How the Samurai Defended Against the Mongols - Middle Ages DOCUMENTARY

[@KingsandGenerals]

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[@AaronTV2021]

No thanks

[@BontoBontoa]

I hope you can make video about Javanese in Singasari and Majapahit era defeat mongols

[@hudsonconant6335]

You guys have no videos about Scottish history, not even the rebellions or anything. Im sure a lot of people would enjoy a video series about Scotland, just an idea🤔🙏

[@ClassicPengins]

Love a good Jackmeister/Kings and Generals collab!

[@kitchengorilla5346]

Joining after the holidays 🎉

[@birjarualin890]

“Less honorable samurai sneaking around the island of Tsushima” I see what you did there, nice game reference

[@Lohengrin88]

"Honor died on that Beach" Lord Shimura can shit talk all he wants. Jin did what needed to be done.

[@georgepatton93]

contained the enemies at the beach head, don't let them in open country, nullify one of the Mongol's main strength, ie horsemanship, by forcing them into frontal slog fest, hell even the Japanese archers weren't slouches themselves when comparing to the Mongols, etc. The Mongols were doomed to fail, since there were away too many disadvantages from the beginning

[@slickjim861]

I think that the mongols facing an enemy as ruthless and cunning as them threw them off. The fact that samurai were expert marksmen on horses nuked the mongols main advantage just like you said. Mobility and archery where the 2 main ploys of the mongols.

[@yakumoyukari4405]

There were little to none Mongols to begin with, it was primarily Korean and Chinese/Yuan army

[@aldrinmilespartosa1578]

​@yakumoyukari4405 called auxiliaries. That's basically standard practice to empire building 101. Alexander has it, the Romans has it.

[@yakumoyukari4405]

@@aldrinmilespartosa1578 yes but as said there practically no Mongols, especially at the first invasion since that supposed to have been sorta recon expedition rather than conquering one

[@aldrinmilespartosa1578]

@@yakumoyukari4405 reacon is a small word.

[@Uribo_BFV]

I was very impressed by your historically correct video about the Mongol invasion of Japan, as I was fed up with so many people believing in the so-called "kamikaze myth" that Japan just happened to win thanks to typhoons.

[@megapangolin1093]

Completely fascinating and educational video. One could never have anticipated just how complex Japanese feudal society was, especially the leadership. As for the legal complexity of raising troops it rivals the modern day. Well done, I really enjoyed this.

[@shehansenanayaka3046]

Kings and generals always give us best videos. We always appreciate your hard work and dedication to make these videos

[@ronjohnson6916]

Love the look at the way various cultures dealt with (or failed to deal with) the Mongols. Also like the way the downside of the actions taken was pointed out. Yeah it worked, but ...

[@elgoblino4578]

it is indeed fascinating, it amazes me how they where a scourge for the whole world and nobody was safe from them. and how all these nations rose from the ashes or valiantly defended their homeland.

[@1998topornik]

Consequences would be devastating. Also Kamakura's period Japanese government was bonkers.

[@WaveRider1989]

Japanese luckly had the island geographic advantage; otherwise it seems the politics and military were weak to beat power like Mongols I'm the battle field.

[@Ecclesia_]

It is always good to have a manual ready for 'how to defend against the Mongols'. You never know when they might strike again! Thank you for this valuable piece of work.

[@soumyadiptamajumder8795]

The Second Invasion (Koan Campaign) Kublai Khan's second invasion fleet was a whole lot bigger than the first one. This time, thanks to his recent defeat of the Song and acquisition of their navy, there were 4,400 ships and around 100,000 men, again a mix of Mongol, Chinese, and Korean warriors. Once again, the invaders hit Tsushima (9 June) and Iki (14 June) before attacking Hakata Bay on Kyushu on 23 June 1281 CE. This time, though, the force split and one fleet attacked Honshu where it was rebuffed at Nagato. Meanwhile, at Hakata, the Japanese put their defences to good use and presented a stiff resistance. The fortification walls did their job, and this time the attackers could not establish themselves permanently on the beach, resulting in much shipboard fighting. Eventually, after heavy losses, the Mongols withdraw first to Shiga and Noki Islands and then to Iki Island. There they were harassed by Japanese ships making constant raids into the Mongol fleet using small boats and much courage. Many of the later stories of samurai heroics come from this episode of the invasion. The Khan then dispatched reinforcements from southern China, perhaps another 40,000 men (some sources go as high as 100,000), and the two armies gathered to make a combined push deeper into Japanese territory, this time selecting Hirado as the target in early August. The combined fleets then moved east and attacked Takashima, the battle there taking place on 12 August. Fierce fighting raged for several weeks and the invaders likely faced shortages of supplies. Then, yet again, the weather intervened and caused havoc. On 14 August a typhoon destroyed most of the Mongol fleet, wrecking ships that had been tied together for safety against Japanese raids and smashing the uncontrollable vessels against the coastline. From half to two-thirds of the Mongol force was killed. Thousands more of the Khan's men were washed up or left stranded on the beaches of Imari Bay, and these were summarily executed, although some Song Chinese, former allies of Japan, were spared. Those ships that survived sailed back to China. The storm winds that either sunk or blew the Mongol ships safely away from Japanese shores were given the name kamikaze or 'divine winds.' as they were seen as a response to the Japanese appeal to Hachiman, the Shinto god of war, to send help to protect the country against a vastly numerically superior enemy. The name kamikaze would be resurrected for the Japanese suicide pilots of the Second World War (1939-1945 CE) as they, too, were seen as the last resort to once again save Japan from invasion. It seems, too, that the Mongol ships were not particularly well-built and so proved much less seaworthy than they should have been. Modern marine archaeology has revealed that many of the ships had especially weak mast steps, which is something absolutely not to have in the case of a storm. The poor workmanship may have been due to Kublai Khan rushing to get the invasion fleet together as many of the ships in the fleet were of a variety without a keel and highly unsuitable for sea voyages. Further, Chinese ships of the period were actually renowned for their seaworthiness, so it seems the demand for a huge fleet in a short space of time resulted in a risk that did not pay off. Nevertheless, the crucial factor in the fleet's demise was the Japanese attacks which had forced the Mongol commanders to have their large and unwieldy ships lashed together using chains. It was this defensive measure which proved fatal, come the typhoon.

