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Taejo of Goryeo
고려 태조
高麗 太祖
Wang Geon (왕건)
WangGeon.jpg
King of Goryeo
Reign 918–943
Coronation 918
Pojeong Hall, Cheorwon Gate, Taebong
Predecessor Dynasty established
Successor Hyejong of Goryeo
Born Wang Geon
31 January 877
Yonggeon's manor, Songak County, Hansan-ju, Kingdom of Silla
Died 4 July 943 (0943-07-05) (aged 66)
Sindeok Hall, Gaegyeong, Kingdom of Goryeo
Burial Hyeolleung Royal Tomb
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
  • Sons:
    Wang Mu
    Wang Tae
    Wang Yo
    Wang So
    Wang Jeong
    Jeungtongguksa
    Wang Uk
    Wang Uk
    Prince Wangwi
    Prince Inae
    Prince Wonjang
    Prince Joyi
    Prince Sumyeong
    Wang Ui
    Wang Won
    Prince Wonnyeong
    Wang Imju
    Prince Hyoji
    Wang Jik
    Prince Gwangjuwon
    Prince Hyoje
    Prince Hyomyeong
    Prince Beopdeung
    Prince Jari
    Grand Prince Uiseongbuwon
  • Daughters:
    Princess Nakrang
    Princess Heungbang
    Queen Daemok
    Queen Munhye
    Queen Seonui
    Princess Wang
    Grand Consort Sunan
    Princess Wang
    Princess Wang
Era name and dates
Cheonsu (천수, 天授): 918–933
Posthumous name
  • King Eungun Wonmyeong Gwangnyeol Daejeong Yedeok Janghyo Wimok Sinseong the Great
    (응운원명광렬대정예덕장효위목신성대왕, 應運元明光烈大定睿德章孝神聖大王; firstly)
  • King Yongyeol Inyong Janghyo Daejeong Gwangyeol Wonmyeong Sinseong the Great
    (용열인용장효대정광열원명신성대왕, 勇烈仁勇章孝大定光烈元明神聖大王; lastly)
Temple name
Taejo (태조, 太祖)
House House of Wang
Father Wang Ryung
Mother Lady Han
Korean name
Hangul
Hanja
Revised Romanization Taejo
McCune–Reischauer T'aejo
Birth name
Hangul
Hanja
Revised Romanization Wang Geon
McCune–Reischauer Wang Kǒn
Courtesy name
Hangul
Hanja
Revised Romanization Yakcheon
McCune–Reischauer Yakch'ŏn
Posthumous name
Hangul
Hanja
Revised Romanization Sinseong Daewang
McCune–Reischauer Sinsŏng Taewang

Taejo of Goryeo (born Wang Geon, 31 January 877 – 4 July 943) was a very important king in Korean history. He founded the Goryeo dynasty, which ruled Korea for a long time, from the 10th to the 14th century. Taejo was king from 918 to 943. He is famous for uniting the Later Three Kingdoms of Korea in 936.

Early Life and Family Background

Wang Geon was born in 877 in Songak, which is now Kaesong. His family was very powerful and involved in sea trade. His father was Wang Ryung. Historians believe Wang Geon's family were strong leaders. They had become wealthy through trade with China. They controlled their region, including the Ryesong River.

Wang Geon's ancestors might have been refugees from Goguryeo. Goguryeo was an ancient Korean kingdom. These refugees settled in the northern areas, like Songak. Songak later became the first capital of Later Goguryeo in 901.

Joining the Rebels

Taejo started his career during a difficult time in Korea. This period is known as the Later Three Kingdoms. The old kingdom of Silla was losing its power. Many local leaders and bandits rebelled against Queen Jinseong. She struggled to lead and help her people.

Two rebel leaders became very strong. They were Gung Ye from the northwest and Gyeon Hwon from the southwest. They defeated other rebel groups. In 895, Gung Ye's forces moved into the Songdo area. Wang Geon's father, Wang Yung, and other local leaders surrendered to Gung Ye. Wang Geon then joined Gung Ye's army.

Wang Geon's Military Successes

Gung Ye quickly saw Wang Geon's talent as a military leader. He promoted Wang Geon to general. Gung Ye even treated him like a brother. In 900, Wang Geon led a successful fight. He fought against local groups and the army of Later Baekje in the Chungju area. This made him even more famous.

In 903, he led a great naval attack. He targeted the southwestern coast of Hubaekje (Keumsung, later Naju). This happened while Gyeon Hwon was fighting Silla. Wang Geon led many more military campaigns. He also helped people who were poor under Silla's rule. People liked him because he was a good leader and very generous.

In 913, Wang Geon became prime minister of Taebong. Taebong was the kingdom Gung Ye founded. But Gung Ye, the king, started to change. He began to think of himself as a Buddha. He punished people who disagreed with his religious ideas. He even executed his own wife and two sons. People began to lose faith in him. His expensive ceremonies and harsh rule caused more problems.

Becoming King and Founding Goryeo

In 918, four important generals from Taebong met in secret. Their names were Hong Yu, Bae Hyeongyeong, Shin Sung-gyeom, and Bok Jigyeom. They decided to overthrow Gung Ye. They wanted Wang Geon to be their new king. Wang Geon was unsure at first, but he agreed.

