Hubaekje
Encyclopedia
Hubaekje, or Later Baekje, was one of the Later Three Kingdoms of Korea, along with Hugoguryeo
and Silla
. It was officially founded by the disaffected Silla
general Gyeon Hwon
in 900, and fell to Wanggeon's Goryeo
army in 936. Its capital was at Jeonju
, in present-day North Jeolla province. Most of our information about the kingdom comes from the accounts found in the Samguk Yusa
and Samguk Sagi
, which largely coincide.
in 892, Gyeon Hwon's was only one among numerous rebellion
s which sprouted up against the weak Silla rulers in late 9th century. Many of these rebellions were initially triggered by the Silla decision to use force to collect taxes on the peasantry in 889 (Lee, 1984, p. 98). At this time most of the power on the peninsula was held by local gentry
, who lacked strong loyalty to the central government
. It was thus fairly easy for rebellions led by disaffected military officials to gain steam.
In its name, Hubaekje sought to establish itself as the legitimate successor to the ancient kingdom of Baekje
which had ruled the southwestern Korean peninsula
until conquered by Silla in 660.
After declaring himself king, Gyeon Hwon took numerous wives
, and is said to have had 10 sons by them in addition to the 8 borne by his first wife. This laid the groundwork for the strife which ended the kingdom's existence.
In 935, Gyeon Hwon chose his fourth son Geumgang over the elder sons as the crown prince
of Hubaekje. At this the eldest son, Singeom
, conspiring with his brothers, had his father confined to Geumsansa
in Gimje
. Singeom killed Prince Geumgang and took the throne for himself. However, Gyeon Hwon escaped to Goryeo.
raids in Naju
region. These worked to disrupt trade and diplomatic ties with Southern Chinese kingdoms.
Hubaekje possessed considerable military strength, and Lee (1984, p. 99) writes of Gyeon Hwon that "Had Gung Ye
and Wang Geon not stood in his way, he surely would have had little difficulty in toppling Silla." Hubaekje showed its greatest strength in 927. In that year its armies attacked and pillaged the Silla capital at Gyeongju
, slaying King Gyeongae
and establishing King Gyeongsun
as the ruler. Before the attack, Silla had sent for aid from Goryeo, and Wanggeon arrived with a large army shortly after Gyeongju was taken. The two armies met near Palgong Mountain in present-day Daegu
. Wanggeon's forces in the battle reportedly numbered 10,000 men. Hubaekje triumphed, and Wanggeon himself only escaped through the daring self-sacrifice of his general Shin Sung-gyeom
and Kim Nak.
However, when the two armies met again at the Battle of Gochang near Andong
in 930, Goryeo scored a decisive victory. Hubaekje was pushed back into its heartland, and there suffered a further crippling defeat at Hongseong
in 934.
through diplomatic
ties with northern China
, Gyeon Hwon strove to do the same by maintaining ties with the rulers of southern China, particularly Wuyue
. However, because Hubaekje's existence largely coincided with the turbulent Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period
in China, neither side was able to parlay these ties into military support.
reports that he led an army of 100,000 against his former kingdom. The Goryeo and Hubaekje armies met at Seonsan
, today part of Gumi in North Gyeongsang province, and the Hubaekje forces were destroyed. Hubaekje thus finally fell in 936, one year after King Gyeongsun had surrendered Silla to Wanggeon. The battle of Seonsan thus marked the end of the Later Three Kingdoms period.
In his own characteristically open-handed style, Wanggeon conferred a title upon the defeated leader Singeom. Singeom's younger brothers Yanggeom and Yonggeom, who were judged to have been to blame
for the coup d'etat
, were sent into exile
.
Taebong
Taebong or Later Goguryeo was a state established by Gung Ye on the Korean peninsula in 901, during the Later Three Kingdoms period.-History:...
and Silla
Silla
Silla was one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, and one of the longest sustained dynasties in...
. It was officially founded by the disaffected Silla
Silla
Silla was one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, and one of the longest sustained dynasties in...
general Gyeon Hwon
Gyeon Hwon
Gyeon Hwon was the king and founder of Hubaekje, one of the Later Three Kingdoms of Korea. Some records render his name as "Jin Hwon" . He was also the progenitor of the Hwanggan Gyeon clan...
in 900, and fell to Wanggeon's Goryeo
Goryeo
The Goryeo Dynasty or Koryŏ was a Korean dynasty established in 918 by Emperor Taejo. Korea gets its name from this kingdom which came to be pronounced Korea. It united the Later Three Kingdoms in 936 and ruled most of the Korean peninsula until it was removed by the Joseon dynasty in 1392...
army in 936. Its capital was at Jeonju
Jeonju
Jeonju is a city in South Korea, and the capital of Jeollabuk-do, or North Jeolla Province. It is an important tourist center famous for Korean food, historic buildings, sports activities and innovative festivals.- History :...
