Taejo (r. 918-943 CE), previously known as Wang Geon or Wang Kon, was the founder and first king of the Goryeo (Koryo) kingdom which unified and ruled ancient Korea from 918 CE to 1392 CE. In 895, Gung Ye led his forces into the far northwestern part of Silla, where Songdo was located. (They had to be like that to overthrow the previous Goryeo dynasty!) Biography Birth and early life. The first ruler had the temple name Taejo, which means "great progenitor", and was applied … Taejo sought to bring even his enemies into his ruling coalition. The last Silla king, Gyeongsun, finally surrendered in 935 CE and left Wang Geon to unify the country once again but under a new name, Goryeo. His dynasty would oversee an unprecedented flourishing of Korean culture, and its name is the origin of modern Korea's English … This city was called "Hanseong," but it later became known as Seoul. Ancient History Encyclopedia Limited is a non-profit company registered in the United Kingdom. Buddhism was the most important and practised religion, as it had been for centuries in Korea, and this is evidenced by Wang's sponsorship of many temple building projects, including ten new Buddhist temples at the capital. Taejo's father, Wang Yung (later Sejo of Goryeo), along with many local clans, quickly surrendered to Gung Ye. King Taejo (r.1392 – 1398) King Jeongjong (r. 1398-1400) King Taejong (r. 1400 – 1418) The early kings of Joseon were hardy military men who preferred hunting and sleeping outdoors to studying. License. Wang was busy in the south, too, as there he conquered the island of Tamna (Cheju). Goryeo Dynasty In 918, King Taejo Wanggeon established the Goryeo Dynasty, turning a new chapter in history, ushering in the middle ages, and closing the book on ancient times. Related Content Among those rebels, Gung Ye (궁예; 弓裔) of the northwestern region and Gyeon Hwon (견훤; 甄萱) of the southwest gained more power. However, Wang Geon's unification in 936 was a more complete unification (in which only a single state emerged a… By the late 14th century, the 400 year-old Goryeo Dynasty established by Wang Geon in 918 was tottering, its foundations collapsing from years of war and de facto occupation by the disintegrating Mongol Empire. He was the first and only Goryeo king to marry such close relatives. Wang Kon declared himself king and for his contribution to creating the new state he was given the posthumous title of King Taejo or ‘Great Founder.’ However, Taejo’s kingdom was far from secure and the Khitan (Qidan) tribes in the north proved stubbor… Taejo … [12][16] Furthermore, in his Ten Mandates to his descendants, he stated that the Khitans are no different than beasts and should be guarded against.[15]. After the destruction of Balhae by the Khitans in 926, Balhae's last crown prince and much of its ruling class sought refuge in Goryeo, where they were warmly welcomed and included into the ruling family by Wang Geon, thus uniting the two successor nations of Goguryeo. Wang was a particular follower of the latter and a believer in pungsu, the practice of carefully selecting geographical locations to benefit from the natural life forces thought to emanate from trees, rivers, and mountains. Cartwright, Mark. Gwangjong (925 – 4 July 975), personal name Wang So, was the fourth king of Goryeo.. Wang Geon was given the posthumous title of Taejo meaning 'Great Founder.' Taejo of Goryeo (877-943, r. 918-943 1), the founder of the Goryeo Dynasty, ruled Korea from the tenth to the fourteenth century.As the first king in a new dynasty, historians gave him the name King Taejo of Goryeo. Thus he sought to secure stability and unity for his kingdom which had been lacking in the later years of Silla. Athena358 is an avid fanfiction reader and an active particpant in the world of fandom. Rule like the classic kings, with fairness, judiciously taking advice and not overtaxing the people. This kingdom later gave name to the modern exonym