Yukinaga Konishi

Sakai, Izumi, Osaka, Japan

When the Seikan-no-Eki (invasion of Korea) was launched by Hideyoshi, Yukinaga Konishi and Kiyomasa Kato led the attack. Landing at Pusan and marching ahead after capturing several fortresses on the way they took Seoul and Pyongyang in rapid succession (1592). At this stage China offered to .negotiate a peace treaty between Korea and Japan and sent Shen-ikei with the proposal. Yukinaga accepted the peace offer and agreed to halt hostilities for 50 days so that terms could be settled. The peace, however, did not last long. Chinese troops led by General Li Ju-sung, surrounded Pyongyang and in a surprise attack routed Yukinaga’s troops, forcing them to retreat to Ryuzan. Once again another truce was offered by Shen-ikei, which again was accepted by Yukinaga. In the terms, however, China included a clause which said that China was pleased to declare Hideyoshi King of Japan. This infuriated Hideyoshi and he declared war against China. Yukinaga fought several engagements with success, but with the death of Hideyoshi (1598) he returned home. At the outbreak of the Battle of Sekigahara (1600), he sided with Mitsunari Ishida, but was defeated. He was thereupon ordered to commit hara-kiri which he refused to do as he was a Christian. Yukinaga Konishi then was arrested and executed.