Military history of Goguryeo
Encyclopedia
The Military history of Goguryeo involved wars with other Korean kingdoms; Baekje
and Silla
, several Chinese dynasties, and Yamato Japan
. Goguryeo finally fell to a Silla-Tang alliance in 668 from exhaustion and internal strife.
Goguryeo
and Baekje
, two of the Three Kingdoms of Korea
, considered themselves as the successors of Buyeo kingdom
. King Onjo
, the founder of Baekje, is said to have been a son of King Dongmyeongseong, founder of Goguryeo. However, the relationship between two kingdoms continued as an uneasy state.
King Geunchogo
(346–375) further expanded Baekje's territory to the north through war against Goguryeo
. In 369, Baekje was invaded by Goguryeo
, but counterattacked in the Battle of Chiyang. In 371, the Baekje army of 30,000, led by Crown Prince Geungusu
, took the fortress of Pyongyang
and killed Gogugwon of Goguryeo
. Goguryeo's territorial expansion also had been put on hold.
In 392, with Gwanggaeto the Great in personal command, Goguryeo attacked Baekje with 50,000 cavalry
, taking 10 walled cities along the two countries' mutual border. This offensive infuriated Asin of Baekje
and that king subsequently planned a counter-offensive against Gwanggaeto, a plan he was forced to abandon when his invasion force was defeated by Goguryeo 393. King Asin again attacked Goguryeo in 394, and was again defeated. After several heavy defeats, Baekje began to politically crumble and the leadership of Asin came under doubt. Asin lost to Goguryeo again in 395, and he was eventually pushed back to a front along the Han River, where Wiryeseong
, then Baekje's capital city located in the southern part of modern day Seoul
.
In the following year, Gwanggaeto led his huge fleet in an assault on Wiryeseong, approaching by sea and river. Asin was expecting a ground invasion and was caught with his defenses down. Gwanggaeto's forces burnt about 58 walled fortresses under Baekje control, and defeated the forces of King Asin. Asin surrendered to Gwanggaeto, even handing over his brother as a Goguryeo captive as condition for maintaining his own rule over Baekje. Gwanggaeto had finally gained superiority over its longtime rival Baekje on the Korean peninsula
.
In 400, Silla
requested Goguryeo assistance to defend against an alliance of Baekje-Gaya-Japanese allied forces, the Baekje kingdom to the west, and the Gaya Confederacy to the southwest. King Gwanggaeto responded with 50,000 troops, defeated both Japanese and Gaya cavalry units, and made both Silla and Gaya submit to his authority. In 401, he returned to King Silseong of Silla
, to establish peaceful relationship between two kingdom while he continued the conquest of the north, but Goguryeo forces remained and continued to influence Silla.
In 433, Baekje and Silla formed an alliance (Hangul
: 나제동맹, Hanja
: 羅濟同盟) in response to the Goguryeo threat.
In 472, King Gaero of Baekje
sent a letter to the emperor of Northern Wei
. He stated that he was having trouble interacting with Wei because of frequent Goguryeo intervention, thus calling for military action against Goguryeo.
King Jangsu
, eldest son of Gwanggaeto the Great, sought for the chance to invade the southern kingdoms of Korea, Baekje and Silla. As a result, King Jangsu secretly planned to attack Baekje. To disarm Baekje, he sent a Buddhist monk named Dorim. Dorim went to King Gaero's court, with the secret objective of corrupting the country before the invasion of Goguryeo. King Gaero began to favor Dorim, and played Baduk
with him every day, and the was able to talk Gaero into spending large sums of money on construction projects, which weakened the national treasury.
In 475, King Jangsu launched a full-scale invasion from both land and sea against the now politically unstable kingdom of Baekje. King Gaero was not at all prepared for the assault formulated by Goguryeo and King Jangsu. With momentum now in his favor, Jangsu then proceeded toward the capital and easily captured the city of Wiryesong, and slew King Gaero. Soon after, King Jangsu burnt the capital to the ground. Baekje moved its capital to Ungjin
(present-day Gongju
) to keep the kingdom alive. The war gave Goguryeo more or less total control of the Han River
valley, the region essential to commercial and military power in the Korean Peninsula.
In 551, Baekje and Silla attacked the Goguryeo. The result of this allied attack on Goguryeo was the conquest of the Han river. In 553, Silla invaded Han River region and took the entire Han River region.
In mid-7th century, Gogureyo and Baekje formed an alliance (Hangul
: 여제동맹, Hanja
: 麗濟同盟) to territorial restoration, which was violated by Silla. The alliance had lasted until fall of Baekje in 660.
-Silla
relationship also almost keep the hostile relations like the Goguryeo-Baekje relationship.
In 245, King Dongcheon of Goguryeo
ordered attacking to the Silla territory, but two kingdoms entered into friendly relations in 248.
In 400, Silla
requested Goguryeo assistance to defend against an alliance of Baekje-Gaya-Japanese allied forces. Goguryeo's forces expelled invaders from Silla territory, and had Silla under their influence. King Nulji of Silla
worked to freedom of Silla from Goguryeo domination. He set up diplomatic relations with Goguryeo on an equal footing in 424, and established a military alliance with Baekje (Hangul
: 나제동맹, Hanja
: 羅濟同盟) in 433 to help counter the Goguryeo threat.