for Korea. His costly rituals and harsh rule caused even more opposition. Goryeo was famous across the world for its publishing. They are summarised in Pratt (466) as follows : This content was made possible with generous support from the British Korean Society. Perhaps for the same reason, Wang selected the northern city of Songdo/Songdak (Modern Gaeseong) as his new capital. The state is based on Buddhism: honour both Seon and Kyo traditions. Gung Ye was assisted by his first minister and general Wang Geon, the son of a wealthy merchant and local headman at Gaeseong in the Silla kingdom. Learn More. The Unified Silla Kingdom (668- 935 CE) had held sway over the Korean peninsula for three centuries, but the state was in a slow decline. The unification of the Later Three Kingdoms in 936 was very important in Korean history; the unification of 668 CE by Silla was only a unification of approximately half of the peoples of the Korean Peninsula and its vicinity (who at the time largely considered themselves one people divided among many states), since the northern part was ruled by Balhae, which asserted itself as a reincarnation of Goguryeo. Map of the Goryeo Empire (11th century CE)Korean Culture & Information Service (CC BY-SA). Please note that content linked from this page may have different licensing terms. However, Goryeo quickly recovered from defeat and successfully defended Hubaekje's attack on its front. [7][12] This was in strong contrast to Later Silla, which had endured a hostile relationship with Balhae. The Unified Silla Kingdom (668- 935 CE) was the first dynasty to... Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike. Then he established King Gyeongsun as his puppet monarch before he turned his army toward Goryeo. [1] The Goryeo dynasty was ended by the revolt of General Yi Seong-gye, or Taejo, from Joseon, in 1392, and was also taken by the Kingdom of Joseon. Wang finally occupied Hubaekje formally, and unified the nation for the second time since Unified Silla; he ruled until 943, and died from disease. We have also been recommended for educational use by the following publications: Ancient History Encyclopedia Foundation is a non-profit organization registered in Canada. Afterward, he decreed Pyongyang as the Western Capital. He led several more military campaigns, and also helped conquered people who lived in poverty under Silla rule. Wang finally occupied Hubaekje formally, and unified the nation for the first time since Gojoseon; he ruled until 943, and died from disease. He gave titles and land to rulers and nobles from the various countries he had defeated: Later Baekje, Silla, and also Balhae, which disint… The king is also credited with expanding the aristocracy's access to higher government positions, building new schools and improving agricultural yields by easing the tax burden on the peasantry. In 903, he led a famous naval campaign against the southwestern coastline of Hubaekje (Keumsung, later Naju), while Gyeon Hwon was at war against Silla. – 7 July 996) (고려 안종), Queen Jeongdeok of the Jeongju Ryu clan (정덕왕후 류씨), daughter of Ryu Deok-Young (류덕영), Queen Munhye of the Jeongju Ryu clan (문혜왕후 유씨), Queen Seonui of the Jeongju Ryu clan (선의왕후 유씨), Grand Lady Heonmok of the Pyeong clan (헌목대부인 평씨), daughter of Pyeong Joon (평준), Lady Jeongmok of the Wang clan (정목부인 왕씨), daughter of Wang Gyeong (왕경), Lady Dongyangwon of the Pyeongsan Yu clan (동양원부인 유씨), daughter of Yu Geum-Pil (유금필), Lady Sukmok of the Myeong clan (숙목부인 명씨), daughter of Myeong Pil (명필), Lady Cheonanbuwon of the Im clan (천안부원부인 임씨), daughter of Im Eon (임언), Lady Heungbokwon of the Hongju Hong clan (흥복원부인 홍씨), daughter of Hong Gyu (홍규), Lady Daeryangwon of the Hapcheon Lee clan (대량원부인 이씨), daughter of Lee Jeong-Eon (이정언), Lady Hudaeryangwon of the Lee clan (후대량원부인 이씨), daughter of Lee Won (이원), Lady Daemyeongjuwon of the Wang clan (대명주원부인 왕씨), daughter of Wang Ye (왕예), Lady Sogwangjuwon of the Yanggeun Ham