[@bloodshedthehuman]

Any book recommendation on this fascinating subject?

[@soumyadiptamajumder8795]

@@bloodshedthehuman The Secret History of Mongols

[@shin9926e]

actually, typhoon did not related, Because very near,, simply samurai fought and won.

[@abcdef27669]

Always loved to read about this subject. We usually associate Japanese Warfare with the Sengoku Period or the Imperial Expansion Era, making interesting to see Japan dealing with a foreign invasion. It is curious how this event isn't popular as the Sengoku Period, and everybody thinks that Japan was saved only by the typhoons, and not by the courage of the Japanese people.

[@Edax_Royeaux]

"A warrior learns from his mistakes, or is buried by them." - [Lord Sakai] Ghost of Tsushima

[@Definitely_not_Andrew_Yoshiaki]

The most ironic part, is that the Japanese themselves began to attribute the victories against the mongols to the typhoons as well. I remember picking up a textbook here in junior high in Saitama and the Sengoku Jidai was talked about wayyy more than the Mongol invasion. Sure, the sengoku jidai is arguably one of the most crucial time periods over here, making way to the eventual ascension of Tokugawa Ieyasu and relocating the capital from Kyoto to Edo (later Tokyo), but the mongol invasion narrative has been often boiled down to the typhoons, to the point that Japanese tokkotai bombers (Kamikazes) adorned themselves with hachimaki that emphasized the kamikaze or shipuu, (divine winds) that turned the tide to Japan's favor against a foreign invader before.

[@lostShadowLord]

The Japanese Government at the time claimed that the victorys were due to the storms. Now part of this was due to the fact that it was cheaper to 'reward' the temples rather then everyone who fought - because the reward system for samurai was well land mostly which was in very limited supply and the Japanese were not in a position to invade the mainland you could however reward the temple with donations and other ways.

[@Skeloperch]

@@lostShadowLord IMO, the correct play by the Hojos would've been to invade Hokkaido and parcel out the land there. Taiwan was also free for the taking, as were the Ryukyuan islands.

[@hugom2418]

Wonderful to see a good historical video on the topic, since many go the easy route and do not go over fine and important details and just chalk it all up to the kamikaze. Thank you for your work!

[@robwalsh9843]

It's interesting when you compare Japan with Britain. Despite becoming one of the largest empires in the world, Britain was subject to defeats in the homeland from invading Romans, Vikings, Normans, Dutch, etc. Japan did a remarkable job defending their homeland for centuries, but had a much smaller empire than Britain. They had a rare amount of self-rule in those days.

[@billybob5337]

Because the British empire was far from being established at that point. England didn't rise to being a major kingdom until the late middle ages. And the British Empire would first emerge in the 1500s and 1600s. long after the invasions you mentioned. in the first century A.D. it was a local power with no defined, permanent identity. Where different groups were competing for rule over the island. Britons, Romans, Saxons, Vikings, Normans, etc.......Once England truly formed, it was never taken over ever again.

[@KonradvonHotzendorf]

​@@billybob5337Did we🇩🇪 loose 🤔

[@Rahbekkk]

Crazy how the threat of the mongols inadvertently led to 250 ish years of, more or less, a perpetual state of civil war in Japan.

[@eugenic12]

and the appearance of the modern Japanese culture as we know it

[@fadelpw511]

@@eugenic12 mongols give us big tiddy anime waifu

[@SpaceCowboy37]

I just started the video, is that mentioned ? If not can you explain more, I would love to know more!

[@Rahbekkk]

​ The systems that the japanese put in place to combat the mongols, increased pay to samurais, decentralization of power/ stripping the Emperor of any actual power etc. left Japan in an never ending state of civilwar for the title of Shogun by the Daimyos (Warlords) until the start of the Edo Period. Fully equipped with changing alliances, backstabbing, intrigue and all the works It's a very interesting period.