In 551, Silla and Baekje forces launched to northern campaign against Goguryeo. The result of this allied attack on Goguryeo was the conquest of the Han river. The kingdoms of Baekje and Silla kingdom both had agreed on splitting the conquered territory equally amongst themselves. However, King Jinheung of Silla
betrayed their alliance Baekje in order to claim territories of Han River area in 553. After occupying the this region, Silla took greater control of the supremacy of Three Kingdoms.
Their hegemony didn't last very long. Goguryeo and Baekje applied political, militarily and economical pressure. Silla court wanted to be free from pressure of two kingdoms, and dispatch Kim Chun-chu to Chinese Tang Dynasty
to request a military aid in 643. The two states made an offensive and defensive alliance. In 660, Goguryeo's ally, Baekje, fell to the Silla-Tang alliance; the victorious allies continued their assault on Goguryeo for the next eight years. Meanwhile, in 666 (though dates vary from 664-666), Yeon Gaesomun died and civil war ensued among his three sons.
In November 668, King Bojang of Goguryeo
surrendered to Silla-Tang alliance. Goguryeo finally fell in 668.
in 53, the five tribes became five centrally ruled districts of the kingdom, and foreign relations and the military were controlled by the king. Taejo successfully expanded Goguryeo by attacking Han China's commanderies of Lelang, Xuantu, and Liaodong, becoming fully independent from the Han commanderies.
Continuing its expansion to the northwest, Goguryeo began large-scale, organized attacks against the Chinese, as well as conquering neighboring statelets such as Okjeo
and Dongye
.
, a general of Han's successor state Cao Wei
, defeated King Dongcheon
and briefly occupied Goguryeo's capital, but did not hold the territory permanently.
in 313, and the Three Kingdoms
dominated the peninsula.
, of Xianbei
ethnicity, attacked Goguryeo’s capital and captured it briefly, taking the body of King Micheon (the father of then-reigning King Gogugwon
) and Queen Ju (King Gogugwon's mother) as collateral for Goguryeo's submission.
However, In 400, Later Yan
, successor state of Former Yan
, attacked Goguryeo. Gwanggaeto the Great responded swiftly, recovering most of the territory seized by the Xianbei and driving most of them from Goguryeo. Then in 402, he decided to launch an attack on Later Yan itself, determined to protect his Kingdom from further threat. In the same year Gwanggaeto defeated the Xianbei, seizing some of their border fortresses. In 404, he invaded Liaodong and took the entire Liaodong Peninsula. In 409, Goguryeo appears to have captured all territory east of the Liao River
completely held by Later Yan, and in 408 established peaceful relations with Gao Yun
, the ruler of Later Yan's successor state Northern Yan
, who was a descendant of Goguryeo's royal house.
In 436, when Feng Hong
, brother and successor of Gao Yun's successor Feng Ba
, could not withstand Northern Wei
attacks, he evacuated his people to Goguryeo territory. When he subsequently tried to rule part of Goguryeo territory as an independent state, however, he was killed by Goguryeo's King Jangsu
. King Jangsu and his successors subsequently undertook the policy of maintaining peaceful relations with both China's Northern Dynasties (Northern Wei, Northern Qi
, Northern Zhou
, and Sui Dynasty
) and Southern Dynasties (Liu Song, Southern Qi
, Liang Dynasty
, and Chen Dynasty
), and there would not be major conflicts between Goguryeo and any Chinese state until Sui unified China by destroying Chen in 589.
was founded in 581. It grew in power and emerged as a powerful dynasty in China, defeating and conquering large forces of "Barbarians" to the North, Northwest, West, and South of China. Many neighbors of China were now forced to pay yearly tribute to the Sui Dynasty. Finally, only Goguryeo was left to be brought to its knees, but Goguryeo did not give into demands for tributes and the following threats.
Additionally, Goguryeo's expansion conflicted with the Sui Dynasty and increased tensions. In 598 the Sui, provoked by Goguryeo military offensives (pre-emptive strike) in the Liaodong region, attacked Goguryeo in the first of the Goguryeo-Sui Wars
. In this campaign, as with those that followed in 612, 613, and 614, Sui met with costly defeat.
One of Sui's most disastrous campaigns was the campaign of 612, in which Sui mobilised at least 1,138,000 combat troops. General Eulji Mundeok
, led the Goguryeo troops to victory by luring the Sui troops into a trap outside of Pyongyang. At the Battle of Salsu
River, Goguryeo soldiers released water from a dam, which overwhelmed the Chinese army and drowned nearly every Chinese soldier. Chinese histories record that of the over 305,000 Sui troops, a mere 2,700 returned.
The wars depleted the national treasury of the Sui Dynasty and after revolts and political strife, the Sui Dynasty disintegrated in 618. However the wars exhausted Goguryeo's strength and its power declined.
, Sui's succeeding dynasty Tang Dynasty forged an alliance with Goguryeo's rival Silla after defeating Goguryeo's western ally, the Göktürks
. Later in Tang Taizong reign, he also began campaigns against the Goguryeo, much to the opposition of many advisors.
