Founding King of Goryeo (r. 918?943)
Taejo of Goryeo
高麗 太祖
高麗 太祖
|
---|
|
|
Reign
| 25 July 918?4 July 943
|
---|
Coronation
| 918
Pojeong Hall,
Cheorwon Gate
,
Taebong
|
---|
Predecessor
| Dynasty established
|
---|
Successor
| Hyejong of Goryeo
|
---|
|
Born
| Wang K?n
31 January 877
Yonggeon's manor
,
Songak County
, Hansan-ju,
Silla
|
---|
Died
| 4 July 943
(
0943-07-05
)
(aged 66)
Sindeok Hall,
Gaegyeong
,
Goryeo
|
---|
Burial
| |
---|
Queen Consort
| Queen Sinhye
Queen Janghwa
Queen Sinmyeong
Queen Sinjeong
Queen Sinseong
Queen Jeongdeok
|
---|
Consort
| Grand Lady Heonmok
Lady Jeongmok
Lady Dongyangwon
Lady Sukmok
Lady Cheonanbuwon
Lady Heungbokwon
Lady Daeryangwon
Lady Hudaeryangwon
Lady Daemyeongjuwon
Lady Gwangjuwon
Lady Sogwangjuwon
Lady Dongsanwon
Lady Yehwa
Lady Daeseowon
Lady Soseowon
Lady Seojeonwon
Lady Sinjuwon
Lady Wolhwawon
Lady Sohwangjuwon
Lady Seongmu
Lady Uiseongbuwon
Lady Wolgyeongwon
Lady Mongryangwon
Lady Haeryangwon
|
---|
Issue
|
|
---|
|
Cheonsu (天壽, 天授): 918?933
| |
- Great King Eungun Wonmyeong Gwangnyeol Daejeong Yedeok Janghyo Wimok
Sinseong
(응운원명광렬대정예덕장효위목
神聖
大王, 應運元明光烈大定睿德章孝
神聖
大王; original)
- Great King Yongyeol Inyong Janghyo Daejeong Gwangyeol Wonmyeong
Sinseong
(용열인용장효대정광열원명
神聖
大王, 勇烈仁勇章孝大定光烈元明
神聖
大王; final)
| |
Taejo
(太祖, 太祖)
|
|
House
| Wang
|
---|
Dynasty
| Goryeo
|
---|
Father
| Wang Ryung
|
---|
Mother
| Lady Han
|
---|
Taejo of Goryeo
(
Korean
:
太祖
;
Hanja
:
太祖
; 31 January 877
[
citation needed
]
? 4 July 943), personal name
Wang K?n
(
Korean
:
王建
;
Hanja
:
王建
), also known as
Taejo Wang K?n
(
太祖 王建
;
太祖 王建
;
lit.
Great Progenitor Wang K?n), was the founder of the Korean
Goryeo dynasty
. Taejo ruled from 918 to 943, achieving unification of the
Later Three Kingdoms
in 936.
[1]
Background
[
edit
]
Wang K?n was born in 877 to a powerful maritime merchant family of
Goguryeo
descent based in Songak (modern
Kaesong
) as the eldest son of
Wang Ryung
. According to the
Pyeonnyeon tongnok
(
編年通錄
;
編年通錄
), quoted in the
Goryeosa
, Wang K?n's grandfather
Chakchegon
was the son of
Emperor Suzong of Tang
.
[2]
According to the
Encyclopedia of Korean Culture
and the
Doosan Encyclopedia
, this is hagiographical.
[2]
[3]
The
Pyeonnyeon tongnok
(c. late 12th century) said: While on a sea voyage to meet his father, Emperor Suzong of the Tang dynasty, 16-year-old Chakchegon encountered a dragon king, slayed a shape-shifting fox, and married a dragon woman; the dragon woman later transformed into a dragon and went away.
[4]
According to the
Seongwollok
(
聲援록
;
聖源錄
), quoted in the
Goryeosa
, the "dragon woman" was a daughter of Tu ?n-ch?m from Pyongju (modern-day
Pyongsan County
).
[2]
[5]
The story that Wang K?n was descended from either Suzong or Xuanzong was dismissed by the Joseon compilers of the
Goryeosa
.
[6]
Modern historians believe that Wang K?n's ancestors were influential Goguryeoic
hojoks
(lords) that conducted maritime trade with China for generations.
[7]
According to the
Gaoli tujing
(c. early 12th century) written by the
Song dynasty
envoy Xu Jing, Wang K?n's ancestors were Goguryeo nobility.