clan (소광주원부인 함씨), daughter of Ham Gyu / Wang Gyu (함규 / 왕규), Wang Eun, Prince Gwangju (? In 936, Wang led his final campaign against Singeom of Later Baekje. He promoted Buddhism as Goryeo's national religion, and laid claim to the northern parts of the Korean Peninsula and Manchuria, which he considered his rightful legacy as the successor of Goguryeo. Hearing of the news, Taejo planned a strike with 5,000 cavalrymen to attack Gyeon's troops on the way back home at Gongsan near Daegu. The latter were eventually subdued and contained by the construction of a great wall across the peninsula's northern frontier. [1], Wang Geon was born in 877 to a powerful maritime merchant family based in Songak (modern Kaesong) as the eldest son of Wang Ryung (Korean: 왕륭; Hanja: 王隆). Taejo of Goryeo. Gyeon's father, who held his own claim to the Sangju region, also defected and surrendered to Goryeo and was received as the father of a king. Taejo finally gained full control of Later Baekje, and unified the Korean nation for the first time since Gojoseon; He ruled until 943, and died from disease. [11] Taejo felt a strong familial kinship with Balhae, calling it his "Relative Country" and "Married Country",[12][13] and protected Balhae refugees, many of whom were also of Goguryeo origin. He executed many monks, then later even his own wife and two sons, and the public began to turn away from him. He traced his ancestry to a noble Goguryeo clan. The following two kings had short reigns and lacked the political strength to … The eldest son should succeed to the throne. In the later years of Silla, many local leaders and bandits rebelled against the rule of Queen Jinseong, who did not have strong enough leadership or policies to improve the condition of the people. Last modified November 07, 2016. Gwangjong eliminated many of his powerful rivals by sending them to prison or having them executed. Relations with China were peaceful; the Later Tang dynasty recognised Wang as the ruler of Korea in 932 CE, and there was continued trade and cultural exchange, especially with the rise of the Song dynasty during the reign of Wang's immediate successors, starting with his son Mu (King Hyejong) and then Mu's brother Jeongjong. He ascended the throne just thirty years after his father, King Taejo, founded the Goryeo dynasty, at a time when rival royal clans were vying for political power and the throne was constantly under threat. Maintain the Palgwan-hoe and Yondung-hoe festivals. Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com: accessed ), memorial page for Wang Geon “Taejo of Goryeo” Taejo (태조) (877–943), Find a Grave Memorial no. He renamed the kingdom Goryeo, thus beginning the Goryeo Dynasty. Taejo sought to bring even his enemies into his ruling coalition. He took care to cultivate the loyalty of the rulers and nobles from the various territories he had defeated, Later Baekje, Silla, and a… – November 969) (고려 대종), Queen Daemok of the Hwangju Hwangbo clan (대목왕후 황보씨), Queen Shinseong of the Gyeongju Kim clan (신성왕후 김씨), daughter of Kim Eok-Ryeom (김억렴), King Anjong of Goryeo (? As the first king of a new dynasty, historians gave him the name ‘King Taejo of Goryeo’. World History Encyclopedia. King Taejo 877-943 Wang Geon, who became King Taejo ( 877- 943, r. 918-943), was the founder of the Goryeo Dynasty. [9] He also sought alliances and cooperation with local clans rather than trying to conquer and bring them under his direct control. This great kingdom had to end due to a coup of an official who wasn’t a descendant of the previous king of the dynasty. Practise no favouritism, pay fair emoluments, and always take care of the army. [7] According to the Goryeosa, in 918, the ancient capital of Pyongyang had been in ruins for a long time and foreign barbarians were using the surrounding lands as hunting grounds and occasionally raiding the borders of Goryeo; therefore, in his first year as king, Wang Geon ordered his