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HISTORY OF JAPAN (7): DISTURBING THE ATTENTION OF KHAN

Successive rulers continued to lead the Kamakura shogunate, and for half a century peace reigned. In 1268, at the time of shikken Tokimune Hojo, Kamakura became a messenger of Kublai Khan to deliver a letter in which the Mongol Emperor of China demanded Japan to pay tribute and recognition of its sovereignty. Tokimune refused to answer, and Kublai Khan, rigging an armada of 800 ships and 30,000 men, began the invasion of the islands closest to the mainland. Mongol Art of War Samurai baffled , accustomed to a ritual mode and chivalric combat. The Mongols were based on movements of large masses of combatants a technique that overwhelmed the Japanese, for whom the war was a matter between warriors of equal rank, rich in challenges and single combats. In 1275 the Mongols arrived in Kyushu and landed in Hakata Bay. Despite their inferiority, the samurai fought with tenacity and forced the Mongols to re-embark, causing 12,000 casualties in the attempt.

But it was not only the first assault, and Kublai Khan continued to require allegiance to the ruler. When the frequency of the messengers was increased, Tokimune took two steps, start beheading them and fortify the bay Hakata. In 1280 Kublai Khan attacked again. On this occasion, had prepared a massive armada of 4,400 ships and 200,000 men, divided into two squads. The first depart from the east, from the shores of Korea, the second, much larger from the south, from China. When the first fleet arrived in Hakata, the commander decided to attack without waiting for the second. Once again, the desperate resistance of the samurai slowed the landing of the invaders, but news of the imminent arrival of the second squad were predicting that the end was near. Hand was only God's help, but a prudent Tokimune had not overlooked this aspect, and, while waiting the arrival of the fleet, had sent the Emperor the Ise Grand Shrine to seek help from the goddess Amaterasu. Thus, in the moment of greatest despair, the Japanese had expected the arrival of the ships of the Khan saw the sky turns completely black. Then they understood that the help of Amaterasu materialized in the form of a kamikaze , an unstoppable divine wind that hit the invading ships, dismasted and sinking.

Only a third of the attackers managed to escape and return to the mainland. The Khan planned a third assault, even higher but did not materialize, possibly because the economic effort had been excessive. Japan was also bankrupt after his victory, heroic, but it had not produced territories or spoils. Worse was that Tokimune died in 1284, and for many years by shikken never again be occupied by a person so energetic. ___________________

Figure 1. Kublai Khan portrait by the artist and astronomer Nepali Anigo (1294)

Figure 2. Mongolian Shooting with shafts a samurai.

Figure 3. The Second Battle of Hakata.