[8]
According to Jang Deokho, his ancestors were Goguryeo refugees who settled around Songak, accumulating great wealth through maritime trade and gaining control of the region, including the
Ryesong River
.
[9]
During the
Later Silla
period, the northern regions, including Songak, were the strongholds of Goguryeo refugees,
[10]
[11]
and Wang K?n's hometown of Songak would become the original capital of
Later Goguryeo
in 901.
[12]
According to a document created during the reign of King
Uijong of Goryeo
, the Sillan monk
Doseon
prophesied that Wang K?n would rise to power and become king after visiting Wang K?n's father.
[13]
Rise to power
[
edit
]
Wang K?n began his career in the turbulent
Later Three Kingdoms
. 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. Among those rebels,
Kung Ye
of the northwestern region and
Ky?n Hw?n
of the southwest gained more power. They defeated and absorbed many of the other rebel groups as their troops marched against local Silla officials and bandits. In 895, Kung Ye led his forces into the far northwestern part of Silla, where Songdo was located. Taejo's father, Wang Ryung, along with many local clans, quickly surrendered to Kung Ye. Wang K?n followed his father into service under
Kung Ye
, the future leader of
Taebong
, and he began his service under Kung Ye's command.
Wang K?n's ability as a military commander was soon recognized by Kung Ye, who promoted him to general and even regarded him as his brother. 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. In 903, he led a famous naval campaign against the southwestern coastline of Later Baekje at Keumsung, later Naju, while Kyon Hwon was at war against Silla. He led several more military campaigns, and also helped conquered people who lived in poverty under Silla rule. The public favored him due to his leadership and generosity.
In 913, he was appointed as prime minister of the newly renamed Taebong. Its king, Kung 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. He executed many monks, then later even his own wife and two sons, and the public began to turn away from him. His costly rituals and harsh rule caused even more opposition.
Rise to the throne and founding of Goryeo
[
edit
]
In the night of July 24, 918, four top-ranked generals of Taebong?
Hong Yu
(鴻儒;
洪儒
),
Pae Hy?n-gy?ng
(배현경;
裵玄慶
),
Sin Sung-gy?m
and
Pok Chigy?m
(복지겸;
卜智謙
)?met secretly and agreed to overthrow Kung Ye's rule and crown Wang K?n as their new king. Wang K?n first opposed the idea but later agreed to their plan. Kung Ye was overthrown in a coup and killed near the capital,
Cheorwon
. On the sunrise of the next day, the generals installed Wang K?n as the new king.
[14]
Taejo renamed the kingdom
Goryeo
, thus beginning the Goryeo Dynasty. The next year he moved the capital back to his hometown, Gaegyeong.
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.
[15]
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 K?n ordered his subjects to repopulate the ancient capital,
[16]
and soon sent his cousin
Wang Sing-ny?m
to defend it. Afterward, he decreed Pyongyang as the Western Capital.
[17]
He also sought alliances and cooperation with local clans rather than trying to conquer and bring them under his direct control.
The War of the Later Three Kingdoms
[
edit
]
In 927, Kyon Hwon of Later Baekje led his forces into Silla's capital,
Gyeongju
, capturing and executing its king,
King Gyeongae
. Then he established King Gyeongsun as his puppet monarch before he turned his army toward Goryeo. Hearing of the news, Taejo planned a strike with 5,000 cavalrymen to attack Kyon's troops on the way back home at
Gongsan
near
Daegu
in the Battle of Gongsan.
[18]
He met the Later Baekje army and suffered a disastrous defeat, losing most of his army including his generals Kim Nak and
Sin Sung-gyom
, the very same man who crowned Wang as a king. According to the legend, Taejo and Sin Sung-gyom exchanged their armor so that the king would be able to escape the battlefield. While Wang K?n escaped the battlefield, Sin and the remaining army fought bravely against the Later Baekje army. But eventually his army was routed and in the woods Sin was shot with arrows and was killed by the enemy.
[19]
Taejo escaped from this mountain and fled alone to the mountain
Apsan
[
ko
]
, and he spent a few days hiding in a large cave at the peak of Apsan.
[20]
While Taejo retreated from the battle and fled to Apsan Mountain, he left many place names related to him in Daegu.
[21]
However, Goryeo quickly recovered from defeat and successfully defended Later Baekje's attack on its front.
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. 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). It caused much disgust to Kyon Hwon. Kyon's father,
Ajagae
, who held his own claim to the
Sangju
region, also defected and surrendered to Goryeo and was received as the father of a king.
