Samgeun of Baekje
Encyclopedia
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
.
had forced Baekje's capital south from the present-day Seoul
region to Ungjin
(near present-day Gongju
), and the Baekje court had lost much of its power to the aristocracy. Within the aristocracy, clans from the local Mahan confederacy
, which Baekje conquered and absorbed earlier, gained strength against the traditional clans descended from the northern kingdom of Buyeo
.
In the midst of this instability, the 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, he ordered the death of Munju.
In 478, Hae Gu made common cause with rebels led by Yeon Sin, based in Daedu Castle. Samgeun first sent the noble Jin Nam to capture the castle with 2,000 men, but he failed. He then sent Jin Ro, who defeated the rebels with 500 men, whereupon Yeon Sin fled to Goguryeo
. With this event, the Jin clan gained great strength in Baekje.
The next year, Samgeun died, succeeded by Gonji's son.
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...
. 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 was the eldest son of the 22nd king Munju
Munju of Baekje
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.-Background:...
.
Background
In 475, the northern Korean kingdom of 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....
had forced Baekje's capital south from the 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...
region 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 ...
(near 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...
), and the Baekje court had lost much of its power to the aristocracy. Within the aristocracy, clans from the local Mahan confederacy
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...
, which Baekje conquered and absorbed earlier, gained strength against the traditional clans descended from the northern kingdom of Buyeo
Buyeo (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...
.
In the midst of this instability, the 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, he ordered the death of Munju.
Reign
Samgeun was only thirteen years old when he took power after his father’s death. Since he was not fit to oversee the military, the armies continued to be overseen by General Hae Gu, who maintained actual political control.In 478, Hae Gu made common cause with rebels led by Yeon Sin, based in Daedu Castle. Samgeun first sent the noble Jin Nam to capture the castle with 2,000 men, but he failed. He then sent Jin Ro, who defeated the rebels with 500 men, whereupon Yeon Sin fled 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....
. With this event, the Jin clan gained great strength in Baekje.
The next year, Samgeun died, succeeded by Gonji's son.