[@SpaceCowboy37]

@@Rahbekkk would this also explain Japan’s extreme militarism rise in the 1880s with the conflict of the Sino War? This militarism aspect helped propel them into their actions for World War 2. Also, could this be more attributed to their opening to the world with American ambassadors and soldiers teaching them more of modern warfare ? This leads me to think since the Mongol invasions of Japan, American training of military modern warfare, and Sino War. Built them into the warlike nation seen in World War 2.

[@ohtpus]

this channel has helped me through many restless nights. big thanks to everyone involved!

[@Roboheart1119]

This is one of your best videos. I am familiar with the basics but never heard the amount of detail you provided. 👍

[@jozzieokes3422]

im always learning new things, thanks to your amazing team!

[@mojotheaverage]

I'm really glad that western accounts are finally giving up on the myth that the mongols only failed due to the kamikaze and not due to the hard fighting of the samurai and their innovative tactics

[@goldenfiberwheat238]

It’s so funny to me that imperial Japan’s propaganda is based on a lie

[@dunsdonjone1537]

This is fact, not myth.

[@ennui9745]

@@dunsdonjone1537 It's like you didn't even watch the video. 🤣🤦

[@dunsdonjone1537]

@@ennui9745 No. More like YOU didn't watch it

[@ennui9745]

@@dunsdonjone1537 Nope, you didn't watch it, since you think that the Japanese were sitting around twiddling their thumbs and the Mongols just got destroyed by the typhoons. 😂

[@soumyadiptamajumder8795]

The Mongol invasions of Japan took place in 1274 and 1281 CE when Kublai Khan (r. 1260-1294 CE) sent two huge fleets from Korea and China. In both cases, the Japanese, and especially the samurai warriors, vigorously defended their shores but it would be typhoon storms and the so-called kamikaze or 'divine winds' which sank and drowned countless ships and men, thus saving Japan from foreign conquest. The whole glorious episode, which mixed divine intervention with martial heroism, would gain and hold mythical status in Japanese culture forever after. Diplomatic Opening The Mongols had already sucked half of China and Korea into their huge empire, and their leader Kublai Khan now set his sights on Japan. Kublai was the grandson of Genghis and had founded the Yuan dynasty of China (1271-1368 CE) with his capital at Dadu (Beijing), but just why he now wanted to include Japan in his empire is unclear. He may have sought to conquer Japan for its resources. The country did have a long-standing reputation in East Asia as a land of gold, a fact recounted in the West by the Venetian traveller Marco Polo(1254-1324 CE). Kublai Khan may have wished to enhance his prestige or eliminate the trade between that country and his great enemy in southern China, the Southern Song Dynasty (1125-1279 CE). The conquest of Japan would also have brought a new and well-equipped army into the Khan's hands, which he could have used to good effect against the troublesome Song. The invasions may even have been some sort of revenge for the havoc that the wako (Japanese pirates) had been causing to East Asian coastlines and trade ships. Whatever his reasons, the approach was clear: diplomacy first, warfare second. The Great Khan sent a letter to Japan in 1268 CE recognising its leader as the 'king of Japan' and expressing a desire to foster friendly relations but also demanding tribute be paid to the Mongol court with the ominously veiled threat that the use of arms was, the Khan hoped, to be avoided. A Chinese ambassador, Zhao Liangbi, was also sent to Japan in 1270 CE, and he stayed there for a year to foster some sort of understanding between the two nations. Further letters and ambassadors were sent by the Khan up to 1274 CE, but all were blatantly ignored as if the Japanese did not quite know how to respond and so decided to sit silently on the diplomatic fence. The Kamakura Shogunate had ruled Japan since 1192 CE, and the regent shogun Hojo Tokimune (r. 1268-1284 CE) was confident he could meet any threat from mainland Asia. Troops were put on alert in the Dazaifu fortress and military base in northwest Kyushu where any invasion seemed most likely to land, but the Khan's diplomatic approach was rebuffed both by the Japanese emperor and the shogunate. The lack of subtlety in the Japanese response to the Khan's overtures may have been down to their lack of experience in international relations after a long period of isolation and by the bias of their principal contact with mainland Asia, the Southern Song, and the low opinion exiled Chinese Zen Buddhist monks had of their Mongol conquerors. The First Invasion (Bunei Campaign) The Khan amassed a fleet of some 800-900 ships and dispatched it from Korea to Japan in early November 1274 CE. The ships carried an army of some 16,600-40,000 men, which consisted of Mongols and conscripted Chinese and Koreans. The first Japanese territory to receive these invaders was Tsushima and Iki Islands on 5 and 13 November respectively, which were then plundered. The Mongol attacks had met stiff resistance on Tsushima, where the defenders were led by So Sukekuni, but were successful largely thanks to superior numbers. The defensive force at Iki, led by Taira Kagetaka, was equally valiant, but they were eventually obliged to make a last stand within Hinotsume castle. When no reinforcements came from the mainland, the castle fell. After a brief stop at Takashima Island and the Matsuura peninsula, the invasion fleet proceeded to Hakata Bay, landing on 19 November. The large bay's sheltered and shallow waters had suggested to the Japanese this would be the exact spot chosen by the Mongol commanders. Prepared they may have been, but the total Japanese defence force was still small, between 4,000 and 6,000 men. The Mongols won the first engagements thanks to their superior numbers and weapons - the powerful double-horn bow and gunpowder grenades fire by catapults - and their more dynamic battlefield strategies using well-disciplined and skilful cavalry which responded to orders conveyed by gongs and drums. The Mongols had other effective weapons, too, such as armour-piercing crossbows and poisoned arrows. In addition, the Japanese were not used to combat involving mass troop movements as they favoured allowing individual warriors to pick their own single targets. Rather, the Japanese warriors operated in small groups led by a mounted samurai skilled at archery and a number of protective infantry armed with a naginata or curved-blade pole-arm. Another disadvantage was that the Japanese tended to use shields only as protective walls for archers while the Mongols and the Korean infantry typically carried a shield of their own as they moved around the battlefield. The samurai did have certain advantages over the enemy as they wore iron-plate and leather armour (only the Mongol heavy cavalry wore armour) and their long sharp swords were used much more effectively than the Mongol short sword. Curiously, 18 days after first landing on Japanese soil and despite creating a bridgehead at Hakata Bay, the invaders did not push on deeper into Japanese territory. Perhaps this was because of supply problems or the death of the Mongol general Liu Fuxiang, killed by a samurai's arrow. It may also be true that the whole 'invasion' was actually a reconnaissance mission for the second larger invasion yet to come and no conquest was ever intended in 1274 CE. Whatever the motive, the invaders remained by their ships for the night, withdrawing out into the bay for safety on 20 November. This was a fateful decision because, in some accounts, a terrible storm then struck which killed up to a third of the Mongol army and severely damaged the fleet. The attackers were thus obliged to withdraw back to Korea. Diplomatic Interval Kublai Khan then returned to diplomacy and sent another embassy to Japan in 1275 CE demanding, once again, tribute be paid. This time the shogunate was even more dismissive in its reply and beheaded the Mongol ambassadors on a beach near Kamakura. The Khan was undeterred and sent a second embassy in 1279 CE. The messengers met the same fate as their predecessors, and the Khan realised only force would bring Japan into the Mongol Empire. However, Kublai Khan was occupied with campaigns in southern China against the Song, and it would be two more years before he turned his attention once again to Japan. Meanwhile, the Japanese had been expecting an imminent invasion ever since 1274 CE, and this period of high suspense made a great dent in the government's treasury. Apart from keeping the army on standby, fortifications were built and massive stone walls erected around Hakata Bay in 1275 CE which measured some 19 kilometres (12 miles) in length and were up to 2.8 metres (9 ft) high in places. Intended to permit archers on horses, the inner sides of the Hakata walls were sloped while the outer facing was sheer. If a second invasion was to come, Japan was now much more prepared for it.