, in present-day North Jeolla province. Most of our information about the kingdom comes from the accounts found in the Samguk Yusa
Samguk Yusa
Samguk Yusa, or Memorabilia of the Three Kingdoms, is a collection of legends, folktales, and historical accounts relating to the Three Kingdoms of Korea , as well as to other periods and states before, during, and after the Three Kingdoms period.The text was written in Classical Chinese, which was...
and Samguk Sagi
Samguk Sagi
Samguk Sagi is a historical record of the Three Kingdoms of Korea: Goguryeo, Baekje and Silla. The Samguk Sagi is written in Classical Chinese and its compilation was ordered by Goryeo's King Injong Samguk Sagi (History of the Three Kingdoms) is a historical record of the Three Kingdoms of...
, which largely coincide.
Background
When it began with his attack on MujinjuGwangju
Gwangju is the sixth largest city in South Korea. It is a designated metropolitan city under the direct control of the central government's Home Minister...
in 892, Gyeon Hwon's was only one among numerous rebellion
Rebellion
Rebellion, uprising or insurrection, is a refusal of obedience or order. It may, therefore, be seen as encompassing a range of behaviors aimed at destroying or replacing an established authority such as a government or a head of state...
s which sprouted up against the weak Silla rulers in late 9th century. Many of these rebellions were initially triggered by the Silla decision to use force to collect taxes on the peasantry in 889 (Lee, 1984, p. 98). At this time most of the power on the peninsula was held by local gentry
Gentry
Gentry denotes "well-born and well-bred people" of high social class, especially in the past....
, who lacked strong loyalty to the central government
Government
Government refers to the legislators, administrators, and arbitrators in the administrative bureaucracy who control a state at a given time, and to the system of government by which they are organized...
. It was thus fairly easy for rebellions led by disaffected military officials to gain steam.
In its name, Hubaekje sought to establish itself as the legitimate successor to the ancient kingdom of Baekje
Baekje
Baekje or Paekche was a kingdom located in southwest Korea. It was one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, together with Goguryeo and Silla....
which had ruled the southwestern Korean peninsula
Korean Peninsula
The Korean Peninsula is a peninsula in East Asia. It extends southwards for about 684 miles from continental Asia into the Pacific Ocean and is surrounded by the Sea of Japan to the south, and the Yellow Sea to the west, the Korea Strait connecting the first two bodies of water.Until the end of...
until conquered by Silla in 660.
Internal affairs
For all but the last year of its existence, Hubaekje was ruled by Gyeon Hwon, and his personal style of rule played a key role in the kingdom's fate.After declaring himself king, Gyeon Hwon took numerous wives
Polygyny
Polygyny is a form of marriage in which a man has two or more wives at the same time. In countries where the practice is illegal, the man is referred to as a bigamist or a polygamist...
, and is said to have had 10 sons by them in addition to the 8 borne by his first wife. This laid the groundwork for the strife which ended the kingdom's existence.
In 935, Gyeon Hwon chose his fourth son Geumgang over the elder sons as the crown prince
Crown Prince
A crown prince or crown princess is the heir or heiress apparent to the throne in a royal or imperial monarchy. The wife of a crown prince is also titled crown princess....
of Hubaekje. At this the eldest son, Singeom
Singeom
Singeom was the second and final king of Hubaekje, one of the Later Three Kingdoms of Korea. He came to the throne after conspiring with his two brothers, Yanggeom and Yonggeom, to overthrow their father Gyeon Hwon and kill the anointed heir, their younger half-brother Geumgang.The brothers...
, conspiring with his brothers, had his father confined to Geumsansa
Geumsansa
Geumsansa is a head temple of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism. It stands on the slopes of Moaksan in Gimje City, Jeollabuk-do, South Korea.-History:...
in Gimje
Gimje
Gimje is a city in North Jeolla Province, South Korea.-History:Gimje area has been cultivated since ancient times.Nations of early date ascend in year 200...
. Singeom killed Prince Geumgang and took the throne for himself. However, Gyeon Hwon escaped to Goryeo.
Military affairs
For much of its existence, Hubaekje was troubled by Wanggeon's navalNavy
A navy is the branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake- or ocean-borne combat operations and related functions...
raids in Naju
Naju
Naju is a city in South Jeolla Province, South Korea.The capital of South Jeolla was located at Naju until it was moved to Gwangju in 1895. The name Jeolla actually originates from the first character of Jeonju and the first character of Naju . Dongshin University is situated in Naju...
region. These worked to disrupt trade and diplomatic ties with Southern Chinese kingdoms.
Hubaekje possessed considerable military strength, and Lee (1984, p. 99) writes of Gyeon Hwon that "Had Gung Ye
Gung Ye
Gung Ye was the king of the short-lived Hugoguryeo on the Korean peninsula. Although he was a member of the Silla royal family, he became a victim of the power struggle among the royal family members during the late 9th century...
and Wang Geon not stood in his way, he surely would have had little difficulty in toppling Silla." Hubaekje showed its greatest strength in 927. In that year its armies attacked and pillaged the Silla capital at Gyeongju
Gyeongju
Gyeongju is a coastal city in the far southeastern corner of North Gyeongsang province in South Korea. It is the second largest city by area in the province after Andong, covering with a population of 269,343 people according to the 2008 census. Gyeongju is southeast of Seoul, and east of the...
