Micheon of Goguryeo
Encyclopedia
King Micheon of Goguryeo (died 331, r. 300–331) was the 15th ruler of Goguryeo
, the northernmost of the Three Kingdoms of Korea
.
, and the son of the gochuga Go Dol-go, who was killed by his brother, the 14th king Bongsang
.
Micheon lived in hiding as an indentured servant and a salt merchant, but was made king after Bongsang was overthrown by court officials. The tales of Micheon's life in hiding before becoming king are recorded in the Samguk Sagi
. He is said to have been a servant of a local lord, and was made to throw stones into a pond throughout the night, to keep the frogs quiet. He escaped and met a salt merchant, and faced much hardship while travelling selling salt.
Meanwhile, King Bongsang became increasingly unpopular, and court officials, led by Prime Minister Chang Jo-Ri
, carried out a coup that overthrew King Bongsang
, and placed King Micheon on the throne.
's Jin Dynasty
, he expanded Goguryeo's borders into the Liaodong Peninsula and the other Chinese commanderies. His first military campaign was in 302, against the Xuantu Commandery
. He annexed the Lelang commandery
in 313 and Daifang commandery
in 314 after attacked Seoanpyeong (西安平; near modern Dandong
) in Liaodong.
In his reign, Goguryeo was faced with growing Xianbei
influence in the west, particularly Murong Bu (慕容部) incursions into Liaodong. Micheon allied with other Xianbei tribes against the Murong Bu, but their attack was unsuccessful. In 319, the Goguryeo general Yeo Noja (여노자, 如奴子) was taken captive by the Murong Bu. Throughout this period, Goguryeo and the Murongbu attacked each other's positions in Liaodong, but neither was able to gain a lasting victory.
, his remains were dug up by the Former Yan
invaders, and held for ransom.
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...
.
Background and Rise to the throne
He was the grandson of the 13th king SeocheonSeocheon of Goguryeo
King Seocheon of Goguryeo was the 13th ruler of Goguryeo, the northernmost of the Three Kingdoms of Korea. He was the second son of King Jungcheon, and was confirmed as Crown Prince in 255. He ascended the throne upon his father's death in 270...
, and the son of the gochuga Go Dol-go, who was killed by his brother, the 14th king Bongsang
Bongsang of Goguryeo
King Bongsang of Goguryeo was the 14th ruler of Goguryeo, the northernmost of the Three Kingdoms of Korea. He was the eldest son of King Seocheon....
.
Micheon lived in hiding as an indentured servant and a salt merchant, but was made king after Bongsang was overthrown by court officials. The tales of Micheon's life in hiding before becoming king are recorded in 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...
. He is said to have been a servant of a local lord, and was made to throw stones into a pond throughout the night, to keep the frogs quiet. He escaped and met a salt merchant, and faced much hardship while travelling selling salt.
Meanwhile, King Bongsang became increasingly unpopular, and court officials, led by Prime Minister Chang Jo-Ri
Chang Jo-ri
Chang Jo-ri was the Prime Minister of Goguryeo during the reigns of Kings Bongsang and Micheon.- Background :Chang Jo-ri's origins or ancestry is not mentioned in historical records...
, carried out a coup that overthrew King Bongsang
Bongsang of Goguryeo
King Bongsang of Goguryeo was the 14th ruler of Goguryeo, the northernmost of the Three Kingdoms of Korea. He was the eldest son of King Seocheon....
, and placed King Micheon on the throne.
Reign
Micheon continuously developed the Goguryeo army into a very powerful force. During the disintegration of ChinaChina
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...
's Jin Dynasty
Jìn Dynasty (265-420)
The Jìn Dynasty , was a dynasty in Chinese history, lasting between the years 265 and 420 AD. There are two main divisions in the history of the Dynasty, the first being Western Jin and the second Eastern Jin...
, he expanded Goguryeo's borders into the Liaodong Peninsula and the other Chinese commanderies. His first military campaign was in 302, against the Xuantu Commandery
Xuantu Commandery
Xuantu Commandery was a commandery established beyond the far eastern pale of Han China. It was one of Four Commanderies of Han, established in 107 BCE, after the Han Dynasty invaded Wiman Joseon of Korea. Goguryeo rose in this area in competition with the Chinese over the region...
. He annexed the Lelang commandery
Lelang Commandery
Lelang was one of the Chinese commanderies which was established after the fall of Gojoseon in 108 BC until Goguryeo conquered it in 313. Lelang Commandery was located in the northern Korean peninsula with the administrative center near modern P'yongyang....
in 313 and Daifang commandery
Daifang Commandery
Daifang Commandery was one of the remnants of the Four Commanderies of Han in the Korean peninsula.-History:Gongsun Kang, a warlord in Liaodong, separated the southern half from the Lelang commandery and established the Daifang commandery in 204 to make administration more efficient...
in 314 after attacked Seoanpyeong (西安平; near modern Dandong
Dandong
Dandong , previously known as Andong and Antung, is a city in Liaoning Province, Northeast China. It lies on the border between China and North Korea, which is marked by the Yalu River, and is the largest border city in China. Also, to the southwest of the city, the river flows into Korea Bay...
) in Liaodong.
In his reign, Goguryeo was faced with growing Xianbei
Xianbei
The Xianbei were a significant Mongolic nomadic people residing in Manchuria, Inner Mongolia and eastern Mongolia. The title “Khan” was first used among the Xianbei.-Origins:...
influence in the west, particularly Murong Bu (慕容部) incursions into Liaodong. Micheon allied with other Xianbei tribes against the Murong Bu, but their attack was unsuccessful. In 319, the Goguryeo general Yeo Noja (여노자, 如奴子) was taken captive by the Murong Bu. Throughout this period, Goguryeo and the Murongbu attacked each other's positions in Liaodong, but neither was able to gain a lasting victory.
Death and aftermath
Micheon died and was buried in 331 at Micheon-won. Twelve years later in the reign of King GogugwonGogugwon of Goguryeo
King Gogugwon of Goguryeo was the 16th king of Goguryeo, the northernmost of the Three Kingdoms of Korea. He was the son of King Micheon and Lady Ju. He's birth name is Sa-Yu. He was made crown prince in 314 and became king upon his father's death...
, his remains were dug up by the Former Yan
Former Yan
The Former Yan was a state of Xianbei ethnicity during the era of Sixteen Kingdoms in China.Initially, Murong Huang and his son Murong Jun claimed the Jin Dynasty -created title "Prince of Yan," but subsequently, in 352, after seizing most of the former Later Zhao territory, Murong Juan would...
invaders, and held for ransom.
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