In 645, Taizong commanded an army of 100,000 Tang soldiers. Taizong's noted army enabled him to conquer a number of border city fortresses of Goguryeo. The Tang army in several cases defeated the Korean forces on open battlefields. Outside the Ansi Fort, Go Yeonsu and Go Hyezin had mobilized 150,000 troops, though it proved to be fruitless. After tactics by Taizong with Li Shiji
commanding 15,000 men and Zhangsun Wuji
with 11,000 coming from behind, the Korean generals were confused and defeated, the losses were 20,000 for the Koreans and 36,000 captured.
However, forts would be the one issue that the Tang Taizong couldn't solve, most particularly Ansi fortress itself. the remaining Goguryeo troops get in inside Ansi fortress. Ansi was under siege by the Tang army. However Tang was not able to conquer Ansi fortress. After a protracted siege, Taizong ordered the construction of a large siege ramp by making a mountain of soil to tower over the high Ansi walls. As the mountain rose higher, so did the walls as it was raised higher with wooden extensions. However the siege mountain collapsed, at the same time commander Yang Manchun
(Yang was the only commander to defeat Yeon on the battlefield, as Yeon's earlier efforts to take the Ansi Fortress during the civil war that took place after Yeon's coup was unsuccessful.) mobilized the remaining Goguryeo troops to defeat the Tang army. Later Korean sources speculated that it was an arrow wound suffered during the Siege of Ansi, and the other records speculated that it was an arrow to the Taizong's eye. In the end, the Tang army retreated with heavy losses. Taizong was defeated by not being able to take Ansi.
After Taizong's death in 649, the conquest of Goguryeo and the personal rivalry with Yeon Gaesomun became an obsession with Taizong's son Gaozong
. He invaded Goguryeo numerous times but Yeon turned the Tang back every time-perhaps most notably during Yeon's celebrated annihilation of the Tang forces in 662 at the Sasu River (蛇水) where the invading general Pang Xiaotai (龐孝泰) and all 13 of his sons were killed in the battle.
As a result while Yeon Gaesomun
was alive, Tang was not able to conquer the Goguryeo.
, fell to the Silla-Tang alliance in 660 the victorious allies continued their assault on Goguryeo for the next eight years. Meanwhile, in 666 (though dates vary from 664-666), Yeon Gaesomun died and civil war ensued among his three sons. One of his sons, Yeon Namsaeng
fled to Tang and was a big part in the next invasion of Goguryeo by the Tang and served as the primary key to the downfall of Gogureyo, as only when he came did the Tang's emperor was willing to send troops to Goguryeo, since the defector knew the most of the weaknesses and shortcuts that Tang forces did not know of, into Goguryeo's fortified territory. . diagonally opposite another son, Yeon Namgeon
resist in the face of death to his brother's treachery.
Silla-Tang eventually vanquished the weary kingdom, which had been suffering from a series of famines and internal strife. Goguryeo finally fell in 668.
Silla thus unified most of the Korean peninsula in 668, but the kingdom's reliance on China's Tang Dynasty had its price. Silla had to forcibly resist the imposition of Chinese rule over the entire peninsula, which they did and eventually expelled the Tang. Silla'a unification of Korea was short lived for the former Goguryeo General Dae Joyeong led the remnants of Goguryeo, united with the Mohe and established Balhae
, Known to Koreans as the successor of Goguryeo and retained much of its former territory.
The Balhae would become a buffer in trade and was a powerful empire that Tang could not bother. Their end would come from the Khitan
tribe in 926. This end was a decisive event in Northeast Asian history for it was the last Korean Kingdom to hold territory in Manchuria.
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....
and Silla
Silla
Silla was one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, and one of the longest sustained dynasties in...
, several Chinese dynasties, and Yamato Japan
Yamato period
The is the period of Japanese history when the Japanese Imperial court ruled from modern-day Nara Prefecture, then known as Yamato Province.While conventionally assigned to the period 250–710 , the actual start of Yamato rule is disputed...
. Goguryeo finally fell to a Silla-Tang alliance in 668 from exhaustion and internal strife.
Goguryeo-Baekje Wars
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....
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....
, two 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...
, considered themselves as the successors of Buyeo kingdom
Buyeo kingdom
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...
. King Onjo
Onjo of Baekje
Onjo was the founding monarch of Baekje, one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea. According to the Samguk Sagi, he was the ancestor of all Baekje kings.- Background :...
, the founder of Baekje, is said to have been a son of King Dongmyeongseong, founder of Goguryeo. However, the relationship between two kingdoms continued as an uneasy state.
King Geunchogo
Geunchogo of Baekje
Geunchogo of Baekje was the 13th king of Baekje, one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea. He reigned over the apex of Baekje's powers.-Background:...
(346–375) further expanded Baekje's territory to the north through war against 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....
. In 369, Baekje was invaded by 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....
, but counterattacked in the Battle of Chiyang. In 371, the Baekje army of 30,000, led by Crown Prince Geungusu
Geungusu of Baekje
Geungusu of Baekje was the 14th king of Baekje, one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea. Geungusu was the eldest son of the 13th king Geunchogo, and father to the 15th king Chimnyu and the 16th king Jinsa.- Background and rise to the throne :...
, took the fortress of Pyongyang
Pyongyang
Pyongyang is the capital of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, commonly known as North Korea, and the largest city in the country. Pyongyang is located on the Taedong River and, according to preliminary results from the 2008 population census, has a population of 3,255,388. The city was...
and killed Gogugwon of Goguryeo
Gogugwon 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...