subjects to repopulate the ancient capital,[8] and soon sent his cousin Wang Sik-ryeom to defend it. In the same year, Gyeon Hwon's oldest son, Gyeon Singeom (hanja: 甄神劍), led a coup with his brothers Yanggeom and Yonggeom, against their father, who favored their half-brother, Geumgang, as his successor to the throne. Do not give them major appointments or marry them into the royal family. Goryeo, also known as Koryŏ (Hangul: 고려; hanja: 高麗; Korean pronunciation: ; 918–1392), was a Korean dynasty established in 918 by King Taejo.This kingdom later gave name to the modern exonym "Korea".It united the Later Three Kingdoms in 936 and ruled most of the Korean Peninsula until it was removed by the founder of the Joseon in 1392. . World History Encyclopedia is a non-profit organization. – 945) (광주원군), Lady Dongsanwon of the Suncheon Park clan (동산원부인 박씨), daughter of Park Young-Gyu (박영규), Lady Yehwa of the Haeju Wang clan (예화부인 왕씨), daughter of Wang Yu (왕유), Lady Daeseowon of the Dongju Kim clan (대서원부인 김씨), daughter of Kim Haeng-Pa (김행파), Lady Soseowon of the Dongju Kim clan (소서원부인 김씨), daughter of Kim Haeng-Pa (김행파), Lady Shinjuwon of the Kang clan (신주원부인 강씨), daughter of Kang Gi-Ju (강기주), Lady Wolhwawon (월화원부인), daughter of Yang Yeong-Jang (양영장), Lady Seongmu of the Pyeongsan Park clan (성무부인 박씨), daughter of Park Ji-Yoon (박지윤), Lady Uiseongbuwon of the Uiseong Hong clan (의성부원부인 홍씨), daughter of Hong Yu (홍유), Lady Wolgyeongwon of the Pyeongsan Park clan (월경원부인 박씨), daughter of Park Soo-Moon (박수문), Lady Mongryangwon of the Pyeongsan Park clan(몽량원부인 박씨), daughter of Park Soo-Kyung (박수경), Lady Haeryangwon of the Seon clan (해량원부인 선씨), daughter of Seon Pil (선필), Portrayed by Kim Myeong-jin in the 1970 film, This page was last edited on 9 April 2021, at 16:25. Stability Through Establishing A Strong Central Government: Following the death of Goryeo’s first king, Taejo Wang Gun in 943, the young kingdom of Goryeo was left in a turbulent and shaky situation. He gave titles and land to rulers and nobles from the various countries he had defeated: Later Baekje, Silla, and also Balhae, which disint… It united the Later Three Kingdoms in 936 and ruled most of the Korean peninsula until it was removed by the leader of the Joseon dynasty in 1392. This license lets others remix, tweak, and build upon this content non-commercially, as long as they credit the author and license their new creations under the identical terms. In 935, the last king of Silla, King Gyeongsun, felt there was no way to revive his kingdom and surrendered his entire land to Taejo. 75185189, citing Tomb of King Wanggon, Hwanghaebuk-to, North Korea ; Maintained by S. Rich (contributor 47450883) . Wang Geon declared himself king, and for his contribution to creating the new state was given the posthumous title King Taejo or 'Great Founder.'. In 900, he led a successful campaign against local clans and the army of Later Baekje in the Chungju area, gaining more fame and recognition from the king. Gwangjong (광종 光宗) (949 - 975) was the fourth Emperor of the Goryeo dynasty which ruled Korea from the fall of Silla in 935 until the founding of Joseon in 1392. Singeom fought against Taejo, but facing much disadvantage and inner conflict, he surrendered to Taejo. [3] During the Later Silla period, the northern regions, including Songak, were the strongholds of Goguryeo refugees,[4][5] and Wang Geon's hometown of Songak would become the original capital of Later Goguryeo in 901.