, slaying King Gyeongae
Gyeongae of Silla
Gyeongae of Silla was the 55th ruler of the Korean kingdom of Silla. He was the son of King Sindeok by Princess Uiseong, and was the younger brother of King Gyeongmyeong, who preceded him to the throne....
and establishing King Gyeongsun
Gyeongsun of Silla
Gyeongsun of Silla was the 56th and final ruler of the Korean kingdom of Silla. A sixth-generation descendant of King Munseong, he was the son of Hyojong by Princess Gyea, who was the daughter of King Heongang...
as the ruler. Before the attack, Silla had sent for aid from Goryeo, and Wanggeon arrived with a large army shortly after Gyeongju was taken. The two armies met near Palgong Mountain in present-day Daegu
Daegu
Daegu , also known as Taegu, and officially the Daegu Metropolitan City, is a city in South Korea, the fourth largest after Seoul, Busan, and Incheon, and the third largest metropolitan area in the country with over 2.5 million residents. The city is the capital and principal city of the...
. Wanggeon's forces in the battle reportedly numbered 10,000 men. Hubaekje triumphed, and Wanggeon himself only escaped through the daring self-sacrifice of his general Shin Sung-gyeom
Shin Sung-gyeom
Shin Sung-gyeom was a Korean general during the turbulent Later Three Kingdoms period in the early 10th century. Born in Gwanghaeju , he became a general in the kingdom of Taebong...
and Kim Nak.
However, when the two armies met again at the Battle of Gochang near Andong
Andong
Andong is a city in Gyeongsangbuk-do Province, South Korea. It is the largest city in the northern part of the province with a population of 167,821 in October 2010. The Nakdong River flows through the city...
in 930, Goryeo scored a decisive victory. Hubaekje was pushed back into its heartland, and there suffered a further crippling defeat at Hongseong
Hongseong County
Hongseong County is a county in South Chungcheong Province, South Korea. Famous people from Hongseong include martyred minister Seong Sam-mun and early Korean anarchist Kim Jwa-jin...
in 934.
Diplomatic ties
As Wanggeon sought to maintain legitimacyLegitimacy (political science)
In political science, legitimacy is the popular acceptance of a governing law or régime as an authority. Whereas “authority” denotes a specific position in an established government, the term “legitimacy” denotes a system of government — wherein “government” denotes “sphere of influence”...
through diplomatic
Diplomacy
Diplomacy is the art and practice of conducting negotiations between representatives of groups or states...
ties with northern China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, Gyeon Hwon strove to do the same by maintaining ties with the rulers of southern China, particularly Wuyue
Wuyue
Kingdom of Wuyue , 907-978, was a small independent coastal kingdom founded during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms of Chinese history. It was ruled by the Qian family, which remains widespread in the kingdom's former territory.-Founding:...
. However, because Hubaekje's existence largely coincided with the turbulent Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period
Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period
Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms was between 907–960/979 AD and an era of political upheaval in China, between the fall of the Tang Dynasty and the founding of the Song Dynasty. During this period, five dynasties quickly succeeded one another in the north, and more than 12 independent states were...
in China, neither side was able to parlay these ties into military support.
Fall
After he was deposed by his sons in 935 and fled to Goryeo, Gyeon Hwon himself came to lead the armies against Hubaekje. Together with Wanggeon, the Samguk YusaSamguk Yusa
Samguk Yusa, or Memorabilia of the Three Kingdoms, is a collection of legends, folktales, and historical accounts relating to the Three Kingdoms of Korea , as well as to other periods and states before, during, and after the Three Kingdoms period.The text was written in Classical Chinese, which was...
reports that he led an army of 100,000 against his former kingdom. The Goryeo and Hubaekje armies met at Seonsan
Seonsan
Seonsan, or Seonsan-eup, is an eup or large village in Gumi City, Gyeongsangbuk-do, South Korea. It has a population of around 20,000 people, and an area of 69 km². There are several historical landmarks in Seonsan, including two Joseon Dynasty schools: Geumo Seowon and the Seonsan hyanggyo...
, today part of Gumi in North Gyeongsang province, and the Hubaekje forces were destroyed. Hubaekje thus finally fell in 936, one year after King Gyeongsun had surrendered Silla to Wanggeon. The battle of Seonsan thus marked the end of the Later Three Kingdoms period.
In his own characteristically open-handed style, Wanggeon conferred a title upon the defeated leader Singeom. Singeom's younger brothers Yanggeom and Yonggeom, who were judged to have been to blame
Blame
Blame is the act of censuring, holding responsible, making negative statements about an individual or group that their action or actions are socially or morally irresponsible, the opposite of praise. When someone is morally responsible for doing something wrong their action is blameworthy...
for the coup d'etat
Coup d'état
A coup d'état state, literally: strike/blow of state)—also known as a coup, putsch, and overthrow—is the sudden, extrajudicial deposition of a government, usually by a small group of the existing state establishment—typically the military—to replace the deposed government with another body; either...
, were sent into exile
Exile
Exile means to be away from one's home , while either being explicitly refused permission to return and/or being threatened with imprisonment or death upon return...
.