That same year, Gung Ye was overthrown and killed. This happened near the capital, Cheorwon. The generals made Wang Geon the new king. He renamed the kingdom Goryeo. This was the start of the Goryeo Dynasty. The next year, he moved the capital back to his hometown, Gaegyeong.

Wang Geon made Buddhism the national religion of Goryeo. He also claimed the northern parts of the Korean Peninsula and Manchuria. He believed these lands were his rightful inheritance from Goguryeo. He wanted to rebuild the ancient capital of Pyongyang. He sent his cousin, Wang Sik-ryeom, to defend it. Pyongyang became the Western Capital. He also worked with local leaders. He preferred to make alliances rather than conquer them.

Uniting the Later Three Kingdoms

In 927, Gyeon Hwon of Hubaekje attacked Silla's capital, Gyeongju. He captured and killed King Gyeongae. Gyeon Hwon then put King Gyeongsun on the throne as a puppet king. After that, he turned his army towards Goryeo.

When Taejo heard the news, he planned an attack. He led 5,000 cavalrymen to stop Gyeon's troops. This battle happened at Gongsan near Daegu. Goryeo suffered a terrible defeat. Most of Taejo's army was lost, including his generals Kim Nak and Shin Sung-gyeom. But Goryeo quickly recovered. They successfully defended against Hubaekje's attacks.

In 935, the last king of Silla, King Gyeongsun, decided to surrender. He gave his entire kingdom to Taejo. Taejo happily accepted. He gave King Gyeongsun the title of prince. He also took King Gyeongsun's daughter as one of his wives. This made Gyeon Hwon very angry. Gyeon Hwon's own father also joined Goryeo.

Later that year, Gyeon Hwon's oldest son, Gyeon Singeom, led a coup. He and his brothers overthrew their father. Gyeon Hwon had favored his half-brother, Geumgang, to be the next king. Gyeon Hwon was exiled and imprisoned. But he escaped to Goryeo. Taejo treated him like his own father.

Goryeo's Victory and Unification

In 936, Wang Geon led his final battle. He fought against Singeom of Later Baekje. Singeom fought hard but was at a disadvantage. He surrendered to Taejo. Wang Geon officially took over Hubaekje. This united the Korean nation for the second time. He ruled until 943, when he died from an illness.

Taejo wanted to bring everyone together. He even gave titles and land to his former enemies. These included rulers and nobles from Later Baekje, Silla, and Balhae. Balhae was another kingdom that had fallen apart around this time. This helped bring stability and unity to his new kingdom.

After Balhae was destroyed in 926, its last crown prince, Dae Gwang-hyeon, and many nobles came to Goryeo. Wang Geon welcomed them warmly. He included them in his ruling family. This united the two nations that came from Goguryeo. Taejo felt a strong connection to Balhae. He called it his "Relative Country." He protected Balhae refugees, many of whom were also from Goguryeo. This was different from Later Silla, which had a bad relationship with Balhae.

Taejo did not like the Khitans, who had destroyed Balhae. In 942, the Liao dynasty sent 30 envoys with 50 camels as a gift. But Wang Geon exiled the envoys. He starved the camels under a bridge. This was his revenge for Balhae. He even suggested attacking the Khitans. In his Ten Mandates to his descendants, he warned them about the Khitans. He said they were like beasts and should be watched carefully.

Taejo's Lasting Legacy

Goryo Taejo Wangkun 2
A portrait of Taejo at the Manwoldae
왕건 좌상 2
A life-sized bronze statue of Taejo, made in 951. It was found in 1992 in Kaesong.

The unification of the Later Three Kingdoms in 936 was very important. It was a more complete unification of the Korean people. Before this, in 668 CE, Silla had only united about half of the peninsula. The northern part was ruled by Balhae. Balhae saw itself as the new Goguryeo.

But Wang Geon's unification in 936 brought almost all the people under one state. After this, the people of the Korean Peninsula stayed under a single, unified state. This lasted until 1948. That's when Korea was divided into north and south.

The modern name "Korea" comes from "Goryeo." And "Goryeo" itself comes from "Goguryeo." Wang Geon and his kingdom claimed the heritage of Goguryeo. Because he was the first ruler to truly unite the Korean people, many modern Koreans look to him as an example. They hope for the current division of Korea to end.

Tomb of Wang Geon - Kaesong07
The Tomb of Wang Geon

Popular Culture

  • Portrayed by Kim Myeong-jin in the 1970 film Wang-geon, the Great.
  • Portrayed by Choi Soo-jong and Oh Hyun-chul in the 2000-2002 KBS1 TV series Taejo Wang Geon.
  • Portrayed by Lee Mun-soo in the 2002–2003 KBS TV series The Dawn of the Empire.
  • Portrayed by Joo Myung Nam in the 2009 KBS TV series Empress Cheonchu.
  • Portrayed by Nam Kyung-eup in the 2015 MBC TV series Shine or Go Crazy.
  • Portrayed by Jo Min-ki in the 2016 SBS TV series Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo.
  • Leads the Korean civilization the games Sid Meier's Civilization III and IV

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Wang Geon para niños

  • Family tree of the Goryeo Dynasty
  • Rulers of Korea
  • History of Korea
  • Wang (family name)
  • Tomb of King Wanggon
  • Founding legends of the Goryeo royal family
  • Taejo Wang Geon (TV series)
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