Lake Poyang: China's Largest Naval Battle Begins
The fleets of rival warlords Chen Youliang and Zhu Yuanzhang clashed on Lake Poyang in southeastern China beginning on August 30, 1363, in one of the largest naval battles in history. Chen commanded roughly 650,000 men aboard a fleet of massive "tower ships" linked together with chains, while Zhu had approximately 200,000 men in smaller, more maneuverable vessels. After three days of fighting, Zhu used fire ships to exploit the chained fleet's vulnerability, incinerating hundreds of Chen's vessels. Chen was killed attempting to break out of the burning fleet. The victory gave Zhu control of southern China and within five years he founded the Ming dynasty, which would rule for nearly three centuries and build the Forbidden City and the Great Wall's present form.
August 30, 1363
663 years ago
Key Figures & Places
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