[6]. Taejo sought to bring even his enemies into his ruling coalition. Our latest articles delivered to your inbox, once a week: Numerous educational institutions recommend us, including Oxford University and Michigan State University and University of Missouri. If he is unworthy choose the next. Goryeo Palace PaintingUnknown Artist (Public Domain). Taejo (r. 918-943 CE), previously known as Wang Geon or Wang Kon, was the founder and first king of the Goryeo (Koryo) kingdom which unified and ruled ancient Korea from 918 CE to 1392 CE. The name "Taejo" is comprise of two Chinese characters, "Tae," a derivative of 'Dae' (big), which means "very big" or "great," and "Jo," which means "grandfather." Wang Geon first opposed the idea but later agreed to their plan. However, Wang Geon's unification in 936 was a more complete unification (in which only a single state emerged among the people, as opposed to the 7th century, when two, Later Silla and Balhae, emerged); the people of the Korean Peninsula thereafter remained under a single, unified state until 1948, when Korea was divided into north and south by Russian and U.S occupation forces. Rise to the throne and founding of Goryeo, "丙申谕群臣曰:“平壤古都荒废虽久,基址尙存,而荆棘滋茂,蕃人游猎於其间,因而侵掠边邑,为害 大矣。 宜徙民实之以固藩屏为百世之利"(高丽史), Founding legends of the Goryeo royal family, "Parhae | historical state, China and Korea", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Taejo_of_Goryeo&oldid=1016888661, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles with unsourced statements from January 2020, Wikipedia articles with WORLDCATID identifiers, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, Queen Shinjeong of the Hwangju Hwangbo clan (900 – 19 August 983) (신정왕후 황보씨), daughter of Hwangbo Je-Gong (황보제공), King Daejong of Goryeo (Wang Wook) (? The unification of the Later Three Kingdoms in 936 was very important in Korean history; the unification of 668 CE by Silla was only a unification of approximately half of the peoples of the Korean Peninsulaand its vicinity (who at the time largely considered themselves one people divided among many states), since the northern part was ruled by Balhae, which asserted itself as a reincarnation of Goguryeo. The Liao dynasty sent 30 envoys with 50 camels as a gift in 942, but Wang Geon exiled the envoys and starved the camels under a bridge in retribution for Balhae, despite the major diplomatic repercussions. Taejo of Goryeo (January 31, 877 – July 4, 943), also known as Taejo Wang Geon (Wang Kon, 왕건), was the founder of the Goryeo Dynasty, which ruled Korea from the 10th to the 14th century. Gyeon Hwon, a peasant leader, took advantage of the political unrest in 892 CE and formed a revival of the old Baekje kingdom in the south-west portion of the peninsula. Map of the Goryeo Empire (11th century CE), Korean Culture & Information Service (CC BY-SA). It was this kingdom which later gave its name to modern ‘Korea’. World History Encyclopedia, 07 Nov 2016. The next year he moved the capital back to his hometown, Gaegyeong. South of the Cha Pass and beyond the Geum river the people are as difficult as the terrain. Rebellions from the peasantry and the aristocracy were rife, and there followed a period of political turmoil referred to as the Later Three Kingdoms period (889-935). Wang Geon was given the posthumous title of Taejo meaning 'Great Founder.' Wang was strongly influenced by pungsu in his selection of his main and regional capitals. King Taejo named his new unified kingdom Goryeo, meaning 'High & beautiful'. Do not allow more temples unless they accord with the. Taejo of Goryeo (January 31, 877 – July 4, 943) was the founder of the Goryeo Dynasty, which ruled Korea from the 10th to the 14th century. World History Encyclopedia. The hatred never stopped, for when the Khitan sent an embassy and a gift of 50 camels in 942 CE, Wang responded by exiling the ambassadors to an island and allowed the camels to starve to death. He was succeeded by Wang Geon in 918 CE who probably had a hand in his predecessor's assassination. [10] He met Hubaekje forces and suffered disastrous defeat, losing most of his army including his generals Kim Nak and Shin Sung-gyeom, the very same man who crowned Wang as a king. The generals installed Wang Geon as the new king of this short-lived state. Taejo gladly accepted his surrender and gave him the title of prince, and accepted his daughter as one of his wives (Wang had six queens, and