Goryeo-Khitan Wars
Encyclopedia
The Goryeo-Khitan Wars were a series of 10th- and 11th-century invasions of Korea
's Goryeo Dynasty by the Khitan
Liao Dynasty
near the present-day border between China
and North Korea
. It resulted in the defeat of Liao Dynasty.
period, Goguryeo
occupied the northern Korean Peninsula
and parts of Manchuria
and inner Mongolia. With Goguryeo's fall in 668, Silla
unified the Three Kingdoms, while northern parts of Goguryeo territory were briefly occupied by Silla's ally Tang Dynasty
China
. A former Goguryeo general revived Goguryeo's Manchurian territory as the new kingdom of Balhae
.
Right after the fall of Goguryeo, Turkic peoples
(called Göktürks
) were divided and eventually driven out from most of Central Asia
by the Tang Dynasty. Another Turkic tribe, the Uyghurs
, replaced the Göktürks but their control was not very strong.
As Balhae, the Uyghur and the Tang Dynasty weakened, the Khitan people
, a nomadic confederation located in Manchuria and eastern Mongolia, grew stronger and began to expand their territory. Following Tang's fall in 907, China experienced a long period of civil war.
In 911, threatened by Khitan expansion, Balhae sought assistance from the declining Silla
of the Korean Peninsula. Records stated that Balhae also requested help from Silla's successor dynasty Goryeo
during the Later Three Kingdoms.
In 916, the Liao Dynasty
was founded by the Khitan chief Yelü Abaoji
, replacing the Uyghurs as the dominant power of present-day Mongolia
.
was succeeded by Goryeo
in 918. The Khitan in 926 destroyed Balhae
, and many of Balhae's ruling class moved south and joined the newly founded Goryeo Dynasty.
The Khitan took control of 16 Chinese provinces
south of the Great Wall
for helping the foundation of the short-lived Later Jin Dynasty
(936-947), which ruled only a small part of China.
In 922, the Khitan leader Yelü Abaoji sent horses and camels to Goryeo. However, when Balhae fell, Emperor Taejo
embraced Balhae refugees and pursued a policy of northern expansion. In 942, the Khitan sent 50 camels to Goryeo, but Taejo refused the gift, exiling the envoy to an island and starving the camels to death.
Succeeding Goryeo rulers continued the anti-Khitan policy. Jeongjong
raised an army of 300,000 to defend against the Khitan. Gwangjong
built fortresses along the northwest, and aggressively developed present-day Pyongan
and Hamgyong
.
In 962, Gwangjong
allied with Song China and pursued a northern expansion policy. Additionally, some Balhae refugees had formed a small state called Jeongan-guk in mid-Yalu River
region and allied with Song and Goryeo against the Khitan.
The Khitan eventually regained internal stability under the strong leadership of Emperor Shengzong
, who sought to counter regional isolation. After conquering Jeongan-guk in 986 and attacking Jurchen tribes in lower Yalu in 991, the Khitans initiated attacks against Goryeo.
when Goryeo agreed to end its alliance with Song China. However, Goryeo continued to communicate with Song, having strengthened its position by building fortresses in the newly gained northern territories.
, were able to inflict heavy losses on the Khitan army in the Battle of Kwiju. The Khitan withdrew without achieving their demands, and the two nations signed a peace treaty.
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
's Goryeo Dynasty by the Khitan
Khitan people
thumb|250px|Khitans [[Eagle hunting|using eagles to hunt]], painted during the Chinese [[Song Dynasty]].The Khitan people , or Khitai, Kitan, or Kidan, were a nomadic Mongolic people, originally located at Mongolia and Manchuria from the 4th century...
Liao Dynasty
Liao Dynasty
The Liao Dynasty , also known as the Khitan Empire was an empire in East Asia that ruled over the regions of Manchuria, Mongolia, and parts of northern China proper between 9071125...
near the present-day border between China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
and 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...
. It resulted in the defeat of Liao Dynasty.
Background
During the Three Kingdoms of KoreaThree 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...
period, Goguryeo
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....
occupied the northern 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...
and parts of Manchuria
Manchuria
Manchuria is a historical name given to a large geographic region in northeast Asia. Depending on the definition of its extent, Manchuria usually falls entirely within the People's Republic of China, or is sometimes divided between China and Russia. The region is commonly referred to as Northeast...
and inner Mongolia. With Goguryeo's fall in 668, Silla
Silla
Silla was one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, and one of the longest sustained dynasties in...
unified the Three Kingdoms, while northern parts of Goguryeo territory were briefly occupied by Silla's ally Tang Dynasty
Tang Dynasty
The Tang Dynasty was an imperial dynasty of China preceded by the Sui Dynasty and followed by the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period. It was founded by the Li family, who seized power during the decline and collapse of the Sui Empire...
