Xiangyang, Battle of

The Battle of Xiangyang, also known as the Battle of Xiangfan, is a key battle between the invading Mongols of the Yuan Dynasty and Southern Song forces from 1267 to 1273.

After the battle, the victorious Yuan forces push farther into the Song heartland.

Previously for 30 years, the Song Dynasty had managed to handle several major offensives by the Mongol Empire.

The strategic significance of Xiangyang comes from the fact that it is in a position dominating the Han river.

Once the Yuan forces occupy Xiangyang, they can travel by ships down the Han river into the Yangtze river.

After the Battle of Xiangyang, the Song Dynasty no longer enjoys the protection of natural barriers and it collapses in just a few years.

The final battle is the relatively short naval Battle of Yamen in 1279.

Thus this battle is decisive.The battle consists of skirmishes, ground assault, and the siege of the twin fortified cities of Fancheng and Xiangyang in modern-day Hubei, China.

Lü Wenhuan, commander-in-chief of the Southern Song Dynasty, surrenders to Kublai Khan in 1273.

The conventional use of Mongolian cavalry is restricted by the woody terrain and numerous military outposts of the Southern Song Dynasty.

Chinese firearms and cannons are employed by the Mongols in the victorious siege of Fancheng after capturing the outposts and relieving Chinese forces from Sichuan and Yuezhou, which breaks through the siege but is eventually defeated.

Especially effective proves the use of the counterweight trebuchet by the Mongols, as the ancient traction trebuchet was the only one known in China beforehand.

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