. Goguryeo's territorial expansion also had been put on hold.
In 392, with Gwanggaeto the Great in personal command, Goguryeo attacked Baekje with 50,000 cavalry
Cavalry
Cavalry or horsemen were soldiers or warriors who fought mounted on horseback. Cavalry were historically the third oldest and the most mobile of the combat arms...
, taking 10 walled cities along the two countries' mutual border. This offensive infuriated Asin of Baekje
Asin of Baekje
Asin of Baekje was the 17th king of Baekje, one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea.- Background :Buyeo Abang was the eldest son of Baekje's 15th ruler Chimnyu, and ascended to the throne after the death of Chimnyu’s brother, the 16th king Jinsa, of whom he is said to have killed.- Reign :During his...
and that king subsequently planned a counter-offensive against Gwanggaeto, a plan he was forced to abandon when his invasion force was defeated by Goguryeo 393. King Asin again attacked Goguryeo in 394, and was again defeated. After several heavy defeats, Baekje began to politically crumble and the leadership of Asin came under doubt. Asin lost to Goguryeo again in 395, and he was eventually pushed back to a front along the Han River, where Wiryeseong
Wiryeseong
Wiryeseong was the name of two early capitals of Baekje, one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea. Both are believed to have been in the modern-day Seoul area...
, then Baekje's capital city located in the southern part of modern day 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...
.
In the following year, Gwanggaeto led his huge fleet in an assault on Wiryeseong, approaching by sea and river. Asin was expecting a ground invasion and was caught with his defenses down. Gwanggaeto's forces burnt about 58 walled fortresses under Baekje control, and defeated the forces of King Asin. Asin surrendered to Gwanggaeto, even handing over his brother as a Goguryeo captive as condition for maintaining his own rule over Baekje. Gwanggaeto had finally gained superiority over its longtime rival Baekje on the 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...
.
In 400, Silla
Silla
Silla was one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, and one of the longest sustained dynasties in...
requested Goguryeo assistance to defend against an alliance of Baekje-Gaya-Japanese allied forces, the Baekje kingdom to the west, and the Gaya Confederacy to the southwest. King Gwanggaeto responded with 50,000 troops, defeated both Japanese and Gaya cavalry units, and made both Silla and Gaya submit to his authority. In 401, he returned to King Silseong of Silla
Silseong of Silla
Silseong of Silla , whose name is also given as Silju or Silgeum, was the 18th ruler of the Korean kingdom of Silla. He was the son of the general Kim Daeseoji, who was the younger brother of King Michu...
, to establish peaceful relationship between two kingdom while he continued the conquest of the north, but Goguryeo forces remained and continued to influence Silla.
In 433, Baekje and Silla formed an alliance (Hangul
Hangul
Hangul,Pronounced or ; Korean: 한글 Hangeul/Han'gŭl or 조선글 Chosŏn'gŭl/Joseongeul the Korean alphabet, is the native alphabet of the Korean language. It is a separate script from Hanja, the logographic Chinese characters which are also sometimes used to write Korean...
: 나제동맹, Hanja
Hanja
Hanja is the Korean name for the Chinese characters hanzi. More specifically, it refers to those Chinese characters borrowed from Chinese and incorporated into the Korean language with Korean pronunciation...
: 羅濟同盟) in response to the Goguryeo threat.
In 472, King Gaero of Baekje
Gaero of Baekje
Gaero of Baekje was the 21st king of Baekje, one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea. He was the eldest son of the 20th king Biyu...
sent a letter to the emperor of Northern Wei
Northern Wei
The Northern Wei Dynasty , also known as the Tuoba Wei , Later Wei , or Yuan Wei , was a dynasty which ruled northern China from 386 to 534 . It has been described as "part of an era of political turbulence and intense social and cultural change"...
. He stated that he was having trouble interacting with Wei because of frequent Goguryeo intervention, thus calling for military action against Goguryeo.
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...
, eldest son of Gwanggaeto the Great, sought for the chance to invade the southern kingdoms of Korea, Baekje and Silla. As a result, King Jangsu secretly planned to attack Baekje. To disarm Baekje, he sent a Buddhist monk named Dorim. Dorim went to King Gaero's court, with the secret objective of corrupting the country before the invasion of Goguryeo. King Gaero began to favor Dorim, and played Baduk
Baduk
Baduk may refer to:* Baduk , a 1992 film by director Majid Majidi.* Baduk , the Korean name for the board game Go....
with him every day, and the was able to talk Gaero into spending large sums of money on construction projects, which weakened the national treasury.
In 475, King Jangsu launched a full-scale invasion from both land and sea against the now politically unstable kingdom of Baekje. King Gaero was not at all prepared for the assault formulated by Goguryeo and King Jangsu. With momentum now in his favor, Jangsu then proceeded toward the capital and easily captured the city of Wiryesong, and slew King Gaero. Soon after, King Jangsu burnt the capital to the ground. Baekje moved its capital to Ungjin
Ungjin
Ungjin, also known as Gomnaru is a former city on the Korean Peninsula. It was located in modern-day Gongju, South Chungcheong province, South Korea. It was the capital of Baekje from AD 475 to 538, during a period when Baekje was under threat from Goguryeo, the previous capital of Wiryeseong ...
