Early 17th century Korea was a shell-shocked land, having barely recovered from a seven year struggle with the Japanese. The Imjin Waeran (임진왜란 | 壬辰倭亂) had seen all of Korea’s eight provinces suffer the rape and pillage of the armies of Hideyoshi. The population was reduced and disease stalked the land. Countless cultural treasures had been destroyed or stolen by the Japanese, and the loss of land and census records rendered the government unable to efficiently collect taxes or enforce corvee levies. The countryside was restive with rebellion and discontent. The royal court, too, was rife with division. The rule of the Gwanghaegun (광해군 | 光海君) had been opposed by conservative factions, and he was deposed by the Westerner faction in 1623 in favour of the pliable Neungyanggun (능양군 | 綾陽君) [1].
Unlike the Gwanghaegun who had practiced a balanced foreign policy in regards to the Ming and the rising Manchu, the Neungyanggun adopted a blatantly pro-Ming, anti-Manchu foreign policy. The royal position remained weak, however, compared to that of the aristocrats. One of those who had conspired to bring down the Gwanghaegun, the military genius Yi Gwal (이괄 | 李适), found himself neglected by the new king. Disgruntled, he launched a rebellion from the north where he had been stationed to hold off Manchu attacks in 1624. Despite capturing the capital Hanseong and installing a puppet ruler as king, Yi Gwal was forced to abandon the capital by government forces and was murdered by his own men.
The remnants of Yi Gwal’s rebellion fled north to the territory of the Manchu, they recommended to the Manchu leader, Hong Taegeuk (황태극 | 皇太極) [2], to launch an invasion of Korea with the pretext of restoring the Gwanghaegun, who remained exiled on Ganghwa island. Guided by the Korean general Gang Hongrip, an army of 30,000 descended on Korea in 1627. The ill-prepared Korean army was quickly pushed back, and Manchu forces advanced south of Pyongyang. The Neungyanggun fled Hanseong for Ganghwa island, along with members of the Western faction. During this time, records exist of Manchu overtures for peace. It is likely that Hong Taegeuk would have preferred to pull his troops out of Manchuria following a satisfactory peace.
However, rhetoric on the part of the Koreans fighting alongside the Manchus regarding the executions of members of the Westerner faction reached the island, and spooked members of the conservative faction. The conservatives instead argued that the Ming governer of Liaodong province, Yuan Chonghuan (袁崇焕), would intervene in defence of Korea if the war continued. Rather than debase themselves before the barbarians, they argued to continue the war until Ming help arrived. When Gang Hongrip arrived on Ganghwa island with an offer of peace from the Manchu, he was arrested and executed by means of the forced ingestion of sayak, a deadly poison designed to bring about the failure of the nervous system [3]. In addition, the Manchu accompanying Gang Hongrip were attacked by Korean soldiers and barely fled with their lives.
This act vindicated the position of the uncompromising Jurchen general Amin over that of Jirgalang and Yoto, who had advocated peace. Indeed, this act would be the beginning of the end of the Joseon dynasty.
[1] In our timeline, he is better known by his temple name of King Injo (인조 | 仁祖). Not here, though.
[2] In our timeline we call him Hong Taiji, but here the Korean pronunciation of his name is more well-known.
[3] And here we have the PoD. In OTL, the Koreans made peace with the Manchus in exchange for promising not to violate their territory, giving up some titles given by the Ming, handing over hostages and agreeing to look up to the Manchu nation as a younger brother would to an elder. Here, the hawk faction is able to outmaneuver those advocating peace, and a policy of resistance to the Manchu is adopted.
Unlike the Gwanghaegun who had practiced a balanced foreign policy in regards to the Ming and the rising Manchu, the Neungyanggun adopted a blatantly pro-Ming, anti-Manchu foreign policy. The royal position remained weak, however, compared to that of the aristocrats. One of those who had conspired to bring down the Gwanghaegun, the military genius Yi Gwal (이괄 | 李适), found himself neglected by the new king. Disgruntled, he launched a rebellion from the north where he had been stationed to hold off Manchu attacks in 1624. Despite capturing the capital Hanseong and installing a puppet ruler as king, Yi Gwal was forced to abandon the capital by government forces and was murdered by his own men.
The remnants of Yi Gwal’s rebellion fled north to the territory of the Manchu, they recommended to the Manchu leader, Hong Taegeuk (황태극 | 皇太極) [2], to launch an invasion of Korea with the pretext of restoring the Gwanghaegun, who remained exiled on Ganghwa island. Guided by the Korean general Gang Hongrip, an army of 30,000 descended on Korea in 1627. The ill-prepared Korean army was quickly pushed back, and Manchu forces advanced south of Pyongyang. The Neungyanggun fled Hanseong for Ganghwa island, along with members of the Western faction. During this time, records exist of Manchu overtures for peace. It is likely that Hong Taegeuk would have preferred to pull his troops out of Manchuria following a satisfactory peace.
However, rhetoric on the part of the Koreans fighting alongside the Manchus regarding the executions of members of the Westerner faction reached the island, and spooked members of the conservative faction. The conservatives instead argued that the Ming governer of Liaodong province, Yuan Chonghuan (袁崇焕), would intervene in defence of Korea if the war continued. Rather than debase themselves before the barbarians, they argued to continue the war until Ming help arrived. When Gang Hongrip arrived on Ganghwa island with an offer of peace from the Manchu, he was arrested and executed by means of the forced ingestion of sayak, a deadly poison designed to bring about the failure of the nervous system [3]. In addition, the Manchu accompanying Gang Hongrip were attacked by Korean soldiers and barely fled with their lives.
This act vindicated the position of the uncompromising Jurchen general Amin over that of Jirgalang and Yoto, who had advocated peace. Indeed, this act would be the beginning of the end of the Joseon dynasty.
[1] In our timeline, he is better known by his temple name of King Injo (인조 | 仁祖). Not here, though.
[2] In our timeline we call him Hong Taiji, but here the Korean pronunciation of his name is more well-known.
[3] And here we have the PoD. In OTL, the Koreans made peace with the Manchus in exchange for promising not to violate their territory, giving up some titles given by the Ming, handing over hostages and agreeing to look up to the Manchu nation as a younger brother would to an elder. Here, the hawk faction is able to outmaneuver those advocating peace, and a policy of resistance to the Manchu is adopted.
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