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...
. A former Goguryeo general revived Goguryeo's Manchurian territory as the new kingdom of Balhae
Balhae
Balhae was a Manchurian kingdom established after the fall of Goguryeo. After Goguryeo's capital and southern territories fell to Unified Silla, Dae Jo-yeong, a Mohe general, whose father was Dae Jung-sang, established Jin , later called Balhae.Balhae occupied southern parts of Manchuria and...
.
Right after the fall of Goguryeo, Turkic peoples
Turkic peoples
The Turkic peoples are peoples residing in northern, central and western Asia, southern Siberia and northwestern China and parts of eastern Europe. They speak languages belonging to the Turkic language family. They share, to varying degrees, certain cultural traits and historical backgrounds...
(called 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...
) were divided and eventually driven out from most of 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...
by the Tang Dynasty. Another Turkic tribe, the Uyghurs
Uyghur people
The Uyghur are a Turkic ethnic group living in Eastern and Central Asia. Today, Uyghurs live primarily in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region in the People's Republic of China...
, replaced the Göktürks but their control was not very strong.
As Balhae, the Uyghur and the Tang Dynasty weakened, the Khitan people
Khitan people
thumb|250px|Khitans [[Eagle hunting|using eagles to hunt]], painted during the Chinese [[Song Dynasty]].The Khitan people , or Khitai, Kitan, or Kidan, were a nomadic Mongolic people, originally located at Mongolia and Manchuria from the 4th century...
, a nomadic confederation located in Manchuria and eastern Mongolia, grew stronger and began to expand their territory. Following Tang's fall in 907, China experienced a long period of civil war.
In 911, threatened by Khitan expansion, Balhae sought assistance from the declining Silla
Silla
Silla was one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, and one of the longest sustained dynasties in...
of the Korean Peninsula. Records stated that Balhae also requested help from Silla's successor dynasty 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...
during the Later Three Kingdoms.
In 916, the Liao Dynasty
Liao Dynasty
The Liao Dynasty , also known as the Khitan Empire was an empire in East Asia that ruled over the regions of Manchuria, Mongolia, and parts of northern China proper between 9071125...
was founded by the Khitan chief Yelü Abaoji
Emperor Taizu of Liao
The Emperor Taizu of Liao was the first emperor of the Liao Dynasty . His given name was Abaoji . Some sources also suggest that the surname Yelü was adopted during his lifetime, though there is no unanimity on this point....
, replacing the Uyghurs as the dominant power of present-day Mongolia
Mongolia
Mongolia is a landlocked country in East and Central Asia. It is bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south, east and west. Although Mongolia does not share a border with Kazakhstan, its western-most point is only from Kazakhstan's eastern tip. Ulan Bator, the capital and largest...
.
Goryeo-Khitan relations
On the Korean Peninsula, SillaSilla
Silla was one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, and one of the longest sustained dynasties in...
was succeeded by 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...
in 918. The Khitan in 926 destroyed Balhae
Balhae
Balhae was a Manchurian kingdom established after the fall of Goguryeo. After Goguryeo's capital and southern territories fell to Unified Silla, Dae Jo-yeong, a Mohe general, whose father was Dae Jung-sang, established Jin , later called Balhae.Balhae occupied southern parts of Manchuria and...
, and many of Balhae's ruling class moved south and joined the newly founded Goryeo Dynasty.
The Khitan took control of 16 Chinese provinces
Sixteen Prefectures
The Sixteen Prefectures are a region in northern China stretching from present-day Beijing westward to Datong. In most areas, it is approximately seventy to one hundred miles in width...
south of the Great Wall
Great Wall of China
The Great Wall of China is a series of stone and earthen fortifications in northern China, built originally to protect the northern borders of the Chinese Empire against intrusions by various nomadic groups...
for helping the foundation of the short-lived Later Jin Dynasty
Later Jin Dynasty (Five Dynasties)
Note that there are four periods of Chinese history using the name "Jin" The Later Jìn was one of the Five Dynasties during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period in China. It was founded by Shi Jingtang, posthumously known as Gaozu of Later Jin...
