Gyeong Dae-seung

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Kyung Dae Seung (경대승) (1154-1183) was one of the five major military dictators of during the late period of the Goryeo Empire. Unlike his predecessors, General Kyung was determined to fix the empire's problems and help the people prosper. His popularity with the people aroused the jealousy of Emperor Myeongjong of Goryeo. His military dictatorship over Goryeo signified a brief period of peace within the war-ravaged empire.

Contents 1 Background 2 The Young Dictator 3 Death and aftermath 4 See also

[edit] Background

General Kyung Dae Seung was born to Kyung Jin into the Chungju Kyung clan in the year 1154. At the time of his birth, the warrior-class of the nation was highly undermined and deprived of the luxuries that its civilian and scholar counterparts were able to see excessively. The young Kyung began his military training at the young and tender age of 15, and served under the regimes of both Yi Ui-Bang and Jeong Jung-bu. When his father died, he took charge of his household and began helping the poor, and made the decision of using the private army that his father had built.

[edit] The Young Dictator

In 1154, the young General Kyung led a revolt against the current-reigning dictator, Jeong Jung-Bu, killing his son and son-in-law in the process of overthrowing any trace of the regime. At the age of 26, Kyung had overthrown the powerful Jeong military regime, and had become the undisputed military dictator of Goryeo. The greatest help to Kyung was his lifelong friend General Kim Ja-Gyuk, who wanted to put Kyung on the Imperial throne. Kyung did not allow such things to overcome his original purpose for taking power. Kyung Dae Seung became very popular among the people and received the name, "Righteous, young general." Emperor Myeongjong became jealous of Kyung's popularity and power, and rejected the young general as merely another bloodthirsty barbaric warrior who was greedy for power. Despite his good intentions and hard efforts to restore peace, Kyung was faced with assassination attempts, the most notable being an attempt by his friend Kim Ja-Gyuk to poison him. This attempt failed and Kyung was military dictator over Goryeo for five years until he came down with a sickness that eventually killed him.

[edit] Death and aftermath

Kyung Dae Seung died at the young age of 30, during the year 1183. With the death of Kyung, Yi Ui-Bang's former lieutenant, Yi Ui-Min, returned to Kaesong and took power over Goryeo, destroying all that Kyung had worked so hard to build.

[edit] See also

• Jeong Jung-Bu
• Goryeo

Preceded by Jeong Jung-bu

Military Leader of Goryeo' 1178–1183

Succeeded by Yi Ui-Min