(present-day Gongju
Gongju
Gongju , also spelt Kongju, is a city in South Chungcheong province, South Korea. It is located at .- History :Gongju was formerly named Ungjin and was the capital of Baekje from AD 475 to 538. In this period, Baekje was under threat from Goguryeo...
) to keep the kingdom alive. The war gave Goguryeo more or less total control of the Han River
Han River (Korea)
The Han River is a major river in South Korea and the fourth longest river on the Korean peninsula after the Amnok, Duman, and Nakdong rivers. It is formed by the confluence of the Namhan River , which originates in Mount Daedeok, and the Bukhan River , which originates on the slopes of Mount...
valley, the region essential to commercial and military power in the Korean Peninsula.
In 551, Baekje and Silla attacked the Goguryeo. The result of this allied attack on Goguryeo was the conquest of the Han river. In 553, Silla invaded Han River region and took the entire Han River region.
In mid-7th century, Gogureyo and Baekje formed an alliance (Hangul
Hangul
Hangul,Pronounced or ; Korean: 한글 Hangeul/Han'gŭl or 조선글 Chosŏn'gŭl/Joseongeul the Korean alphabet, is the native alphabet of the Korean language. It is a separate script from Hanja, the logographic Chinese characters which are also sometimes used to write Korean...
: 여제동맹, Hanja
Hanja
Hanja is the Korean name for the Chinese characters hanzi. More specifically, it refers to those Chinese characters borrowed from Chinese and incorporated into the Korean language with Korean pronunciation...
: 麗濟同盟) to territorial restoration, which was violated by Silla. The alliance had lasted until fall of Baekje in 660.
Goguryeo-Silla Wars
GoguryeoGoguryeo
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....
-Silla
Silla
Silla was one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, and one of the longest sustained dynasties in...
relationship also almost keep the hostile relations like the Goguryeo-Baekje relationship.
In 245, King Dongcheon of Goguryeo
Dongcheon of Goguryeo
King Dongcheon of Goguryeo was the 11th monarch of Goguryeo, the northernmost of the Three Kingdoms of Korea.-Background:...
ordered attacking to the Silla territory, but two kingdoms entered into friendly relations in 248.
In 400, Silla
Silla
Silla was one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, and one of the longest sustained dynasties in...
requested Goguryeo assistance to defend against an alliance of Baekje-Gaya-Japanese allied forces. Goguryeo's forces expelled invaders from Silla territory, and had Silla under their influence. King Nulji of Silla
Nulji of Silla
Nulji was the nineteenth king of Silla, one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea. He was the son of King Naemul and Lady Boban, who was the daughter of King Michu....
worked to freedom of Silla from Goguryeo domination. He set up diplomatic relations with Goguryeo on an equal footing in 424, and established a military alliance with Baekje (Hangul
Hangul
Hangul,Pronounced or ; Korean: 한글 Hangeul/Han'gŭl or 조선글 Chosŏn'gŭl/Joseongeul the Korean alphabet, is the native alphabet of the Korean language. It is a separate script from Hanja, the logographic Chinese characters which are also sometimes used to write Korean...
: 나제동맹, Hanja
Hanja
Hanja is the Korean name for the Chinese characters hanzi. More specifically, it refers to those Chinese characters borrowed from Chinese and incorporated into the Korean language with Korean pronunciation...
: 羅濟同盟) in 433 to help counter the Goguryeo threat.
In 551, Silla and Baekje forces launched to northern campaign against Goguryeo. The result of this allied attack on Goguryeo was the conquest of the Han river. The kingdoms of Baekje and Silla kingdom both had agreed on splitting the conquered territory equally amongst themselves. However, King Jinheung of Silla
Jinheung of Silla
King Jinheung was the 24th monarch of Silla, one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea.He followed King Beopheung and was followed by King Jinji . Jinheung was the nephew of King Beopheung. King Jinheung was one of the greatest kings of Silla, and was responsible for expanding Silla territory immensely...
betrayed their alliance Baekje in order to claim territories of Han River area in 553. After occupying the this region, Silla took greater control of the supremacy of Three Kingdoms.
Their hegemony didn't last very long. Goguryeo and Baekje applied political, militarily and economical pressure. Silla court wanted to be free from pressure of two kingdoms, and dispatch Kim Chun-chu to Chinese 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...
to request a military aid in 643. The two states made an offensive and defensive alliance. In 660, Goguryeo's ally, Baekje, fell to the Silla-Tang alliance; the victorious allies continued their assault on Goguryeo for the next eight years. Meanwhile, in 666 (though dates vary from 664-666), Yeon Gaesomun died and civil war ensued among his three sons.
In November 668, King Bojang of Goguryeo
Bojang of Goguryeo
Bojang of Goguryeo was the 28th and last king of Goguryeo the northernmost of the Three Kingdoms of Korea. He was placed on the throne by the military leader Yeon Gaesomun...
surrendered to Silla-Tang alliance. Goguryeo finally fell in 668.
