Anwon of Goguryeo

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Anwon of Goguryeo
Hangul: 안원왕, (곡)향강상왕
Hanja: 安原王, (鵠)香岡上王
Revised Romanization: Anwon-wang, (Gok)Hyanggangsang-wang
McCune-Reischauer: Anwŏn-wang
Birth name
Hangul: 보연
Hanja: 寶延
Revised Romanization: Bo-yeon
McCune-Reischauer: Poyŏn
Monarchs of Korea
Goguryeo
  1. Dongmyeongseong 37-19 BCE
  2. Yurimyeong 19 BCE-18 CE
  3. Daemusin 18-44
  4. Minjung 44-48
  5. Mobon 48-53
  6. Taejo 53-146
  7. Chadae 146-165
  8. Sindae 165-179
  9. Gogukcheon 179-197
  10. Sansang 197-227
  11. Dongcheon 227-248
  12. Jungcheon 248-270
  13. Seocheon 270-292
  14. Bongsang 292-300
  15. Micheon 300-331
  16. Gogugwon 331-371
  17. Sosurim 371-384
  18. Gogugyang 384-391
  19. Gwanggaeto the Great 391-413
  20. Jangsu 413-490
  21. Munjamyeong 491-519
  22. Anjang 519-531
  23. Anwon 531-545
  24. Yangwon 545-559
  25. Pyeongwon 559-590
  26. Yeongyang 590-618
  27. Yeongnyu 618-642
  28. Bojang 642-668

King Anwon of Goguryeo (?-545, r. 531-545) was the 23rd ruler of Goguryeo, the northernmost of the Three Kingdoms of Korea. He was the younger brother of King Anjang, and is said to have been tall and wise.

When Anjang died without an heir in 531, Anwon succeeded him on the throne.

The other two of the Three Kingdoms, Baekje and Silla, formed an alliance in response to the Goguryeo threat, leading to a relatively balanced peace. In the only conflict during Anwon's reign, in the ninth lunar month of 540, Baekje laid siege to Usan Castle, but Anwon sent 5,000 cavalry and drove the attackers off.

Goguryeo suffered many natural disasters during Anwon's reign.

Anwon's first queen had not given birth to a son. In his third year on the thone, he had designated as crown prince his eldest son by his second queen, prince Pyeongseong (subsequent king Yangwon). However, in the last year of Anwon's reign, there was a power struggle between his second and third queens who each sought to make her son the crown prince.

The aristocracy split into two camps, leading to violent battles during which the king was apparently killed. This internal division was the beginning of a significantly weakening of the royal throne and Goguryeo itself in subsequent years.

The king died in the third lunar month of 545, after 15 years on the throne.

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