1274 & 1281Reputable sourceWell documented
The Failed Invasions of Japan
On the timeline · around 1274 & 1281 ·
What happened
Twice, in 1274 and 1281, Kublai Khan sent enormous fleets to conquer Japan. Both times the samurai defended fiercely, but it was violent typhoons — remembered by the Japanese as the kamikaze, or 'divine winds' — that wrecked the Mongol fleets and saved Japan from invasion.
Why it matters
The failed invasions were among the Mongols' rare defeats, and the legend of the 'divine winds' became a lasting part of Japanese identity.
Sources
- World History Encyclopedia. The Mongol Invasions of Japan, 1274 & 1281 CE · Reputable source
Related timelines
- History of Japan → — The 'divine winds' that saved Japan