1281 Collection

Allington Castle, near Maidstone, Kent
South view of Allington Castle, near Maidstone, Kent. It was built by St Stephen de Penchester -- in 1281 King Edward I gave him a licence to build a crenellated castle

The wreck of Kublai Khan's Mongol fleet during the second invasion of Japan in 1281 due to the typhoon, Kamikaze
3033761 The wreck of Kublai Khan's Mongol fleet during the second invasion of Japan in 1281 due to the typhoon, Kamikaze, which destroyed most of the armada

The attempted invasion of Japan, in 1281, by the Mongol Armada with a hundred thousand men (litho)
6005028 The attempted invasion of Japan, in 1281, by the Mongol Armada with a hundred thousand men (litho) by English School

Jean Cholet, Cardinal
JEAN CHOLET French churchman, cardinal who was born and died at Beauvais. Date: ? - 1281 or 1291

Castruccio Castracani
CASTRUCCIO CASTRACANI DEGLI ANTELMINELLI Italian soldier and Ghibelline leader Date: 1281 - 1328

J1697267, diry 18880, outdoors, day, print, medium group of people, only men, soldier
The French ambulance service during the Crimean War, circa 1855. Published in the Illustrated London News. (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

Defending Japanese warriors board a Mongol ship and engage in hand-to-hand combat during Emperor Kublai Khans second
JAPAN: MONGOL INVASION. Defending Japanese warriors board a Mongol ship and engage in hand-to-hand combat during Emperor Kublai Khans second attempt to invade Japan in 1281

Samurai from around the time of the attempted Mongol invasion of the island, c1281. Contemporary watercolor
JAPAN: SAMURAI, 1281. Samurai from around the time of the attempted Mongol invasion of the island, c1281. Contemporary watercolor

Ships of the Mongol invasion fleet are sunk during a typhoon ( kamikaze ) off the coast of Japan, 1281
JAPAN: MONGOL INVASION. Ships of the Mongol invasion fleet are sunk during a typhoon ( kamikaze ) off the coast of Japan, 1281

Military leader Takezaki Suenaga presents the severed heads of Mongol generals at Japanese headquarters following
JAPAN: MONGOL INVASION. Military leader Takezaki Suenaga presents the severed heads of Mongol generals at Japanese headquarters following the second unsuccessful invasion attempt (1281)

High stone wall built by the Japanese following the first Mongol invasion (1274)
JAPAN: MONGOL INVASION. High stone wall built by the Japanese following the first Mongol invasion (1274), shown here during the second invasion (1281)

ENGLISH SHIP, 1281. Seal of the town of Dover, England, 1281. Wood engraving, late 19th century

KUBLAI KHANs ARMY, 1281. Kublai Khans attempted invasion of Japan in 1281. 19th century American wood engraving

Pope Martinus IV (Simon de Brion) Date: reigned 1281 - 1285

Allington Castle, Maidstone Kent
A rural scene at one of the smaller arched entrances of Allington Castle, near Maidstone, Kent. Built by St. Stephen de Penchester

Pope Alexander IV
POPE ALEXANDER IV (Rainaldo dei Conti di Segni) nephew of Gregorius IX

Castruccio of Lucca
CASTRUCCIO CASTRACANI degli Antelminelli prince of Lucca, Italy

Japan - Mongols Checked
The Mongols, under Kublai Khan, seek to conquer Japan but their invasion fleet is devastated by storms, and the Japanese finish off any vessels which survive

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"1281: A Historic Clash of Empires and the Resilience of Japan" In the picturesque setting of Allington Castle, near Maidstone, Kent, a tale unfolds that echoes through the annals of history. It was in this year, 1281, when an audacious attempt to invade Japan was made by the mighty Mongol Armada. Led by Emperor Kublai Khan himself, their fleet boasted a hundred thousand men ready for conquest. Jean Cholet, Cardinal and influential figure at the time, closely followed these events with great interest. Meanwhile, Castruccio Castracani strategized from his position as a military leader during this pivotal moment. The Royal Residence Castle Poznan in Poland reveals its floor plan designed by Schwechten Franz (1841-1924), offering us glimpses into grandeur beyond borders. On another note closer to home in Berlin-Mitte's official apartment of Reich Foreign Minister Joachim von Ribbentrop lies Bohmer Franz's work (1907-1943). As we delve deeper into history's tapestry surrounding 1281, vivid images emerge. In one scene depicted on a Japanese scroll painting attributed to Tosa Nagataka and Tosa Nagaaki c1293; defending Japanese warriors valiantly board Mongol ships engaging in fierce hand-to-hand combat during Kublai Khan's second invasion attempt. Contemporary watercolors reveal samurai warriors from that era - their unwavering spirit etched onto paper for eternity. Yet fate had other plans for the Mongols as typhoon winds unleashed havoc upon their invasion fleet off Japan's coast - forever known as kamikaze or "divine wind. " Takezaki Suenaga emerges as a legendary figure amidst chaos and bloodshed. Presenting severed heads of Mongol generals at Japanese headquarters following the second failed invasion attempt in 1281 - his bravery immortalized on yet another scroll painting.