Goguryeo-Han Wars
Goguryeo became a significant independent kingdom in the first century, and expanded its power in the region. By the time of Taejo of GoguryeoTaejo of Goguryeo
King Taejo of Goguryeo was the sixth monarch of Goguryeo, the northernmost of the Three Kingdoms of Korea. He is sometimes called Taejo the Great. He rose to the throne following the assassination of King Mobon. Under his reign, the young state expanded its territory and developed into a...
in 53, the five tribes became five centrally ruled districts of the kingdom, and foreign relations and the military were controlled by the king. Taejo successfully expanded Goguryeo by attacking Han China's commanderies of Lelang, Xuantu, and Liaodong, becoming fully independent from the Han commanderies.
Continuing its expansion to the northwest, Goguryeo began large-scale, organized attacks against the Chinese, as well as conquering neighboring statelets such as Okjeo
Okjeo
Okjeo was Korean tribal state which arose in the northern Korean peninsula from perhaps 2nd century BCE to 5th century CE.Dong-okjeo occupied roughly the area of the Hamgyŏng provinces of North Korea, and Buk-okjeo occupied the Duman River region.Dong-okjeo was often simply called Okjeo, while...
and Dongye
Dongye
Dongye, which means the Eastern Ye, was a Korean chiefdom which occupied portions of the northeastern Korean peninsula from roughly 3rd-century BCE to around early 5th-century. It bordered Goguryeo and Okjeo to the north, Jinhan to the south, and China's Lelang Commandery to the west...
.
Goguryeo-Wei Wars
In 244, Guanqiu JianGuanqiu Jian
Guanqiu Jian , style name Zhonggong , was a military general of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history.-Biography:...
, a general of Han's successor state Cao Wei
Cao Wei
Cao Wei was one of the states that competed for control of China during the Three Kingdoms period. With the capital at Luoyang, the state was established by Cao Pi in 220, based upon the foundations that his father Cao Cao laid...
, defeated King Dongcheon
Dongcheon of Goguryeo
King Dongcheon of Goguryeo was the 11th monarch of Goguryeo, the northernmost of the Three Kingdoms of Korea.-Background:...
and briefly occupied Goguryeo's capital, but did not hold the territory permanently.
The fall of Lelang and Daifang commanderies
As Goguryeo extended its reach into the Liaodong peninsula and Manchuria, the last Han Chinese commandery, at Lelang, was annexed to Goguryeo by Micheon of GoguryeoMicheon of Goguryeo
King Micheon of Goguryeo was the 15th ruler of Goguryeo, the northernmost of the Three Kingdoms of Korea.- Background and Rise to the throne :...
in 313, and the Three Kingdoms
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...
dominated the peninsula.
Goguryeo-Yan War
The expansion met temporary setbacks when in 342, Former YanFormer 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...
, of 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:...
ethnicity, attacked Goguryeo’s capital and captured it briefly, taking the body of King Micheon (the father of then-reigning King Gogugwon
Gogugwon 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...
) and Queen Ju (King Gogugwon's mother) as collateral for Goguryeo's submission.
However, In 400, Later Yan
Later Yan
The Later Yan was a Murong-Xianbei state, located in modern day northeast China, during the era of Sixteen Kingdoms in China.All rulers of the Later Yan declared themselves "emperors". Later Yan fell to the Goguryeo dynasty.-Rulers of the Later Yan:...
, successor state of 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...
, attacked Goguryeo. Gwanggaeto the Great responded swiftly, recovering most of the territory seized by the Xianbei and driving most of them from Goguryeo. Then in 402, he decided to launch an attack on Later Yan itself, determined to protect his Kingdom from further threat. In the same year Gwanggaeto defeated the Xianbei, seizing some of their border fortresses. In 404, he invaded Liaodong and took the entire Liaodong Peninsula. In 409, Goguryeo appears to have captured all territory east of the Liao River
Liao River
The Liao River is the principal river in northeast China . The province of Liaoning and the Liaodong Peninsula derive their names from the river....
completely held by Later Yan, and in 408 established peaceful relations with Gao Yun
Gao Yun
Gao Yun , at one time Murong Yun , courtesy name Ziyu , formally Emperor Huiyi of / Yan , was an emperor who, depending on the historian's characterization, was either the last emperor of the Chinese/Xianbei state Later Yan, or the first emperor of its succeeding state Northern Yan...
, the ruler of Later Yan's successor state Northern Yan
Northern Yan
The Northern Yan was a state of Han Chinese during the era of Sixteen Kingdoms in China.The second Emperor of Northern Yan, Feng Ba, was Han chinese.All rulers of the Northern Yan declared themselves "emperors".-Rulers of the Northern Yan:...
, who was a descendant of Goguryeo's royal house.
In 436, when Feng Hong
Feng Hong
Feng Hong , courtesy name Wentong , formally Emperor Zhaocheng of Yan , was the last emperor of the Chinese state Northern Yan. He seized the throne in 430 when his brother Feng Ba was ill, and he used the title "Heavenly Prince"...
, brother and successor of Gao Yun's successor Feng Ba
Feng Ba
Feng Ba , courtesy name Wenqi , nickname Qizhifa , formally Emperor Wencheng of Yan , was an emperor of the Chinese state Northern Yan...
, could not withstand Northern Wei
Northern Wei
The Northern Wei Dynasty , also known as the Tuoba Wei , Later Wei , or Yuan Wei , was a dynasty which ruled northern China from 386 to 534 . It has been described as "part of an era of political turbulence and intense social and cultural change"...
attacks, he evacuated his people to Goguryeo territory. When he subsequently tried to rule part of Goguryeo territory as an independent state, however, he was killed by Goguryeo's 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...