[@xSavedSoulx]

that's a lot of text

[@ronaldgrove3283]

😢 To bad you couldn't include illustrations with your book.

[@soumyadiptamajumder8795]

@@ronaldgrove3283 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@OspreyPens]

we have been watching your documentary for several years and absolutely love your content keep up the great work

[@christianabbott9048]

This was an awesome video! Thank you for this! I had just purchased a book covering the Mongolian invasions of Japan. Decided to watch this before reading it to give me an insight of what I would be looking at. Awesome video!

[@ksmsepk607]

これは新しい研究が反映されているようですね いまだに台風の話ばかりが有名ですが これが真実のようです

[@javiermartinezjr8849]

The Japanese used there archers as a static force,they'd deploy wooden Palisades essentially a small wall say 8ft high , and they'd just volley the boats,and once on land they'd shoot at individuals with extreme accuracy I read from some old Korean manuscript from a book,was a Korean guy who captained a boat made in South China and was tasked with providing cover fire via catapults rockets etc from boats,he said "half the men on the landing boat were killed before landed" just one boat of course but man the details were gruesome

[@Ki_Hon]

I really enjoy the Kings and Generals content. I would love to see more about japan (like the Gempei War 1180-85). I am really looking forward to the announced content about japan.

[@hantu7380]

Really interested about his take on battles such as the battle at uji river, kurikara touge and of course dan no ura.

[@brokenbridge6316]

It seems that the Mongol Invasion played a role in the downfall of the Kamakura Bakufu. Oh the irony. Great video.

[@fish-kt4iq]

Yeah if you don't pay your soldiers, shit gonna happen to you.

[@stonefish1318]

You must have realize that i just started to watch your whole mongolian history serie in my holidays! Thanks for the fresh stuff, love it!

