Byeolmuban
Encyclopedia
Byeolmuban is the name of a special army unit in the time of Korea
's Goryeo
Dynasty (918 – 1392). The word byeol literally means star, but also has the meaning of special. Founding of the army was initiated by Yun Gwan during the reign of king Sukjong of Goryeo
.
The army was put together to fight the Jurchen who were putting pressure on Goryeo's northern borders. The Goryeo infantry had a hard time resisting the strong Jurchen cavalry.
and Armor Guards called Jeonggyugun (정규군, 正規軍) Infantry
called Sinbogun (신보군, 神步軍), Cavalry
called Sin-gigun (신기군, 神騎軍), an army of Buddhist monks called Hangmagun (항마군, 神步軍), Supporting troop made of slaves called Yeonhogun (연호군,烟戶軍), and volunteered soldiers made of merchants and ordinary citizens called Jubugunhyeon (주부군현, 州府郡縣).
Combating troops were divided into Assassin/Spies called Sinbo (신보, 神步), Siege Engineers called Dotang (도탕, 跳蕩), Archers called Gyeonggung (경궁, 梗弓), Builders called Jeongno (정노, 精弩), Ballistic/Cannon gunners called Balhwa (발화, 發火), and special force called Teugibudae (특기부대, 特技部隊). They were to trained and maintain/make weapons & fight with regular army.
During the second year of king Yejong of Goryeo
's reign the byeomuban, consisting of 170,000 soldiers, attacked Jurchen and killed approximately 5,000 Jurchen troops, detained another 5,000 POWs and 350 Jurchen tribal clans and took over their territory by building nine fortresses at Hamju region.
Fortresses were called Northeastern Nine Fortresses, and they are in Hamju (함주, 咸州), Yeongju (영주, 英州), Ungju (웅주, 雄州), Bokju (복주, 福州), Gilju (길주, 吉州), Gongheomjin, (공험진, 公咽鎭), Sungnyeong (숭녕, 崇寧), Tongtae (통태, 通泰), and Jinyang (진양, 眞陽).
However internal trouble at the Goryeo court later forced the Goryeo
army
to leave Jurchen territory just after few years.
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
's Goryeo
Goryeo
The Goryeo Dynasty or Koryŏ was a Korean dynasty established in 918 by Emperor Taejo. Korea gets its name from this kingdom which came to be pronounced Korea. It united the Later Three Kingdoms in 936 and ruled most of the Korean peninsula until it was removed by the Joseon dynasty in 1392...
Dynasty (918 – 1392). The word byeol literally means star, but also has the meaning of special. Founding of the army was initiated by Yun Gwan during the reign of king Sukjong of Goryeo
Sukjong of Goryeo
Sukjong of Goryeo was the 15th ruler of the Goryeo dynasty of Korea. He was the younger brother of Sunjong. He married Myeongui, the daughter of Yu Hong....
.
The army was put together to fight the Jurchen who were putting pressure on Goryeo's northern borders. The Goryeo infantry had a hard time resisting the strong Jurchen cavalry.
Organization
The Byeolmuban army had six divisions: Yun Gwan's regular armyRegular army
A regular army consists of the permanent force of a country's army that is maintained under arms during peacetime.Countries that use the term include:*Australian Army*British Army*Canadian Forces, specifically "Regular Force"*Egyptian army*Indian Army...
and Armor Guards called Jeonggyugun (정규군, 正規軍) Infantry
Infantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
called Sinbogun (신보군, 神步軍), Cavalry
Cavalry
Cavalry or horsemen were soldiers or warriors who fought mounted on horseback. Cavalry were historically the third oldest and the most mobile of the combat arms...
called Sin-gigun (신기군, 神騎軍), an army of Buddhist monks called Hangmagun (항마군, 神步軍), Supporting troop made of slaves called Yeonhogun (연호군,烟戶軍), and volunteered soldiers made of merchants and ordinary citizens called Jubugunhyeon (주부군현, 州府郡縣).
Combating troops were divided into Assassin/Spies called Sinbo (신보, 神步), Siege Engineers called Dotang (도탕, 跳蕩), Archers called Gyeonggung (경궁, 梗弓), Builders called Jeongno (정노, 精弩), Ballistic/Cannon gunners called Balhwa (발화, 發火), and special force called Teugibudae (특기부대, 特技部隊). They were to trained and maintain/make weapons & fight with regular army.
During the second year of king Yejong of Goryeo
Yejong of Goryeo
Yejong of Goryeo was the 16th monarch of the Korean Goryeo dynasty.-Biography:He was the eldest son of king Sukjong and Queen Myeongui...
's reign the byeomuban, consisting of 170,000 soldiers, attacked Jurchen and killed approximately 5,000 Jurchen troops, detained another 5,000 POWs and 350 Jurchen tribal clans and took over their territory by building nine fortresses at Hamju region.
Fortresses were called Northeastern Nine Fortresses, and they are in Hamju (함주, 咸州), Yeongju (영주, 英州), Ungju (웅주, 雄州), Bokju (복주, 福州), Gilju (길주, 吉州), Gongheomjin, (공험진, 公咽鎭), Sungnyeong (숭녕, 崇寧), Tongtae (통태, 通泰), and Jinyang (진양, 眞陽).
However internal trouble at the Goryeo court later forced the Goryeo
Goryeo
The Goryeo Dynasty or Koryŏ was a Korean dynasty established in 918 by Emperor Taejo. Korea gets its name from this kingdom which came to be pronounced Korea. It united the Later Three Kingdoms in 936 and ruled most of the Korean peninsula until it was removed by the Joseon dynasty in 1392...
army
Army
An army An army An army (from Latin arma "arms, weapons" via Old French armée, "armed" (feminine), in the broadest sense, is the land-based military of a nation or state. It may also include other branches of the military such as the air force via means of aviation corps...
to leave Jurchen territory just after few years.