Goryeo facts for kids
The Goryeo Dynasty (also spelled Koryo Dynasty) was a powerful kingdom in Korea. It lasted for a long time, from 918 to 1392. The name "Goryeo" is actually where the modern name "Korea" comes from!
This dynasty began in 918 with its first ruler, Emperor Taejo. Goryeo brought together the Later Three Kingdoms of Korea, which were Later Baekje, Later Goguryeo, and Silla. By 1374, Goryeo ruled most of the Korean peninsula. However, it was eventually replaced by the Joseon dynasty in 1392. Goryeo also expanded its land, reaching as far as the Amnok River.
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How Goryeo Began
Around the late 800s, the Silla kingdom, which had united Korea earlier, started to become weak. Local lords and powerful families began to gain control. This led to a period of civil war and rebellions across the country.
Several leaders emerged during this time, including Gung Ye and Gyeon Hwon. Gung Ye started his own kingdom called Hugoguryeo, meaning "Later Goguryeo." A very important person named Wang Geon (who later became Emperor Taejo) worked for Gung Ye.
However, Gung Ye became a very cruel ruler. He even killed his own wife and son. He also claimed he was a future Buddha. Meanwhile, Wang Geon became stronger, especially after conquering an area in Later Baekje. Finally, Wang Geon's followers rebelled against Gung Ye. Wang Geon then founded a new dynasty called Goryeo and made Song-ak its capital city.
Uniting the Land
Goryeo had a smart plan to gain the support of the people. It also kept a good relationship with the weakening Silla kingdom. Because of this, Silla eventually surrendered to Goryeo without a fight.
At the same time, the Later Baekje kingdom faced its own problems. The princes fought among themselves over who would be the next king. This internal conflict made Later Baekje very weak. Goryeo was able to conquer it.
In 936, Goryeo successfully united the Later Three Kingdoms once again. This was a big step, bringing the Korean people back together under one rule.
Emperor Taejo's Important Ideas
Emperor Taejo, the first ruler of Goryeo, had some very important ideas for his new kingdom.
Expanding the Territory
First, he believed Goryeo should expand its land further north. He felt Goryeo was the true successor to the ancient Goguryeo kingdom (which existed from 37 BC to 668 AD). Goguryeo had the largest territory in Korean history. So, Taejo named his dynasty Goryeo, inspired by Goguryeo, and aimed to reclaim its old lands. He also focused on the Sukyung area in the north. This area was important for keeping watch on the Khitan people, who were a type of Mongolian group trying to move south into Goryeo. These plans helped Goryeo expand its territory all the way to the Amnok River.
Uniting the People
Second, Taejo created a policy to unite all the different people from the previous dynasties, like Baekje, Silla, Goguryeo, and Balhae. This policy was very successful. Because of it, many historians believe Goryeo achieved a more complete unification of the Korean people compared to the earlier Silla kingdom.
Related pages
Images for kids
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The original Tripitaka Koreana was carved starting in 1011. This was done during the Khitan invasions to seek strength from the Buddha.
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This is an example of Korean celadon pottery from the early 12th century. It shows the "sanggam" technique of inlaid celadon.
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General Yun Gwan (1040-1111) and his army.
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Gyeongcheonsa Pagoda is a tall 10-story marble pagoda made in 1348. It is now at the National Museum of Korea.
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Yi Je-hyun (1287–1367) was an important government official and scholar during the Goryeo Dynasty.
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Yeom Jesin (1304–1382) was a main political opponent of the monk Shin Don, who held power.
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A Goryeo painting showing the Goryeo nobility.
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A Ksitigarbha painting from Goryeo, Korea.
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Gwangyeongseopum Byeonsangdo, a Goryeo Buddhist painting.
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The Kangnido map shows the geographic knowledge of China during the Mongol Empire. Information about Western countries became available through Islamic geographers.
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A beautiful celadon incense burner. This is considered a National Treasures of South Korea.
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A Korean stoneware cosmetic box with white and black inlay and a celadon glaze. It dates from around 1150–1250.
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Jikji, a book printed in 1377 using movable metal type. It is the earliest known book printed with this method.
See also
In Spanish: Koryo para niños