In the same year, Kyon Hwon's oldest son,
Ky?n Sin-g?m
, led a coup with his brothers Yang-g?m and Yong-g?m, against their father, who favored their half-brother, K?m-gang, as his successor to the throne. Kyon Hwon was sent into exile and imprisoned in the temple of
Geumsansa
, but escaped to Goryeo and was treated like Taejo's father, who died just before his surrender.
Goryeo victory and unification
[
edit
]
In 936, Wang led his final campaign against Sin-gom of Later Baekje. Sin-gom fought against Taejo, but facing much disadvantage and inner conflict, he surrendered to Taejo. Wang finally conquered Later Baekje, and unified the nation for the second time since
Unified Silla
; he ruled until 943, and died from disease.
Taejo sought to bring even his enemies into his ruling coalition. He gave titles and land to rulers and nobles from the various countries he had defeated: Later Baekje, Silla, and also
Balhae
, which disintegrated around the same time. Thus he sought to secure stability and unity for his kingdom which had been lacking in the later years of Silla.
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 Taejo, thus uniting the two successor nations of
Goguryeo
.
[22]
Taejo felt a strong familial kinship with Balhae, calling it his "Relative Country" and "Married Country",
[23]
[24]
and protected Balhae refugees, many of whom were also of Goguryeo origin.
[15]
[23]
This was in strong contrast to Later Silla, which had endured a hostile relationship with Balhae.
[25]
Taejo displayed strong animosity toward the Khitans who had destroyed Balhae. The Liao dynasty sent 30 envoys with 50 camels as a gift in 942, but he exiled the envoys and starved the camels under a bridge in retribution for Balhae, despite the major diplomatic repercussions.
[26]
Taejo proposed to Gaozu of
Later Jin
that they attack the Khitans as revenge for the destruction of Balhae, according to the
Zizhi Tongjian
.
[23]
[27]
Furthermore, in his Ten Mandates to his descendants, he stated that the Khitans are no different from beasts and should be guarded against.
[26]
Legacy
[
edit
]
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. However, Wang K?n'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,
Unified 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 Soviets and U.S. forces.
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 K?n and his new kingdom laid claim.
[15]
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.
During the early Goryeo dynasty, the title of
taeja
(
Hanja
:
太子
) was only a peerage title for sons of the king; a separate title existed for the
heir apparent
called the
jeongyun
(
Hanja
:
正尹
).
Family
[
edit
]
- Great-grandmother:
Queen Jeonghwa
- Consorts and their respective issue(s):
- Queen Sinhye of the Ch?ngju Yu clan
? No issue.
- Queen Janghwa of the Naju O clan
- Crown Prince Wang Mu
(912 ? 23 October 945)
- Queen Sinmyeongsunseong of the Chungju Yu clan
- Wang Tae
- Wang Yo
(923 ? 13 April 949)
- Wang So
(925 ? 4 July 975)
- Wang Jeong, King Munwon the Great
- Jeungteong
- Princess Nakrang
- Princess Heungbang
- Queen Sinjeong of the Hwangju Hwangbo clan
(900 ? 19 August 983)
- Wang Uk
(d. 969)
- Queen Daemok
- Queen Sinseong of the Gyeongju Kim clan
- Wang Uk
(d. 996)
- Queen Jeongdeok of the Ch?ngju Yu clan
- Prince Wangwi
- Prince Inae
- Prince Wonjang
- Prince Joyi
- Queen Munhye
- Queen Seonui
- Princess Wang (
開城 王氏
)
- Grand Lady Heonmok of the Pyong clan
- Prince Sumyeong
- Lady Jeongmok of the Wang clan
- Grand Royal Consort Sunan
- Lady Dongyangwon of the Pyongsan Yu clan
- Wang Ui, Prince Hyomok
- Wang Won, Prince Hyoeun
- Lady Sukmok of the Im clan
- Prince Wonnyeong
(d. 976)
- Lady Cheonanbuwon of the Im clan
- Wang Imju, Prince Hyoseong
(d. 976)
- Prince Hyoji
- Lady Heungbokwon of the Hongju Hong clan
- Wang Jik
- Princess Wang (
公州 王氏
)
- Lady Daeryangwon of the Yi clan
- Princess Wang (
公州 王氏
)
- Lady Hudaeryangwon of the Yi clan
- Lady Daemyeongjuwon of the Wang clan
? No issue.
- Lady Gwangjuwon of the Wang clan
? No issue.
- Lady Sogwangjuwon of the Wang clan
- Prince Gwangjuwon
(d. 945)
- Lady Dongsanwon of the Suncheon Pak clan
? No issue.
- Lady Yehwa of the Haeju Wang clan
? No issue.
- Lady Daeseowon of the Dongju Kim clan
? No issue.