[@yyyymmddhhmm]

The Revolt in Korea you mentioned is called the Sambyeolcho Rebellion, and it did not end in 1271 but in 1273. The Sambyeolcho was the best elite military unit in all of Korea back then and fended off the Mongolian armies and their Korean proxies allied with the King's faction (Wonjong) for 3 years until they were finally brought down by in Jeju Island with General Kim Tong-Jung's death.

[@MongoIndyleo]

I can tell the artists had a lot of fun with this one haha

[@minoru-kk]

Thank you K&G for clarifying great time buy until annual typhoon in English! These are overlooked not only by the West but also by militarist Japanese. Fun fact: "Katsu" may didnt mean "victory" but a cry of encouragement in Zen Buddhism. In this case he might said he would just clear his mind and do the best

[@Kurtownia]

7:48 The way you pronounced "katsu" sounded more like "ketsu", which means "ass" :D

[@husaria503]

The legend that the kamikaze defeated the Mongols is merely a legend created by the religious powers of the time to show off their divine power. In reality, the Kamakura warriors annihilated the Mongolian army by force of arms.

[@shinsenshogun900]

Eventually, the hype of religious fervour, favored by the civilians and the politicking clergy of armed Buddhist abbots of the time, coupled together with angry unpaid samurai, produced a rather concerning civil war that first saw the military government of the Hojo Regency collapsed, and the Imperial government attempting to bring back lost powers and currying the courtesies of the peoples and the zealous, only to be then failed by the very samurai they were supposed to rein in, bringing forth the next and weakest of Japan's feudal regimes.

[@fish-kt4iq]

The Shogunate didn't want to pay the Samurai and claimed act of god on them. Usually they take the defeated lands and pay the Samurai but there was no change of land, to no pay they claim act of god.

[@lmichael4307]

not really, the majority of Mongol casualties were from the storm, the amount of Mongols that were killed in combat only make up a minuscule percentage of the total Mongol fleet

[@megathicc6367]

Dude there's literally no contemporary accounts that even mentions a storm. Clearly didn't watch the video ​@@lmichael4307

[@AlexanderK9519]

​​@@lmichael4307mongols were badly beaten, the storms were the crushing blow to their fleet

[@romanhama5377]

King and generals please do one on the Kurds and their involvement and contribution in all the chaos that happened when ancient empires, mongols, muslims, colonial forces fought over their lands. With all the history we got, I am surprised you haven't done a video about us already.

[@LeixWUxLong]

I second that, would be awesome to know the history of the brave Kurds.

[@TheJesseJoshuaJournal]

Very interesting information about the samurai.

[@wantshasudda]

fake history

[@robbabcock_]

Great video! A fascinating topic to be sure.

[@ralambosontiavina7372]

Excellent work

[@白い紙-v1e]

制度面をここまで詳しく扱ってくれる元寇の解説動画はなかなかないです

[@jaykatz9785]

I wonder if the Mongols found a way to limit the eligible claimants for Great Khan. Otherwise who knows how many civil wars there could've been if the empire lasted longer. I think one of the early kings of England limited the Witan to elect only the brothers and sons of a current king. I hope we get a video on the coronation of a Khan!

[@TheJackmeisterMongolHistory]

They did, actually! It appears initially it was meant to remain limited to the descendants of Chinggis Khan's son Ögedei (and he appears to have nominated many of his own sons/grandsons as heirs at various times and various states of sobriety), but at the start of the 1250s, Möngke (a son of Chinggis' son Tolui) led a coup which usurped the leadership from Ögedei's lineage. After that, succession tended to preferred (and pass easier to) brothers and sons of the previous khan; it was much harder (though not impossible) for more distant relations to claim the throne. The Mongols did have a practice of nominating/selecting heirs, but it was not an inviolable, rigid thing and they did not automatically became khan after the predecessor's death; they still had to be confirmed at quriltai, which left them open to challengers. What we see in each of the khanates after 1260 is that succession was limited to descendants of a certain member of the family who established the independent khanate; so in Golden Horde, it was only descendants of Batu who could become khan; in Ilkhanate, descendants of Hülegü (especially of his son Abaqa); Yuan Dynasty, descendants of Khubilai's son Jinggim and in Chagatai Khanate, mostly descendants of Chagatai's son Mötüken. However, when these lineages went extinct (such as Batu's in the 1360s, or Abaqa's in the 1330s) then the succession became more of a free-for-all (where we'll see real distant members of the family, even descended from other sons of Chinggis, claiming power) and not coinicdentally, these are also periods of great instability, civil-war and many, many short-reigning khans.

[@jaykatz9785]

@@TheJackmeisterMongolHistory Thank you Jackmeister and congratulations for your 7 years of contributions to Mongol history! I find the Mongols fascinating

[@jaykatz9785]

@@TheJackmeisterMongolHistory Do you know how the eligible but unelected candidates were appeased? Were they given a few Minghans or a Tumens as an appanage?

