians greatly supported Ji 's rebellion. In legend, Di Xin, initially, had been an good ruler. But after he married Daji, he became an ruthless ruler. Many called for the end of the Shang Dynasty.
Battle
Wu led an army of about 50,000. Di Xin's army was at war in the east, but he still had about 530,000 men to defend the capital city of Yin. But to further secure his victory, he gave weapons to about 130,000 slaves to protect the capitol. The slaves did not want to fight for the corrupted Shang Dyansty, and joined the Zhou army instead.
This event grealy lowered the moral of the Shang troops. When engaged, many Shang soldiers did not fight and held their spear upside down, as a sign that they no longer want to fight for the corrupted Shang. Some Shang soldiers joined the Zhou side altogether.
Still, many loyal Shang troops fought on, and a very bloody battle followed. The Zhou troops were much better trained, and their morales were high. In one of the Chariot charges, Wu broke though the Shang 's defense line. Di Xin was forced to flee to his palace, and the remaining Shang troops fell into further chaos. The Zhou were victorious and showed little mercy to the defeated Shang, shedding enough blood "to float a log".
Aftermath
After the battle Di Xin placed many valuable jewelry on himself, and lighted a fire and burned himself to death in his palace. Wu personally killed Daji after he founded her. Shang officals were released without charges, and some later worked as Zhou officials. The imperial rice storage was opened right after the battle, to feed the starving population.
This Battle leaves Wu as master of most of the Huang He valley. Wu proclaimed the Zhou dynasty.