- Lady Soseowon of the Dongju Kim clan
? No issue.
- Lady Seojeonwon
? No issue.
- Lady Sinjuwon of the Kang clan
? No issue.
- Lady Wolhwawon
? No issue.
- Lady Sohwangjuwon
? No issue.
- Lady Seongmu of the Pyongsan Pak clan
- Prince Hyoje
- Prince Hyomyeong
- Prince Beopdeung
- Prince Jari
- Princess Wang (
公州 王氏
)
- Lady Uiseongbuwon of the Uiseong Hong clan
- Grand Prince Uiseongbuwon
- Lady Wolgyeongwon of the Pyongsan Pak clan
? No issue.
- Lady Mongryangwon of the Pyongsan Pak clan
? No issue.
- Lady Haeryangwon
? No issue.
Popular culture
[
edit
]
See also
[
edit
]
References
[
edit
]
- ^
"王建(王建)"
.
文化콘텐츠닷컴
(in Korean). Korea Creative Content Agency
. Retrieved
26 May
2018
.
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a
b
c
문수진 (1997).
의조경강대왕(懿祖景康大王)
.
Encyclopedia of Korean Culture
(in Korean).
Academy of Korean Studies
. Retrieved
16 September
2022
.
- ^
원덕대왕[元德大王,?~?]
.
Doopedia
(in Korean). Doosan Corporation
. Retrieved
16 September
2022
.
- ^
장덕순 (1995).
考慮國調神話(高麗國祖神話)
.
Encyclopedia of Korean Culture
(in Korean).
Academy of Korean Studies
. Retrieved
16 September
2022
.
- ^
이한순.
平山郡(平山郡)
.
Encyclopedia of Korean Culture
(in Korean).
Academy of Korean Studies
. Retrieved
6 September
2023
.
- ^
Rogers, Michael C. "P'y?nny?n T'ongnok: The Foundation Legend of the Kory? State." Journal of Korean Studies, vol. 4, 1982, p. 3-72. Project MUSE,
https://doi.org/10.1353/jks.1982.0005
. QUOTE: "Very different was the reaction of the scholars of the early Yi who compiled the Kory?-sa. They contemptuously dismiss the story, commenting that whether applied to Su-tsung or to Hsuan-tsung it was no more than a specious product of S?n records, hence unworthy of credence. (p. 43-44)
- ^
의조경강대왕 (懿祖景康大王)
.
Encyclopedia of Korean Culture
(in Korean).
- ^
朴, 腫氣 (2015-08-24).
高麗史의 再發見: 韓半島 歷史上 가장 開放的이고 力動的인 500年 高麗 歷史를 만나다
(in Korean). 휴머니스트.
ISBN
9788958629023
. Retrieved
27 October
2016
.
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장덕호 (1 March 2015).
韓半島 中心에 터 닦으니 和合·統合의 새時代 '활짝'
.
중부일보
(in Korean)
. Retrieved
16 September
2022
.
王建의 家門은 高句麗의 流民으로서 代代로 個性地方을 中心으로 海上貿易을 통해 莫大한 富(富)를 이룩했고, 蓄積된 富를 基盤으로 松嶽一帶를 掌握했을 뿐 아니라, 禮成江 一帶에서 江華島에 이르는 地域에 튼튼한 勢力基盤을 構築하고 있었다.
- ^
이상각 (2014).
高麗史 - 熱情과 自存의 五百年
(in Korean). 들녘.
ISBN
9791159250248
. Retrieved
23 March
2018
.
- ^
"(2) 建國―豪族들과의 提携"
.
우리歷史넷
(in Korean).
National Institute of Korean History
. Retrieved
23 March
2018
.
- ^
성기환 (2008).
생각하는 韓國史 2: 高麗時代부터 朝鮮·日帝强占까지
(in Korean). 버들미디어.
ISBN
9788986982923
. Retrieved
23 March
2018
.
- ^
Vermeersch, Sam (June 2013).
"Yi Seong-gye and the Fate of the Goryeo Buddhist System"
(PDF)
.
Korea Journal
.
53
(2): 131
. Retrieved
19 January
2024
.
- ^
Kang, Hi-Woong (1964). "The Eclipse of the Silla Aristocracy".
The development of the Korean ruling class from late Silla to early Koryo
(PhD thesis). University of Washington.
ProQuest
302110231
. Retrieved
18 July
2023
.
- ^
a
b
c
Rossabi, Morris (1983-05-20).
China Among Equals: The Middle Kingdom and Its Neighbors, 10th-14th Centuries
. University of California Press. p. 323.