. King Jangsu and his successors subsequently undertook the policy of maintaining peaceful relations with both China's Northern Dynasties (Northern Wei, Northern Qi
Northern Qi
The Northern Qi Dynasty was one of the Northern dynasties of Chinese history and ruled northern China from 550 to 577.-History:The Chinese state of Northern Qi was the successor state of the Chinese/Xianbei state of Eastern Wei and was founded by Emperor Wenxuan...
, Northern Zhou
Northern Zhou
The Northern Zhou Dynasty followed the Western Wei, and ruled northern China from 557 to 581. It was overthrown by the Sui Dynasty.Northern Zhou's basis of power was established by Yuwen Tai, who was paramount general of Western Wei, following the split of Northern Wei into Western Wei and...
, and Sui Dynasty
Sui Dynasty
The Sui Dynasty was a powerful, but short-lived Imperial Chinese dynasty. Preceded by the Southern and Northern Dynasties, it ended nearly four centuries of division between rival regimes. It was followed by the Tang Dynasty....
) and Southern Dynasties (Liu Song, Southern Qi
Southern Qi
The Southern Qi Dynasty was the second of the Southern dynasties in China, followed by the Liang Dynasty. During its 23-year history, the dynasty was largely filled with instability, as after the death of the capable Emperor Gao and Emperor Wu, Emperor Wu's grandson Xiao Zhaoye was assassinated...
, Liang Dynasty
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...
, and Chen Dynasty
Chen Dynasty
The Chen Dynasty , also known as the Southern Chen Dynasty, was the fourth and last of the Southern dynasties in China, eventually destroyed by the Sui Dynasty....
), and there would not be major conflicts between Goguryeo and any Chinese state until Sui unified China by destroying Chen in 589.
Goguryeo-Sui Wars
The Sui DynastySui Dynasty
The Sui Dynasty was a powerful, but short-lived Imperial Chinese dynasty. Preceded by the Southern and Northern Dynasties, it ended nearly four centuries of division between rival regimes. It was followed by the Tang Dynasty....
was founded in 581. It grew in power and emerged as a powerful dynasty in China, defeating and conquering large forces of "Barbarians" to the North, Northwest, West, and South of China. Many neighbors of China were now forced to pay yearly tribute to the Sui Dynasty. Finally, only Goguryeo was left to be brought to its knees, but Goguryeo did not give into demands for tributes and the following threats.
Additionally, Goguryeo's expansion conflicted with the Sui Dynasty and increased tensions. In 598 the Sui, provoked by Goguryeo military offensives (pre-emptive strike) in the Liaodong region, attacked Goguryeo in the first of the Goguryeo-Sui Wars
Goguryeo-Sui Wars
The Goguryeo–Sui Wars were a series of campaigns launched by the Sui Dynasty of China against the Goguryeo of Korea between 598 and 614. It resulted in the defeat of Sui and contributed to the eventual downfall of the dynasty in 618.-Background:...
. In this campaign, as with those that followed in 612, 613, and 614, Sui met with costly defeat.
One of Sui's most disastrous campaigns was the campaign of 612, in which Sui mobilised at least 1,138,000 combat troops. General Eulji Mundeok
Eulji Mundeok
Eulji Mundeok was a noted military leader of early 7th century Goguryeo, one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea. Often numbered among the greatest heroes in Korean military history, he defended Goguryeo against the Sui Chinese...
, led the Goguryeo troops to victory by luring the Sui troops into a trap outside of Pyongyang. At the Battle of Salsu
Battle of Salsu
The Battle of Salsu was an enormous battle that occurred in the year AD 612, during the second Goguryeo-Sui War, between the Korean kingdom of Goguryeo and the Chinese Sui Dynasty. Goguryeo cavalry forces, pursuing the Sui army, attacked and defeated it at the Salsu River.In 612 the Sui Emperor...
River, Goguryeo soldiers released water from a dam, which overwhelmed the Chinese army and drowned nearly every Chinese soldier. Chinese histories record that of the over 305,000 Sui troops, a mere 2,700 returned.
The wars depleted the national treasury of the Sui Dynasty and after revolts and political strife, the Sui Dynasty disintegrated in 618. However the wars exhausted Goguryeo's strength and its power declined.
Goguryeo-Tang Wars
Although Goguryeo had repulsed the Sui Dynasty, attacks by the Tang Dynasty from the west proved too formidable. by King Yeongryu. Under Tang TaizongEmperor Taizong of Tang
Emperor Taizong of Tang , personal name Lǐ Shìmín , was the second emperor of the Tang Dynasty of China, ruling from 626 to 649...
, Sui's succeeding dynasty Tang Dynasty forged an alliance with Goguryeo's rival Silla after defeating Goguryeo's western ally, 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...
. Later in Tang Taizong reign, he also began campaigns against the Goguryeo, much to the opposition of many advisors.
