Goryeo

The Goryeo (also spelled Koryo) kingdom ruled Korea from the fall of Silla in 935 until the founding of Joseon in 1392. The name "Goryeo" is a shortened form of "Goguryeo," the name of a kingdom in northern Korea which was conquered by Silla in 668. The English name "Korea" comes from "Goryeo."

History

As Unified Silla weakened and lost control over local lords, the country entered a period of civil war and rebellion. Major rebellion forces were led by Gung Ye (????, ?~918), Gi Hwon (??), Yang Gil (??) and Gyeon Hwon (??). Two new kingdoms were established: Hugoguryeo (????, Later Goguryeo, later renamed Taebong (??)) by Gung Ye, and Hubaekje (???, later Baekje) by Gyeonhwon. This period is known as the Later Three Kingdoms era.

Related Topics:
Unified Silla - Gung Ye - Gi Hwon - Yang Gil - Gyeon Hwon - Goguryeo - Taebong - Hubaekje - Baekje - Later Three Kingdoms era

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Wanggeon (??), who was a lord of Songak (present-day Kaesong), joined Taebong but overthrew Gung Ye and established Goryeo in 918. The Later Three Kingdoms era ended as Goryeo annexed Silla and defeated Hubaekje in 936.

Related Topics:
Wanggeon - Kaesong - 918 - 936

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In order to strengthen the power of the central government, Gwangjong, the 4th King, made a series of laws including that of freeing slaves in 958, and one creating the exam for hiring civil officials. Gwangjong also proclaimed himself Emperor, independent from any other countries.

Related Topics:
Gwangjong - 958 - Emperor

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The 5th king, Gyeongjong (??, ??) launched land-ownership reformation called Jeonsigwa (??????) and the 6th King Seongjong(??, ??) appointed officials to local areas, which were previously succeeded by the lords. By the time of 11th King Munjong (??, ??), the central government of Goryeo gained complete authority and power over local lords. Munjong and later kings emphasized the importance of civilian leadership over the military.

Related Topics:
Gyeongjong - Seongjong - Munjong

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The House Yi of Inju (????, ????) married the kings from Munjong to the 17th king, Injong. Eventually the Yis gained more power than the king himself. This led to the coup of Yi Ja-gyeom in 1126. The coup failed but the power of monarch was weakened; Goryeo underwent a civil war among the nobility.

Related Topics:
Injong - Yi Ja-gyeom - 1126

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In 1135, Myo Cheong argued to move the capital to Seogyeong (present day P'y?ngyang). This proposal divided the nobilities of Goryeo in half. One faction, led by Myo Cheong, believed in moving the capital to Pyongyang and expanding into Manchuria. The other one, led by Kim Bu-sik (author of the Samguk Sagi), wanted to keep the status quo. Myo Cheong failed to persuade the King and rebelled against the central government, but failed.

Related Topics:
1135 - Myo Cheong - P'y?ngyang - Manchuria - Kim Bu-sik - Samguk Sagi

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In 1170, a group of army officers led by Jeong Jung-bu (???, ???) and Yi Ui-bang (???, ???), launched a coup d'état and succeeded. King Injong went into exile and Myeongjong (??,??) was made king. Military rule of Goryeo began.

Related Topics:
1170 - Jeong Jung-bu - Yi Ui-bang - King Injong - Myeongjong

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In 1231, Mongolians under Ögedei Khan invaded Goryeo, as part of a general campaign to conquer China. The throne moved to Ganghwa Island in the Bay of Gyeonggi, in 1232. The military ruler of the time Choe Chung-heon (???, ???) insisted on fighting back. Goryeo resisted for decades but finally surrendered in 1259. Some military officials who refused to surrender formed the Sambyeolcho Rebellion and resisted in the islands off the southern shore of the Korean peninsula. The Goryeo dynasty survived but it remained under Mongolian control until King Gongmin began to push Mongolian forces back.

Related Topics:
1231 - Ögedei Khan - Campaign to conquer China - Ganghwa Island - Bay of Gyeonggi - 1232 - Choe Chung-heon - 1259 - Sambyeolcho Rebellion - Korean peninsula - King Gongmin

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In 1388, King U planned a campaign to invade present-day Liaoning of China. King U put the general Yi Seong-gye (later Taejo) in charge, but he stopped at the border and rebelled. Goryeo fell to General Yi In 1392. He then established the Joseon Dynasty.

Related Topics:
1388 - King U - Liaoning - China - Yi Seong-gye - Taejo - 1392 - Joseon Dynasty

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Today, Korea and related forms such as Corea and Corée that derive from Goryeo are used as names for the country in most languages around the world. Goryeo is also sometimes used as a politically neutral name in the Korean language for the whole of Korea. For more information, see Names of Korea.

Related Topics:
Korean language - Names of Korea

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