Munju of Baekje
Encyclopedia
Munju of Baekje was the 22nd king of Baekje
, one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea
. His reign saw considerable disunity within Baekje following the fall of its capital in present-day Seoul
.
, after the Han River
valley was lost to Goguryeo
. He ascended to the throne after his father’s death in the sack of the former Baekje capital at Hanseong.
Prior to 475, Munju served as chief minister (Sangjwapyeong) under his father, Gaero
. In the Goguryeo assault of 475, he went to Silla
to request help. According to the Samguk Sagi
, he returned with 10,000 Silla warriors but was too late to prevent the fall of the capital.
-descended aristocracy clashed with the local Mahan
-based clans. Rivalry even within the old aristoracy, suppressed by previous powerful kings, resurfaced.
He sought to refortify Baekje’s remaining defenses and strengthen the country's position against Goguryeo. He was successful in 476 in gaining suzerainty over the kingdom of Tamna
on Jeju island
.
In the midst of this instability, the chief general Hae Gu took control of the military, and, after the death of Munju's son (Samgeun
's younger brother) Gonji in 477, exercised effective rule over the country.
That year, Munju was murdered by an agent of Hae Gu.
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....
, one 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...
. His reign saw considerable disunity within Baekje following the fall of its capital in present-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...
.
Background
He was the first king to rule Baekje from its new capital in Ungjin, present-day GongjuGongju
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...
, after 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 was lost to 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....
. He ascended to the throne after his father’s death in the sack of the former Baekje capital at Hanseong.
Prior to 475, Munju served as chief minister (Sangjwapyeong) under his father, Gaero
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...
. In the Goguryeo assault of 475, he went to Silla
Silla
Silla was one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, and one of the longest sustained dynasties in...
to request help. According to 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 returned with 10,000 Silla warriors but was too late to prevent the fall of the capital.
Reign
After the move of the capital, Baekje power structure fell into chaos as the traditional BuyeoBuyeo (state)
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...
-descended aristocracy clashed with the local Mahan
Mahan confederacy
Mahan was a loose confederacy of statelets that existed from around the 1st century BCE to 3rd century CE in the southern Korean peninsula in the Chungcheong and Jeolla provinces. Arising out of the confluence of Gojoseon migration and the Jin state federation, Mahan was one of the Samhan , along...
-based clans. Rivalry even within the old aristoracy, suppressed by previous powerful kings, resurfaced.
He sought to refortify Baekje’s remaining defenses and strengthen the country's position against Goguryeo. He was successful in 476 in gaining suzerainty over the kingdom of Tamna
Tamna
The kingdom of Tamna or Tamna guk ruled Jeju Island from ancient times until it was absorbed by the Korean Joseon Dynasty in 1404. This kingdom is also sometimes known as Tangna , Seomna , and Tammora . All of these names mean "island country."There is no historical record of the founding or early...
on Jeju island
Jeju-do
Jeju-do is the only special autonomous province of South Korea, situated on and coterminous with the country's largest island. Jeju-do lies in the Korea Strait, southwest of Jeollanam-do Province, of which it was a part before it became a separate province in 1946...
.
In the midst of this instability, the chief general Hae Gu took control of the military, and, after the death of Munju's son (Samgeun
Samgeun of Baekje
Samgeun of Baekje was the 23rd king of Baekje, one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea. According to the Samguk Sagi, he was the eldest son of the 22nd king Munju.-Background:...
's younger brother) Gonji in 477, exercised effective rule over the country.
That year, Munju was murdered by an agent of Hae Gu.