[@TheJackmeisterMongolHistory]

@@jaykatz9785 A good bit of bribery was an important part of these election processes. Many appear to have been forced to back down on account of "legality," (i.e, there was some sort of "will" of the previous khan that at least a major part of the elite saw as inappropriate to violate, as some argue was the case with the Chinggis/Ögedei transition, where there is slight indication that Tolui may have contested things briefly). Some were satiated through agreements (i.e., "the throne may pass to you if I die (without heir?)," as appears to have been the cases with Berke and Möngke-Temür Khan in the Golden Horde, in the opinion of some). More than a handful were killed, or their lands and peoples confiscated and they themselves or sent to the front lines (As Great Khan Möngke did to most of those who had been potential rivals in his election). There's a few cases where the "appeased" turned around and killed the victor shortly after, and declared himself Khagan (as Tugh-Temür did to his brother Qoshila in 1329). Elections of Khans like Öz Beğ in the Golden Horde and Ghazan in the Ilkhanate were followed by widespread massacres of princes who were seen as rivals, in part to reduce the potential claimants to the throne.

[@joshbeckett9255]

Anyone else remember this guy from Civ 6, never knew he was such a smart leader!

[@Howyoullappear-eb8vo]

Excellent! Love this series

[@LunaLuaChakra]

Its unreal that takamune was 18 years old

[@christophermarkee5445]

Well, it was either grow up, quick or die young.

[@rawclavdia6349]

Wow!Warrior Age!Great physical fitness and everything else.

[@phucvinh2883]

Vietnam saved Japan from the 3rd invasion because of the defeat of Mongol at Dai Viet and Champa, which caused much more pride damage

[@mimorisenpai8540]

Because kublai death and his successor not expansionist

[@Blayt7hh]

I am glad you guys posted this. Weirdly, the Samurai get an exaggerated image. But among people interested in history, I feel like they often take that exaggeration and use it as a reason to dismiss any success Japan or the Samurai had in war. No, they were not supernatural swordsmen. But yes, Japan did defeat the invasions from Mongolia fair and square.

[@אורן-ב8ע]

the smurai ara no more exaggerated in culture than other warriors. and no one thinks they were supernatural swordsmen. all attribute their victory to the weathaer.

[@-RONNIE]

Thanks for the video 👍🏻

[@londonbudgetgardner5205]

Excellent video New perspective

[@darthvader4338]

This is beautiful don't get me wrong 😂not the war or anything but the documentary

[@spateri728]

Interesting. I loved the game very very loosely based around this. Great to hear the history around it. 😊

[@willpark111]

Hanseong was not the Korean capital at the time. It was Gaegyeong (present day Gaeseong)

[@oneshotme]

I enjoyed your video and I gave it a Thumbs Up

[@theawesomeman9821]

The Yuan dynasty was a duel monarchy of China and Mongolia in the same way the Habsburg dynasty reigned as a duel monarchy of Austro-Hungary. Most territory that China either controls or claims nowadays is based off of the gains of the Yuan dynasty. So if you think about it, Japan not only defeated Mongolia but also China.

[@Wintersun131]

Great vid. Reminds me of the first Shogun Total War game which had this war as a campaign option.

[@seanpoore2428]

Not even single a mention of 'totally real historical figure and hero of Tsushima, the Ghost Jin Sakai'😁

[@Crazyfrog41]

But he did mention it at the very begining of the video

[@elzhann.6760]

@@Crazyfrog41less honor samurai sneaking around Tsushima 😁

[@fish-kt4iq]

​@@elzhann.6760that's actually how early samurai fought. 9 of 10 major samurai battles were surprise attacks or ambushes, they are after all horse archers.

[@tabiasobi]

7:48 For a moment there, I thought I heard "ketsu" instead of "katsu" (victory), which has a totally different meaning 😅

[@maisteratte8107]

What does it mean?

[@Exocrotic-yn2ck]

​@@maisteratte8107 it means @$$

[@darthvader4338]

I don’t know if anyone can answer this, but why did almost everyone decided to kill the Mongol envoys 😅

[@minoru-kk]

Well at least military espionage by the envoys were reported to Bakufu

[@jimmychase8494]

Because some dudes come up and say it is gods will you surrender to the Khan, just because it was the smarter decision usually to do so doesn't mean people would have. Khan get his Cassius Belly if the envoys get killed, so he probably laid it on pretty thick, hence why the kieven Rus and so many other killed them.

[@Asterix958]

​@@kth6736 Also killing envoy is way common. When I read Ottoman history, I see that Ottomans and their enemies kill their envoys each others frequently.

[@khongor6962]

The biggest reason was the message those envoys brought with them, try reading one for example: We, by the power of the eternal heaven, Khan of the great Ulus, Our command. "You must say with a sincere heart: "We will be your subjects; we will give you our strength". You must in person come with your kings, all together, without exception, to render us service and pay us homage. Only then will we acknowledge your submission. And if you do not follow the order of God, and go against our orders, we will know you as our enemy." - Letter from Güyük to Pope Innocent IV, 1246.[4][5]

[@vitorpereira9515]

I can't wait for the Mongol invasion of Java. Raden Wijaya played the mongols like a fiddle. He not only used the Mongols to defeat his enemies but he caught them by surprise and kick them out o Java. And thanks to the firearms confiscated from the Mongols he created the Majapahit Empire

[@vonneely1977]

Any Mount & Blade veteran will tell how devastating horse archers are in open plains & how useless they are in trees & mountains.

