Munjamyeong of Goguryeo
Encyclopedia
King Munja of Goguryeo (died 519) (r. 491–519) was the 21st monarch of Goguryeo
, the northernmost of the Three Kingdoms of Korea
. He was the grandson of King Jangsu
(413–490). Though Munja's father Gochudaega Joda (고추대가 조다, 古鄒大加 助多) had been named Crown Prince by King Jangsu, Joda died before assuming the throne.
By the time Munja assumed the throne in 491, Goguryeo had relocated its capital from the area around modern Ji'an along the upper Yalu River to P'yongyang (the modern capital of North Korea
). This move came in the context of heightened rivalries with the other two of the Three Kingdoms, the then-allied Silla
and Baekje
.
Munja nurtured close relations with the various petty Chinese dynasties that had emerged following the fall of the Han
, notably the Wei, Qi, and Liang
, accepting feudal titles from them, while continuing a policy of aggressive confrontation with both Baekje and Silla to its south.
The 12th century Korean history the Samguk Sagi
(Chronicles of the Three Kingdoms) relates that the remnants of the Buyeo
state submitted to Goguryeo in 494 after their defeat by the Malgal. By the early 6th century Goguryeo under Munjamyeong was feeling the pressure of Malgal, Silla and Baekje aggression.
In 498, he constructed the Buddhist temple Geumgangsa.
Munjamyeong was succeeded by his eldest son Anjang
.
Goguryeo
Goguryeo or Koguryŏ was an ancient Korean kingdom located in present day northern and central parts of the Korean Peninsula, southern Manchuria, and southern Russian Maritime province....
, the northernmost of the Three Kingdoms of Korea
Three Kingdoms of Korea
The Three Kingdoms of Korea refer to the ancient Korean kingdoms of Goguryeo, Baekje and Silla, which dominated the Korean peninsula and parts of Manchuria for much of the 1st millennium...
. He was the grandson of King Jangsu
Jangsu of Goguryeo
Emperor Jangsu of Goguryeo was the 20th monarch of Goguryeo, the northernmost of the Three Kingdoms of Korea. He was born in 394, the eldest son of King Gwanggaeto the Great...
(413–490). Though Munja's father Gochudaega Joda (고추대가 조다, 古鄒大加 助多) had been named Crown Prince by King Jangsu, Joda died before assuming the throne.
By the time Munja assumed the throne in 491, Goguryeo had relocated its capital from the area around modern Ji'an along the upper Yalu River to P'yongyang (the modern capital of North Korea
North Korea
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea , , is a country in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Pyongyang. The Korean Demilitarized Zone serves as the buffer zone between North Korea and South Korea...
). This move came in the context of heightened rivalries with the other two of the Three Kingdoms, the then-allied Silla
Silla
Silla was one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, and one of the longest sustained dynasties in...
and 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....
.
Munja nurtured close relations with the various petty Chinese dynasties that had emerged following the fall of the Han
Han Dynasty
The Han Dynasty was the second imperial dynasty of China, preceded by the Qin Dynasty and succeeded by the Three Kingdoms . It was founded by the rebel leader Liu Bang, known posthumously as Emperor Gaozu of Han. It was briefly interrupted by the Xin Dynasty of the former regent Wang Mang...
, notably the Wei, Qi, and Liang
Liang Dynasty
The Liang Dynasty , also known as the Southern Liang Dynasty , was the third of the Southern dynasties in China and was followed by the Chen Dynasty...
, accepting feudal titles from them, while continuing a policy of aggressive confrontation with both Baekje and Silla to its south.
The 12th century Korean history the 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...
(Chronicles of the Three Kingdoms) relates that the remnants of the Buyeo
Buyeo (state)
Buyeo or Puyŏ , Fuyu in Chinese, was an ancient Korean kingdom located from today's Manchuria to northern North Korea, from around the 2nd century BC to 494. Its remnants were absorbed by the neighboring and brotherhood kingdom of Goguryeo in 494...
state submitted to Goguryeo in 494 after their defeat by the Malgal. By the early 6th century Goguryeo under Munjamyeong was feeling the pressure of Malgal, Silla and Baekje aggression.
In 498, he constructed the Buddhist temple Geumgangsa.
Munjamyeong was succeeded by his eldest son Anjang
Anjang of Goguryeo
King Anjang of Goguryeo was the 22nd ruler of Goguryeo, the northernmost of the Three Kingdoms of Korea.-Background:Go Heung-an was the eldest son of King Munjamyeong...
.
See also
- List of Korea-related topics
- History of KoreaHistory of KoreaThe Korean Peninsula was inhabited from the Lower Paleolithic about 400,000-500,000 years ago. Archeological evidence indicates that the presence of modern humans in northeast Asia dates to 39,000 years ago. The earliest known Korean pottery dates to around 8000 BC, and the Neolithic period began...
- Three Kingdoms of KoreaThree Kingdoms of KoreaThe Three Kingdoms of Korea refer to the ancient Korean kingdoms of Goguryeo, Baekje and Silla, which dominated the Korean peninsula and parts of Manchuria for much of the 1st millennium...
- List of Korean monarchs