In 645, Taizong commanded an army of 100,000 Tang soldiers. Taizong's noted army enabled him to conquer a number of border city fortresses of Goguryeo. The Tang army in several cases defeated the Korean forces on open battlefields. Outside the Ansi Fort, Go Yeonsu and Go Hyezin had mobilized 150,000 troops, though it proved to be fruitless. After tactics by Taizong with Li Shiji
Li Shiji
Li Shiji , né Xu Shiji , later known in the reign of Emperor Gaozong of Tang as Li Ji , courtesy name Maogong , formally Duke Zhenwu of Ying , was one of the most celebrated generals early in the Chinese Tang Dynasty...
commanding 15,000 men and Zhangsun Wuji
Zhangsun Wuji
Zhangsun Wuji , courtesy name Fuji , formally Duke of Zhao , was a chancellor of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty during the reigns of his brother-in-law Emperor Taizong and nephew Emperor Gaozong...
with 11,000 coming from behind, the Korean generals were confused and defeated, the losses were 20,000 for the Koreans and 36,000 captured.
However, forts would be the one issue that the Tang Taizong couldn't solve, most particularly Ansi fortress itself. the remaining Goguryeo troops get in inside Ansi fortress. Ansi was under siege by the Tang army. However Tang was not able to conquer Ansi fortress. After a protracted siege, Taizong ordered the construction of a large siege ramp by making a mountain of soil to tower over the high Ansi walls. As the mountain rose higher, so did the walls as it was raised higher with wooden extensions. However the siege mountain collapsed, at the same time commander Yang Manchun
Yang Manchun
Yang Manchun is the name given to the Goguryeo commander of Ansi fortress in the 640s.Ansi fortress was located on the Goguryeo-Chinese border, probably present-day Haicheng. Yang is sometimes credited with saving the kingdom by his refusal to surrender the fortress to invading Tang...
(Yang was the only commander to defeat Yeon on the battlefield, as Yeon's earlier efforts to take the Ansi Fortress during the civil war that took place after Yeon's coup was unsuccessful.) mobilized the remaining Goguryeo troops to defeat the Tang army. Later Korean sources speculated that it was an arrow wound suffered during the Siege of Ansi, and the other records speculated that it was an arrow to the Taizong's eye. In the end, the Tang army retreated with heavy losses. Taizong was defeated by not being able to take Ansi.
After Taizong's death in 649, the conquest of Goguryeo and the personal rivalry with Yeon Gaesomun became an obsession with Taizong's son Gaozong
Emperor Gaozong of Tang
Emperor Gaozong of Tang , personal name Li Zhi , was the third emperor of the Tang Dynasty in China, ruling from 649 to 683...
. He invaded Goguryeo numerous times but Yeon turned the Tang back every time-perhaps most notably during Yeon's celebrated annihilation of the Tang forces in 662 at the Sasu River (蛇水) where the invading general Pang Xiaotai (龐孝泰) and all 13 of his sons were killed in the battle.
As a result while Yeon Gaesomun
Yeon Gaesomun
Yeon Gaesomun was a powerful and controversial military dictator and Generalissimo in the waning days of Goguryeo, which was one of the Three Kingdoms of ancient Korea. Yeon is also remembered for a number of successful resistance in military conflicts with Tang Dynasty under Emperor Li Shimin and...
was alive, Tang was not able to conquer the Goguryeo.
Goguryeo's fall and remained forces
Goguryeo's ally in the southwest, BaekjeBaekje
Baekje or Paekche was a kingdom located in southwest Korea. It was one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, together with Goguryeo and Silla....
, fell to the Silla-Tang alliance in 660 the victorious allies continued their assault on Goguryeo for the next eight years. Meanwhile, in 666 (though dates vary from 664-666), Yeon Gaesomun died and civil war ensued among his three sons. One of his sons, Yeon Namsaeng
Yeon Namsaeng
Yeon Namsaeng was the eldest son of the Goguryeo Dae Mangniji Yeon Gaesomun . In 665, Yeon Namsaeng succeeded his father and became the 2nd Dae Magniji of Goguryeo.- Background :...
fled to Tang and was a big part in the next invasion of Goguryeo by the Tang and served as the primary key to the downfall of Gogureyo, as only when he came did the Tang's emperor was willing to send troops to Goguryeo, since the defector knew the most of the weaknesses and shortcuts that Tang forces did not know of, into Goguryeo's fortified territory. . diagonally opposite another son, Yeon Namgeon
Yeon Namgeon
Yeon Namgeon was the second son of the Goguryeo military leader and dictator Yeon Gaesomun , and third Dae Magniji of Goguryeo during the reign of Goguryeo's last ruler, King Bojang-The Fall of Goguryeo:...
resist in the face of death to his brother's treachery.
Silla-Tang eventually vanquished the weary kingdom, which had been suffering from a series of famines and internal strife. Goguryeo finally fell in 668.
Silla thus unified most of the Korean peninsula in 668, but the kingdom's reliance on China's Tang Dynasty had its price. Silla had to forcibly resist the imposition of Chinese rule over the entire peninsula, which they did and eventually expelled the Tang. Silla'a unification of Korea was short lived for the former Goguryeo General Dae Joyeong led the remnants of Goguryeo, united with the Mohe and established 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...
, Known to Koreans as the successor of Goguryeo and retained much of its former territory.
The Balhae would become a buffer in trade and was a powerful empire that Tang could not bother. Their end would come from 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...
tribe in 926. This end was a decisive event in Northeast Asian history for it was the last Korean Kingdom to hold territory in Manchuria.