Ugeo of Gojoseon
Encyclopedia
King Ugeo was the last king of Wiman Joseon
, the last remnant of Gojoseon
. He was a grandson of Wiman
.
The Chinese viewpoint on this struggle is described in Records of the Grand Historian
(史記), according to which the kingdom of Gojoseon had blocked trade between the Han Dynasty and the other kingdoms to the east and did not pay any homage to Han Dynasty
.
The Korean viewpoint on this struggle is that Gojoseon did not have any duty of homage to Han because Gojoseon was a sovereign nation and in a political alliance including Xiongnu
against the Han Dynasty.
A more realistic assessment of the situation seems to be that Han was looking for a chance to exercise its might as a unified Chinese dynasty. Emperor Wu
(Wudi; 武帝) of Han appointed She He (涉何) as an ambassador to Gojoseon in 109 B.C. After a failed negotiations, She He killed a general Jang (長) at the border on his way back to Han.
She He was rewarded by Emperor Wu for this treacherous act and appointed the governor of Liaodong, Eastern District (遼東郡 東部都尉; meaning "Far East Commandery, Eastern District") located at the border with Gojoseon. Enraged by this act of Wudi, King Ugeo attacked the territory of She He and killed him. Seeing a chance to declare war against Gojoseon, the Han Dynasty thus sent 50,000 strong army and 7,000 strong navy to conquer the Gojoseon.
Ugeo was killed by an assassin sent by a faction advocating surrender. Even after the death of Ugeo, Gojoseon resisted the Han forces until 108 BC but lost and the Four Commanderies of Han
were then set up.
Wiman Joseon
Wiman Joseon was part of the Gojoseon period of Korean history. It began with Wiman's seizure of the throne from Gojoseon's King Jun and ended with the death of King Ugeo who was a grandson of Wiman.-Founding:...
, the last remnant of Gojoseon
Gojoseon
Gojoseon was an ancient Korean kingdom. Go , meaning "ancient," distinguishes it from the later Joseon Dynasty; Joseon, as it is called in contemporaneous writings, is also romanized as Chosŏn....
. He was a grandson of Wiman
Wiman
Wiman may refer to:*Wei Man, Chinese; founder of a kingdom in north-western Korea in the 2nd century BC*Al Wiman, American reporter*Ann-Marie Wiman , Swedish actress and composer*Carl Wiman , Swedish paleontologist...
.
The Chinese viewpoint on this struggle is described in Records of the Grand Historian
Records of the Grand Historian
The Records of the Grand Historian, also known in English by the Chinese name Shiji , written from 109 BC to 91 BC, was the Magnum opus of Sima Qian, in which he recounted Chinese history from the time of the Yellow Emperor until his own time...
(史記), according to which the kingdom of Gojoseon had blocked trade between the Han Dynasty and the other kingdoms to the east and did not pay any homage to Han Dynasty
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...
.
The Korean viewpoint on this struggle is that Gojoseon did not have any duty of homage to Han because Gojoseon was a sovereign nation and in a political alliance including Xiongnu
Xiongnu
The Xiongnu were ancient nomadic-based people that formed a state or confederation north of the agriculture-based empire of the Han Dynasty. Most of the information on the Xiongnu comes from Chinese sources...
against the Han Dynasty.
A more realistic assessment of the situation seems to be that Han was looking for a chance to exercise its might as a unified Chinese dynasty. Emperor Wu
Emperor Wu of Han
Emperor Wu of Han , , personal name Liu Che , was the seventh emperor of the Han Dynasty of China, ruling from 141 BC to 87 BC. Emperor Wu is best remembered for the vast territorial expansion that occurred under his reign, as well as the strong and centralized Confucian state he organized...
(Wudi; 武帝) of Han appointed She He (涉何) as an ambassador to Gojoseon in 109 B.C. After a failed negotiations, She He killed a general Jang (長) at the border on his way back to Han.
She He was rewarded by Emperor Wu for this treacherous act and appointed the governor of Liaodong, Eastern District (遼東郡 東部都尉; meaning "Far East Commandery, Eastern District") located at the border with Gojoseon. Enraged by this act of Wudi, King Ugeo attacked the territory of She He and killed him. Seeing a chance to declare war against Gojoseon, the Han Dynasty thus sent 50,000 strong army and 7,000 strong navy to conquer the Gojoseon.
Ugeo was killed by an assassin sent by a faction advocating surrender. Even after the death of Ugeo, Gojoseon resisted the Han forces until 108 BC but lost and the Four Commanderies of Han
Four Commanderies of Han
The Four Commanderies of Han are Lelang, Lintun, Xuantu and Zhenfan commanderies in northern Korean Peninsula and part of the Liaodong Peninsula. set up by Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty in early 2nd century BC after his conquest of Wiman Joseon...
were then set up.
See also
- GojoseonGojoseonGojoseon was an ancient Korean kingdom. Go , meaning "ancient," distinguishes it from the later Joseon Dynasty; Joseon, as it is called in contemporaneous writings, is also romanized as Chosŏn....
- Wiman JoseonWiman JoseonWiman Joseon was part of the Gojoseon period of Korean history. It began with Wiman's seizure of the throne from Gojoseon's King Jun and ended with the death of King Ugeo who was a grandson of Wiman.-Founding:...
- Gojoseon-Han WarGojoseon-Han WarThe Gojoseon–Han War was a campaign launched by the Han Dynasty of China against Wiman Joseon, the last remaining part of Gojoseon after many kingdoms in the Korean peninsula became independent countries, between 109 BC and 108 BC...