[@shinsenshogun900]

Much worse in deep waters and narrow confines.

[@fish-kt4iq]

But that's how early samurai fought, they were trees and mountain horse archers

[@TV-jg2kj]

Goryeo didn't have Hanseong as its capital. The capital of Goryeo was Gaegyeong. And Goryeo was a supporter of Kublai Khan, so the Goryeo royal family and Kublai Khan became relatives.

[@guillermogutierrez47]

Orochi light spam saving dynasties

[@MoGumbo_]

whos here after Ghost of Tsushiman got droped on PC?

[@largamau]

Just finished Ghost of Tsushima on New Years Day. Its amazing how they incorporate real world events to fictional characters that it made the game more realistic.

[@NotRalff]

We all know the Ghost defeated the Mongols.

[@marcello7781]

The Mongol invasions of Japan were the topic that made me fall in love with Japanese history. I used to draw so many random battle scenes between samurais and Mongol warriors in my notebooks. Also for some reason I used to compare it to the Greek-Persian Wars (probably because I learned of it when I was an early adolescent who used to watch clips from "300" on YT). Nowadays I compare it more to the Spanish attempt of invading England.

[@faenethlorhalien]

The title in the thumbnail made me think of the old Monty Phyton's sketch "self-defense against fruit"

[@Z020852]

"Katsu!" as an answer The question to Tokimune : What is your response to the Mongols? The question to me : What do you want to eat?

[@Harrier_DuBois]

Always interesting to hear more about this incident, K&G is a great channel

[@juannlja]

The Mongols were defeated by 2 things: the kamikaze storm as well as the heroism, bravery and self-sacrifice of the Japanese samurais.

[@jonbaxter2254]

Ghost of Tushima on PC next year fellas...

[@MrLoobu]

Islands don't usually become militaristic fortresses because they don't usually need to. Japan is the greatest and largest exemption to that and were relatively united even back then. A hard target within a hard target.

[@raikuy_jl]

I love how I asked for more Japan content and here it is! Love the channel!

[@janisberzins8810]

Great content

[@napoleonibonaparte7198]

Ah yes, not paying your troops... what could possibly go wrong?

[@TalayPembeci]

It is interesting to see that from Germanic tribes in the west to Japan in the east, from Siberia in the north to Vietnam in the south, Mongols managed to leave a very large-spanning legacy in the standard of their time. I mean, what else is a common theme of 13th century European and Japanese history, or that of 13th century Russian and Vietnamese history?

[@SinningsValor]

I love this video!

[@femia4125]

Poor hojo, the politics involved was more stressful than the invasion itself

[@miggyalejandro]

Jin Sakai. The Ghost of Tsushima.

[@DarrenMoore-le6pg]

The original Kamikaze aka 大風 helped a lot.

[@dannyboiz07]

Regent of the regent of the regent 🤣

[@shinsenshogun900]

Regentception, the matryoshkas of ruling emperor figureheads

[@lerneanlion]

Among the nations that successfully defended and defeated the Mongols, which one of them did the best? Or are they all equally good from certain perspectives and environments?

[@schneejacques3502]

Mamlukes. They defeated them on the open fileds.

[@owindustry]

​@@schneejacques3502 Mamlukes were Turks came to middle east too much earlier than Mongols. Mongols are also Turkic people. So Turks fought against Turks.

[@andriusgimbutas3723]

Definitely the Mamluks of Egypt

[@Eve-RyujinNippon]

Genial,la historia no son memes simplistas.Los nipones se prepararon y lucharon

[@pl33]

this would make awesome TV series

[@JBMorris9]

No mention of the “Ghost”??

[@VinceMcMahon124]

🫡

[@Tausif1-9-9-6]

Can you pls make video on second crusade ?

[@KingsandGenerals]

working

[@jasonhatt4295]

They sure had a lot of regents during this time!

[@MatthewTheWanderer]

At 16:40 "Japan was ruled by the regent of the regent acting for the Shogun acting for the Emperor..." LOL, that is getting ridiculous with the layers of figureheads!

[@uria3679]

Please do a video about the Mongol women Calvary that threw bombs at their foes

[@maliandek]

Brilliant!

[@Falindio]

By defending their tower rush and spamming feudal age samurai and onna-bugeishas.

[@InquisitorXarius]

Still waiting for the mongol invasion of europe series to continue

[@davianoinglesias5030]

Its amazing how some countries have maintained their culture and identity for so long

[@Tinera420]

Thank you for those who support this chanel!!

[@vermicelledecheval5219]

Let's not forget that, taking the sea, disembarking, establishing a bridgehead with logistics were not trivial endeavours. The mongols were land warriors less prone to fight with ease when crossing a sea like Tsushima strait... The japanese were in a very favorable position to oppose their enemy. Bela 4 from Hungary would have loved to have the same conditions when opposing the hordes... Still he manages to endure and be successful at the end..

