The siege of Kuju ( Korean: 귀주성전투) which occurred in 1231 was a decisive Goryeo victory against the

Mongol Empire The Mongol Empire of the 13th and 14th centuries was the largest contiguous land empire in history. Originating in present-day Mongolia in East Asia, the Mongol Empire at its height stretched from the Sea of Japan to parts of Eastern Europe, ...

. After the Mongol army crossed the

Yalu The Yalu River, known by Koreans as the Amrok River or Amnok River, is a river on the border between North Korea and China. Together with the Tumen River to its east, and a small portion of Paektu Mountain, the Yalu forms the border between ...

river, it quickly captured almost all of Goryeo's border defenses. The Mongol army, however, ran into stiff resistance both at Anju and the city of Kuju (modern-day

Kusong Kusŏng () is a city in central North Pyongan province, North Korea. It borders Taegwan to the north, Taechon to the east, Kwaksan and Chongju to the south, and Chonma to the west. The highest point is Chongryongsan (청룡산, 920 m). The ye ...

), commanded by General Park Seo. To take Kuju, Saritai used a full array of siege weapons to bring down the city's defenses. Lines of catapults launched both boulders and molten metals at the city's walls. The Mongols deployed special assault teams who manned siege towers and scaling ladders. Other tactics used were pushing flaming carts against the city's wooden gates and tunneling under the walls. The most grisly weapon used during the siege were fire-bombs which contained boiled down, liquefied

human fat :''This article deals with the pharmaceutical uses of human fat. For a general view, see Adipose tissue.'' Human fat ( German ''Menschenfett'', Latin '' Axungia hominis'') was mentioned in European pharmacopoeias since the 16th century as an imp ...

. According to an old Mongol general who, toward the end of the siege said: :"...I have never seen cityundergo an attack like this which did not, in the end, submit." Despite the fact the Goryeo army was heavily outnumbered and after over thirty days of brutal siege warfare, Goryeo soldiers still refused to surrender and with mounting Mongol casualties, the Mongol army could not take the city and had to withdraw.

References

{{coord missing, North Korea Goryeo Kuju

1231 in the Mongol Empire Kuju Kuju

See also

References