Yeongnyu of Goguryeo
Encyclopedia
King Yeongnyu of Goguryeo (b. ??? - 642, r.618 — 642) was the 27th king of Goguryeo
, the northernmost of the Three Kingdoms of Korea
.
, and son of the 25th king Pyeongwon. He assumed the throne when Yeong-yang died in 618.
, the Sui Dynasty
was followed by the Tang Dynasty
in 618, the year of Yeongnyu's ascension. Goguryeo was recovering from the Goguryeo-Sui War, and the new Tang emperor was still completing its internal unification. Neither being in a position for new hostilities, Goguryeo and Tang exchanged emissaries and upon Tang's request, conducted a prisoner exchange in 622.
In 624, Tang officially presented Taoism
to the Goguryeo court, which sent scholars the following year to study Taoism and Buddhism
.
However, as Tang gained strength, in 631, it sent a small force to destroy a monument to Goguryeo's victory over the Sui. In response, Goguryeo built the Cheolli Jangseong
defensive wall along the western border, a 16 year project begun in 631 under the supervision of Yeon Gaesomun
.
During this time, Goguryeo continued its battles to recover lost territory from the southern Korean kingdom Silla
. Silla's Kim Yu-sin took Goguryeo's Nangbi fortress in 629.
, whose power and influence were rapidly overtaking the throne's. The young man eventually discovered the plot, and immediately went to Pyongyang to kill the plotters, including the king. Yeongnyu was killed in 642.
Yeon Gaesomun placed the Yeongnyu's nephew, Bojang
, on the throne.
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
He was the younger half-brother of the 26th king Yeong-yangYeong-yang of Goguryeo
King Yeong-yang of Goguryeo was the 26th king of Goguryeo, the northernmost of the Three Kingdoms of Korea. He was the eldest son of King Pyeongwon .-Reign:...
, and son of the 25th king Pyeongwon. He assumed the throne when Yeong-yang died in 618.
Reign
In 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...
, the 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....
was followed by the 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...
in 618, the year of Yeongnyu's ascension. Goguryeo was recovering from the Goguryeo-Sui War, and the new Tang emperor was still completing its internal unification. Neither being in a position for new hostilities, Goguryeo and Tang exchanged emissaries and upon Tang's request, conducted a prisoner exchange in 622.
In 624, Tang officially presented Taoism
Taoism
Taoism refers to a philosophical or religious tradition in which the basic concept is to establish harmony with the Tao , which is the mechanism of everything that exists...
to the Goguryeo court, which sent scholars the following year to study Taoism and Buddhism
Buddhism
Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...
.
However, as Tang gained strength, in 631, it sent a small force to destroy a monument to Goguryeo's victory over the Sui. In response, Goguryeo built the Cheolli Jangseong
Cheolli Jangseong
Cheolli Jangseong in Korean history usually refers to the 11th century northern defense structure built during the Goryeo dynasty in present-day North Korea, though it also refers to a 7th century network of military garrisons in present-day northeastern China, built by Goguryeo, one of the Three...
defensive wall along the western border, a 16 year project begun in 631 under the supervision of 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...
.
During this time, Goguryeo continued its battles to recover lost territory from the southern Korean kingdom Silla
Silla
Silla was one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, and one of the longest sustained dynasties in...
. Silla's Kim Yu-sin took Goguryeo's Nangbi fortress in 629.
Fall, death and succession
Yeongnyu and some of the government officials planned to kill some of the more powerful military officers. They planned first to kill Yeon GaesomunYeon 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...
, whose power and influence were rapidly overtaking the throne's. The young man eventually discovered the plot, and immediately went to Pyongyang to kill the plotters, including the king. Yeongnyu was killed in 642.
Yeon Gaesomun placed the Yeongnyu's nephew, Bojang
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...
, on the throne.
See also
- List of Korea-related topics
- List of Korean monarchs
- 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...
- 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...