Gang Jo vs Hosokawa Katsumoto

General Gang Jo led a military coup that deposed King Mokjong, whom he accused of corruption and misrule. Gang Jo installed King Hyeonjong on the throne and assumed de facto control of the government, marking a rare military intervention in Goryeo politics.

After the coup, Gang Jo ordered the execution of Kim Chi-yang, a powerful noble who had dominated King Mokjong's court. This act eliminated a key rival and consolidated Gang Jo's control over the government.

Gang Jo led Goryeo forces against a major Khitan invasion. He was captured and executed by the Khitan after a failed battle, but his resistance delayed the invasion and allowed King Hyeonjong to flee and reorganize defenses.

Hosokawa Katsumoto was appointed kanrei (deputy shogun) under Shogun Ashikaga Yoshimasa. He became a central figure in the shogunate's politics during a period of declining central authority and rising daimyo power.

Katsumoto's forces clashed with Yamana Sozen's army in Kyoto, sparking the Onin War. The conflict began with street battles in the capital and quickly engulfed the entire country, leading to widespread destruction and the collapse of central authority.

Katsumoto backed Shogun Yoshimasa's brother Yoshimi as successor, while Yamana Sozen supported Yoshimasa's son Yoshihisa. This succession dispute escalated into armed conflict, drawing most daimyo into opposing camps.

Katsumoto died of illness in 1473 while the Onin War was still raging. His death, along with Yamana Sozen's death the same year, removed the main protagonists but the war continued for another four years under their successors.