Yangwon of Goguryeo
Encyclopedia
King Yangwon of Goguryeo (died 559) (r. 545–559) was the 24th ruler of Goguryeo
, the northernmost of the Three Kingdoms of Korea
. He was the eldest son of King Anwon
. During Yangwon's reign, Goguryeo gradually grew weaker and was obliged to take various urgent measures to block foreign invasions, eventually losing the Seoul
region to the alliance of the other two Korean kingdoms.
He was confirmed as heir to the throne in 533, the third year of King Anwon's reign. Although he was the heir, it is said that the was not able to simply assume power after his father's death. Anwon had three wives, and because the first did not bear him a son, the other queens strove to put their son on the throne. Yangwon's supporters won the military struggle and he was able to succeed to the throne.
Preparing for war in 547, the king rebuilt Baegam fortress and repaired Sin fortress. In 548, he sent 6,000 soldiers against Baekje
's Doksan fortress but the Silla
general Ju Jin led a relief army and the Goguryeo assault failed. In 550, Baekje invaded and sacked Dosal fortress. Goguryeo counterattacked and struck Baekje's Geumhyeon fortress, but Silla took advantage of this to seize two more Goguryeo castles.
In 551, the emerging empire of the Göktürks
invaded from Central Asia
and laid siege to Sin fortress; unable to take it, they attackd Baegam fortress instead. At this, King Yangwon sent his general Go Heul and 10,000 troops against the Göktürks; they killed or captured 1,000. In the same year, Silla invaded once again and captured ten districts of the present-day Seoul region. In 552, Jangan fortress was built. In 554, Yangwon's forces attacked Ungcheon fortress in Baekje, but failed to take it.
In 557, Yangwon designated the prince Go Yang-seong as heir to the throne. In the tenth lunar month of that same year, the commander Gan Juri of Hwando fortress rebelled, but the rebellion was put down and he was executed. King Yangwon died in 559, after fifteen years on the throne.
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 eldest son of King Anwon
Anwon of Goguryeo
King Anwon of Goguryeo was the 23rd ruler of Goguryeo, the northernmost of the Three Kingdoms of Korea. He was the younger brother of King Anjang, and is said to have been tall and wise....
. During Yangwon's reign, Goguryeo gradually grew weaker and was obliged to take various urgent measures to block foreign invasions, eventually losing the Seoul
Seoul
Seoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
region to the alliance of the other two Korean kingdoms.
He was confirmed as heir to the throne in 533, the third year of King Anwon's reign. Although he was the heir, it is said that the was not able to simply assume power after his father's death. Anwon had three wives, and because the first did not bear him a son, the other queens strove to put their son on the throne. Yangwon's supporters won the military struggle and he was able to succeed to the throne.
Preparing for war in 547, the king rebuilt Baegam fortress and repaired Sin fortress. In 548, he sent 6,000 soldiers against 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....
's Doksan fortress but the Silla
Silla
Silla was one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, and one of the longest sustained dynasties in...
general Ju Jin led a relief army and the Goguryeo assault failed. In 550, Baekje invaded and sacked Dosal fortress. Goguryeo counterattacked and struck Baekje's Geumhyeon fortress, but Silla took advantage of this to seize two more Goguryeo castles.
In 551, the emerging empire of the Göktürks
Göktürks
The Göktürks or Kök Türks, were a nomadic confederation of peoples in medieval Inner Asia. Known in Chinese sources as 突厥 , the Göktürks under the leadership of Bumin Qaghan The Göktürks or Kök Türks, (Old Turkic: Türük or Kök Türük or Türük; Celestial Turks) were a nomadic confederation of...
invaded from Central Asia
Central Asia
Central Asia is a core region of the Asian continent from the Caspian Sea in the west, China in the east, Afghanistan in the south, and Russia in the north...
and laid siege to Sin fortress; unable to take it, they attackd Baegam fortress instead. At this, King Yangwon sent his general Go Heul and 10,000 troops against the Göktürks; they killed or captured 1,000. In the same year, Silla invaded once again and captured ten districts of the present-day Seoul region. In 552, Jangan fortress was built. In 554, Yangwon's forces attacked Ungcheon fortress in Baekje, but failed to take it.
In 557, Yangwon designated the prince Go Yang-seong as heir to the throne. In the tenth lunar month of that same year, the commander Gan Juri of Hwando fortress rebelled, but the rebellion was put down and he was executed. King Yangwon died in 559, after fifteen years on the throne.