Mongol Invasions of Japan

Invasion of Iki
From the Mongol Scroll, aka the 'Illustrated Account of the Mongol Invasion of Japan.' Commissioned by Takezaki Suenaga, 1293 CE. ©Image Attribution forthcoming. Image belongs to the respective owner(s).
1274 Nov 13

Invasion of Iki

Iki island, Japan

The Yuan fleet departed Tsushima on 13 November and attacked Iki Island. Like Sukekuni, Taira no Kagetaka, the governor of Iki, gave a spirited defence with 100 samurai and the local armed populace before falling back to his castle by nightfall. The next morning, Yuan forces had surrounded the castle. Kagetaka snuck out his daughter with a trusted samurai, Sōzaburō, on a secret passage to the shore, where they boarded a ship and fled for the mainland. A passing Mongol fleet shot arrows at them and killed the daughter but Sōzaburō managed to reach Hakata Bay and report Iki's defeat. Kagetaka made a final failed sortie with 36 men, 30 of whom died in battle, before committing suicide with his family. According to the Japanese, the Mongols then held down the women and stabbed through their palms with knives, stripped them naked, and tied their corpses to the sides of their ships.

Last Updated: Thu Feb 16 2023

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