(936-947), which ruled only a small part of China.
In 922, the Khitan leader Yelü Abaoji sent horses and camels to Goryeo. However, when Balhae fell, Emperor Taejo
Taejo of Goryeo
Taejo of Goryeo was the founder of the Goryeo Dynasty, which ruled Korea from the 10th to the 14th century. Taejo ruled from 918 to 943.-Background:...
embraced Balhae refugees and pursued a policy of northern expansion. In 942, the Khitan sent 50 camels to Goryeo, but Taejo refused the gift, exiling the envoy to an island and starving the camels to death.
Succeeding Goryeo rulers continued the anti-Khitan policy. Jeongjong
Jeongjong I of Goryeo
Jeonjong of Goryeo was the third monarch of the Goryeo dynasty of Korea. He was the second son of Emperor Taejo, the founder of the kingdom, and was born more than a decade before Goryeo was formally established...
raised an army of 300,000 to defend against the Khitan. Gwangjong
Gwangjong of Goryeo
Gwangjong was the fourth emperor of Goryeo.Goryeo met the time of change by ascending of Gwangjong. At his early stage as ruler, he maintained a passive attitude to nobles. However, he became more and more drastic. Choi Seung-Ro said that his regime can be divided into three parts. First is the...
built fortresses along the northwest, and aggressively developed present-day Pyongan
Pyongan
P'yŏngan was one of the Eight Provinces of Korea during the Joseon Dynasty. P'yŏngan was located in the northwest of Korea. The provincial capital was P'yŏngyang.-History:P'yŏngan Province was formed in 1413...
and Hamgyong
Hamgyong
Hamgyŏng was one of the Eight Provinces of Korea during the Joseon Dynasty. Hamgyŏng was located in the northeast of Korea. The provincial capital was Hamhŭng.-History:...
.
Liao's expansion
In 946, the Khitan Liao Dynasty invaded China, and made Song China as a tributary state.In 962, Gwangjong
Gwangjong of Goryeo
Gwangjong was the fourth emperor of Goryeo.Goryeo met the time of change by ascending of Gwangjong. At his early stage as ruler, he maintained a passive attitude to nobles. However, he became more and more drastic. Choi Seung-Ro said that his regime can be divided into three parts. First is the...
allied with Song China and pursued a northern expansion policy. Additionally, some Balhae refugees had formed a small state called Jeongan-guk in mid-Yalu River
Yalu River
The Yalu River or the Amnok River is a river on the border between North Korea and the People's Republic of China....
region and allied with Song and Goryeo against the Khitan.
The Khitan eventually regained internal stability under the strong leadership of Emperor Shengzong
Emperor Shengzong of Liao
Emperor Shengzong of Liao , born as Yelü Longxu , succeeded Emperor Jingzong as Emperor of the Liao Dynasty at the age of 12 in 982. As he was too young to actually rule, his mother, Empress Dowager Xiao, effectively ruled the kingdom...
, who sought to counter regional isolation. After conquering Jeongan-guk in 986 and attacking Jurchen tribes in lower Yalu in 991, the Khitans initiated attacks against Goryeo.
First Invasion
In 993, the Khitan invaded Goryeo's northwest border with 60,000 troops. The Khitan withdrew and ceded territory to the east of the Yalu RiverYalu River
The Yalu River or the Amnok River is a river on the border between North Korea and the People's Republic of China....
when Goryeo agreed to end its alliance with Song China. However, Goryeo continued to communicate with Song, having strengthened its position by building fortresses in the newly gained northern territories.
Second Invasion
The Khitan attacked again during an internal Goryeo power struggle. King Hyeonjong was forced to flee the capital temporarily, but Goryeo repulsed the Khitan attack. Finally, Khitan forces withdrew.Third Invasion
When Goryeo continued to refuse to submit or return the northern territories, the Khitan attacked once more. Goryeo generals, including Gang Gam-chanGang Gam-chan
Gang Gam-chan was a medieval Korean government official and military commander during the early days of Goryeo Dynasty . Even though he was a career scholar and government official, he is best known for his military victories during the Third Goryeo-Khitan War.-Goryeo-Khitan Wars:In 993, the Liao...
, were able to inflict heavy losses on the Khitan army in the Battle of Kwiju. The Khitan withdrew without achieving their demands, and the two nations signed a peace treaty.