ISBN
9780520045620
. Retrieved
1 August
2016
.
- ^
"丙申?群臣曰:“平壤古都荒??久,基址尙存,而?棘滋茂,蕃人游?於其?,因而侵掠?邑,?害 大矣。 宜徙民?之以固藩??百世之利"(高?史)
- ^
"書經"
.
우리歷史넷
(in Korean).
National Institute of Korean History
. Retrieved
23 March
2018
.
- ^
Ilyon
:
Samguk Yusa
: Legends and History of the Three Kingdoms of Ancient Korea
, translated by Tae-Hung Ha and Grafton K. Mintz. Book Two, page 128. Silk Pagoda (2006).
ISBN
1-59654-348-5
- ^
"蟾津江과 寶城江의 秀麗한 물길이, 서로 도와 빚은 風光"
[The beautiful waterways of the Seomjin and Boseong rivers help each other create scenery].
Pressian
. 24 May 2023
. Retrieved
2 June
2023
.
- ^
"Introduction to Jarak-gil"
. Daegu Metropolitan City Namgu Cultural Tourism
. Retrieved
2 June
2023
.
- ^
"[굿모닝 내셔널]大邱 곳곳 남아 있는 '王建 脫出로'...지금은"
[[Good Morning National] 'Wang Geon Escape Route' that remains throughout Daegu...Now].
JoongAng Ilbo
. 2 December 2017
. Retrieved
2 June
2023
.
- ^
Lee, Ki-Baik (1984).
A New History of Korea
. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press. p. 103.
ISBN
978-0674615762
.
"When Parhae perished at the hands of the Khitan around this same time, much of its ruling class, who were of Kogury? descent, fled to Kory?. Wang K?n warmly welcomed them and generously gave them land. Along with bestowing the name Wang Kye ("Successor of the Royal Wang") on the Parhae crown prince, Tae Kwang-hy?n, Wang K?n entered his name in the royal household register, thus clearly conveying the idea that they belonged to the same lineage, and also had rituals performed in honor of his progenitor. Thus Kory? achieved a true national unification that embraced not only the Later Three Kingdoms but even survivors of Kogury? lineage from the Parhae kingdom."
- ^
a
b
c
박종기 (2015).
高麗史의 再發見: 韓半島 歷史上 가장 開放的이고 力動的인 500年 高麗 歷史를 만나다
(in Korean). 휴머니스트.
ISBN
9788958629023
. Retrieved
23 March
2018
.
- ^
박용운.
"
'高句麗'와 '高麗'는 같은 나라였다"
.
조선닷컴
.
The Chosun Ilbo
. Archived from
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on 2017-06-22
. Retrieved
23 March
2018
.
- ^
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.
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. Retrieved
23 March
2018
.
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a
b
이기환 (22 June 2015).
"[여적]太祖 王建이 駱駝를 굶겨죽인 까닭"
.
Kyunghyang Shinmun
(in Korean).
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. Retrieved
23 March
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.
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"王建의 할아버지는 私生兒였다?"
.
M매거진
(in Korean). 每經닷컴
. Retrieved
23 March
2018
.
- ^
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.
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(in Korean).
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. Retrieved
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2018
.
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노명호.
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.
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- ^
[KBS DRAMA CLASSIC] 太祖王建 FULL VOD 1回 | KBS放送
[
[KBS DRAMA CLASSIC] Taejo Wang Geon FULL VOD Episode 1 | KBS Broadcasting
] (in Korean). KBS Drama Classic (published 1 April 2000). 4 March 2020
. Retrieved
3 June
2023
.
- ^
王建 代身 王의 옷을 입고 죽은 申崇謙의 正體는?!|천일야사 73回 다시보기
[
What is the identity of Shin Sung-gyeom who died wearing the king's clothes instead of Wang Geon?!|Replay Episode 73 of Thousand Days Unofficial History
] (in Korean). KBS Drama Classic. 14 May 2018
. Retrieved
2 June
2023
.
- ^
"안컴퍼니, 메타버스 創作뮤지컬 '太祖 王建' 오는 28日 開幕"
[Ahn Company, Metaverse creative musical 'Taejo Wang Geon' opens on the 28th].
Break News
. 15 November 2022
. Retrieved
2 June
2023
.
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to
Wang Geon
.
Taejo of Goryeo
Born:
31 January 877
Died:
4 July 943
|
Regnal titles
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Preceded by
Himself
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King of Goryeo
936?943
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Succeeded by
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Political offices
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New office
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Prime Minister of
Taebong
913?918
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Office abolished
|
|
---|
() - Not Traditionally recognized as King
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