Hwang Jin (, 1550–1593) was a general during

Japanese invasions of Korea Japanese may refer to: * Something from or related to Japan, an island country in East Asia * Japanese language, spoken mainly in Japan * Japanese people, the ethnic group that identifies with Japan through ancestry or culture ** Japanese diaspor ...

. His courtesy name was Myeongbo and his posthumous name was Mumin. He is best known for his defense at the castle of

Jinju Jinju () is a city in South Gyeongsang Province, South Korea. It was the location of the first (1592) and second (1593) Sieges of Jinju by Japanese forces during the Imjin War. The Republic of Korea Air Force Education and Training Command is ...

at the

Siege of Jinju (1593) The Second Siege of Jinju was a battle during 1593 in Hideyoshi's invasions of Korea at Jinju Fort. It occurred from 20 July to 27 July and ended in the massacre of the entire garrison and a substantial portion of the population. The Second Batt ...

. There were two battles of Jinju, the first was a great victory for the Koreans while at the second, the Japanese captured the castle, with Hwang Jin and the entire Korean garrison killed. Hwang Jin was killed by two

arquebuse An arquebus ( ) is a form of long gun that appeared in Europe and the Ottoman Empire during the 15th century. An infantryman armed with an arquebus is called an arquebusier. Although the term ''arquebus'', derived from the Dutch word ''Haakbus ...

bullets.

The battle

Hwang Jin commanded the castle of Jinju during Japanese invasions of Korea. In July 1593, the castle had around 3,800 Koreans, including irregular soldiers and civilians. Around mid July, Japanese commanders including

Katō Kiyomasa was a Japanese ''daimyō'' of the Azuchi–Momoyama and Edo periods. His court title was Higo-no-kami. His name as a child was ''Yashamaru'', and first name was ''Toranosuke''. He was one of Hideyoshi's Seven Spears of Shizugatake. Biography ...

Ukita Hideie was the ''daimyō'' of Bizen and Mimasaka Provinces (modern Okayama Prefecture), and one of the council of Five Elders appointed by Toyotomi Hideyoshi. Son of Ukita Naoie, he married Gōhime, a daughter of Maeda Toshiie. Having fought again ...

, and

Konishi Yukinaga Konishi Yukinaga (小西行長, baptized under the personal name Agostinho (Portuguese for Augustine); 1558 – November 6, 1600) was a Kirishitan daimyō under Toyotomi Hideyoshi. He is notable for his role as the vanguard of the Japanes ...

marched an army of 30,000 to Jinju. The Japanese were anxious to win a victory, as

Toyotomi Hideyoshi , otherwise known as and , was a Japanese samurai and ''daimyō'' (feudal lord) of the late Sengoku period regarded as the second "Great Unifier" of Japan.Richard Holmes, The World Atlas of Warfare: Military Innovations that Changed the Cour ...

was not happy with the results of the first battle. As the Japanese approached, Korean soldiers straggled toward the walls seeking protection of the castle. When Hwang Jin saw this he realized he could not open the gates. If he did, the Japanese would swarm in and capture the fort. As a result, the commander of the reinforcements charged with over a hundred men and they were shot down by the muskets of the Japanese. Although heartbroken from these events, Hwang Jin ordered his garrison to defend the castle. As the Japanese raised scaling ladders under cover of arquebusiers, the Koreans dumped rocks and hot burning oil on the Japanese. The Koreans also returned fire with bows, mortars, and arquebuses. Unfortunately, when the Japanese brought in

siege towers A Roman siege tower or breaching tower (or in the Middle Ages, a belfry''Castle: Stephen Biesty's Cross-Sections''. Dorling Kindersley Pub (T); 1st American edition (September 1994). Siege towers were invented in 300 BC. ) is a specialized siege ...

, the Koreans were unable to resist. Hwang Jin is famous in Korea for his outstanding defenses and the ability to command. He was also known famous for having survived 2 bullets until he died of his wounds. After six days Hwang Jin was shot in the chest by 2 bullets and at morning the siege was over. His subordinates came and found him gasping and breathing and looking tired. Then still holding his sword Hwang Jin died. He was 43 years old when he died. Morale crumbled with his death and Jinju castle soon fell to the Japanese invaders. After the war,

King Seonjo Seonjo of Joseon (26 November 1552 – 16 March 1608) was the fourteenth king of the Joseon Dynasty of Korea from 1567 to 1608. He was known for encouraging Confucianism and renovating state affairs at the beginning of his reign. However, politi ...

granted a posthumous conferment of honors.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hwang, Jin Korean generals 1550 births 1593 deaths 16th-century Korean people Jangsu Hwang clan

The battle

See also

References