many more wives as he married daughters of every single local leader). [15] Taejo proposed to Gaozu of Later Jìn that they attack the Khitans as revenge for the destruction of Balhae, according to the Zizhi Tongjian. Its king, Gung Ye, whose leadership helped found the kingdom but who began to refer to himself as the Buddha, began to persecute people who expressed their opposition against his religious arguments. Cartwright, M. (2016, November 07). Refugees fled from Balhae (Parhae), the northern Manchurian state, to Goryeo at this time following its collapse in 926 CE at the hands of the Khitan. The Goryeo … Gwangjong was born in 925 as Wang So, fourth son of King Taejo, who had founded Goryeo in 918.His mother was Queen Shinmyeongsunseong of the Chungju Yu clan, who also gave birth to princes Wang Tae, Wang Yo, Wang Jeong, and Jeungtong, and princesses Nangnang and Heungbang. During the early Goryeo dynasty, the title of crown prince (hanja: 太子) was only a peerage title for sons of the king; a separate title existed for the heir apparent (hanja: 正尹). Pyongyang was also given a greater importance to act as a deterrent for further incursions. [7] As the first ruler to more fully unite the people of the Korean Peninsula under a single state, many modern-day Koreans look to his example for applicability to the current state of division on the Korean Peninsula. Taejo was the founder of the Goryeo Dynasty which ruled Korea from the tenth to the fourteenth century (918 - 1392). Taejo sought to bring even his enemies into his ruling coalition. Gyeon Hwon was sent into exile and imprisoned in Geumsansa, but escaped to Goryeo and was treated like Taejo's father, who died just before his surrender. As noted elsewhere in this article, the modern name of "Korea" is derived from the name "Goryeo," which itself is derived from "Goguryeo," to whose heritage (and by extension, territory) Wang Geon and his new kingdom laid claim. Cartwright, Mark. Sign up for our free weekly email newsletter! We are now World History Encyclopedia to better reflect the breadth of our non-profit organization's mission. Wang Geon's ability as a military commander was soon recognized by Gung Ye, who promoted him to general and even regarded him as his brother. His special interests include pottery, architecture, world mythology and discovering the ideas that all civilizations share in common. (Portal, 81). Wang Kon was eager to rekindle the former glories of the Goguryeo (Koguryo) state, which had thrived during the Three Kingdoms period (37 BCE – 668 CE), and perhaps for this reason selected the northern city of Songdo (Modern Kaesong) as his new capital. "Taejo of Goryeo." The Liao invasions of Koryŏ from 993 to 1020 were successfully repelled by the Koreans. Later Silla implemented a national policy of integrating Baekje and Goguryeo refugees called the "Unification of the Samhan", referring to the Three Kingdoms of Korea. Taejo began his career in the turbulent Later Three Kingdoms (hanja: 後三國時代). Video Software we use: https://amzn.to/2KpdCQF Ad-free videos. Gyeon Hwon attacked Gyeongju, the Silla capital, in 927 CE while Gung Ye's unpopular and fanatical tyranny led to his death at the hands of his people. His dynasty would oversee an unprecedented flourishing of Korean culture, and its name is the origin of modern Korea's English name. https://www.ancient.eu/Taejo_of_Goryeo/. Once in power, Wang attacked Later Baekje, now beset by leadership in-fighting, and then Silla. "Taejo of Goryeo." Goryeo, also known as Koryŏ was a Korean dynasty established in 918 by King Taejo. It caused much disgust to Gyeon Hwon. King Taejo also signaled a fresh start by moving the capital from Gaegyeong to a new city at Hanyang. The legitimacy of Goryeo itself was also becoming an increasingly disputed issue within the court, as the ruling house failed not only to govern the kingdom effectively, but was also tarnished by generations of forced interma…