[@Lttlemoi]

* Forcing people to return lands they previously legally bought without reimbursement * Forcing military deployment without payment or war booty * Forcing construction projects without funding or payment * Clear nepotism I see he must have been a very popular character.

[@korbell1089]

Let's build up an army of well trained and equipped men and then tell them that their payment is, "the knowledge of a fantastic job defending the realm!" what could possibly go wrong?🤔😆

[@bobboonah]

They voted for Trump.

[@BenTrem42]

Fascinating, Japanese history!

[@shin9926e]

In the latest research, samurai fought head-on and won. At that distance, if there was a typhoon, Mongolia would not attack. Because it's right nearby.

[@CMDRFandragon]

Mongol invasion: DDay before DDay was cool.

[@Skulliosus]

The Regent of the Regent, does that make him Assistant to the Regional Manager? Sounds like Dwight Schrute in Japan. 😂

[@atsukorichards1675]

Tokumune said "Ketsu" for "victory"? (Are you sure? Isn't it like "Kessen/決戦だ" or something?)

[@Kurtownia]

It was supposed to be "Katsu", but the narrator pronounced it "Ketsu", which means 'ass'. The fluidity of vowels in English causes such gems sometimes, it's beautiful.

[@atsukorichards1675]

@@Kurtownia That is hilarious! Thank you for the explanation.

[@Jnk-uu5uc]

Are there any detailed books on this period of Japanese history as well as the Sengoku period? Struggling to find anything that goes into thorough detail… any suggestions would be appreciated

[@brianchar-bow3273]

The Mongols, who at one time conquered all of China, carried out an invasion of Japanese rule, but failed. Why did the Mongols fail to invade only Japan? First, with the navigational technology of the time, it was not easy, expensive, and dangerous for a large army to cross the rough and stormy seas of the Pacific Ocean from the continent. Second, Japan is a volcanic island nation formed by undersea volcanoes and has almost no plains. In particular, there are few plains in Kyushu and the western part of Honshu, which is close to the Chinese mainland and the Korean Peninsula, and the topography of the country is such that mountains are right in front of the coastline. This is probably because horses, the most mobile weapon of the horsemen who conquered the Mongols and the Great Plains of China, could not demonstrate their greatest weapon, mobility and fighting ability, in the mountainous areas of the Japanese archipelago, where there are few plains, because the natural environment is too different from that of the continent. For this reason, the Mongols withdrew from this invasion of the Japanese islands, judging that there was little return for the enormous investment and risk involved in conquering them. With this withdrawal, Japan was historically spared direct invasion and domination by the continental powers. The natural environment and topography of Japan, formed by undersea volcanic activity in the Pacific Ocean, is quite different from the geography of Eurasia, despite its proximity in terms of distance. About 80% of the country is mountainous, with little flat land except for some coastal suburbs. The entire country has a temperate climate, and because it faces the Pacific Ocean, it is warm, humid, and rainy. In other words, the country is naturally rich in vegetation, as the ground is filled with clear water filtered by the mountains. Green vegetation thrives throughout the country, and the mountains are covered with trees. There are almost no rocky, barren mountains or arid desert areas. People live in the narrow plains within this mountainous and narrow country, and in the mountainous areas between several mountains. It is a natural environment 180 degrees different from the arid, vast plains of the Mongolian Great Plains. The Mongolian soldiers who landed in Japan for the first time must have been astonished by the natural environment, which was so different from that of the mainland. It must have looked like a foreign land covered with green mountains, torrential rains, and thick fog, which could not help but look like the abode of ghosts. The Japanese warriors must have used their amazement at the environment to their advantage in their pursuit. For a long time, since the Jomon Pottery Culture period some 14,000 years ago, the Japanese people have adapted to and settled in a foreign land, which seems unusual from the perspective of life on the continent. This unique geopolitical and natural environment of Japan has not changed even today. The fact that Japanese culture and behavior is so different from that of continental Asia, even though it is part of the same Asian continent, is due in large part to the different geopolitical and natural environment of this continent. Japan is not simply a paradise of abundant greenery, water, and food, but also a hellish land of volcanic activity, earthquakes, windstorms, floods, heavy snowfall, and epidemics of bacterial growth. This is because it is a culture born from wisdom and adaptive behavior to survive safely there. The reason why the Mongols, who had overwhelming military power and conquered from China to Europe, were defeated by this island nation was because they thought their winning streak in the natural environment of the continent, which was connected to the land, would work in Japan as well. They also thought that the natural environment of Japan, an island nation, would not be so different from that of many countries on the continent, and they underestimated the situation, neglecting careful information analysis and strategic planning.

[@rich925cal1]

Ghosts of Tsushima is the only reason I’m watching this

[@Rodzyniastyyyy]

I just wish Ghost of Tsushima would release on PC :((

[@SuaveSpyMojo]

They will at some point but if you're a fan of Playstation games... buy a Playstation. PC/PS5 is the best combo, i love both.

[@KuriosAugn-er6bw]

It did