Muyeol of Silla
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| Muyeol of Silla | |
|---|---|
| Hangul: | 태종 무열왕 |
| Hanja: | 太宗 武烈王 |
| Revised Romanization: | Taejong Muyeol Wang |
| McCune-Reischauer: | T'aejong Muyǒl Wang |
| Birth name | |
| Hangul: | 김춘추 |
| Hanja: | 金春秋 |
| Revised Romanization: | Kim Chun-chu |
| McCune-Reischauer: | Kim Ch'un-ch'u |
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King Taejong Muyeol 602 – 661 born Kim Choon-choo, was the 29th monarch of the southern Korean kingdom of Silla and ruled from 654 to 661. He is credited for leading the unification of the Three Kingdoms of Korea. He was a childhood friend of Kim Yoo-shin, who eventually became his brother-in-law after his marrying the latter's sister.
After the sudden death of Queen Seondeok, there were none of seonggol 聖骨, or "sacred blood" lineage (a royal relative born of two royal parents). The nature of Silla's "bone rank system" required that only someone of sacred bone status assume the throne. Though only of jingol 眞骨, or "true bone" lineage (a royal relative with only one parent of royal blood), and restricted from assuming the throne, Kim Chun Chu succeeded in assuming the Silla throne with support from General Kim Yoo-shin, thus bringing to an end the seonggol class of Silla.
He constantly pleaded with the Tang for reinforcements to destroy Baekje, to which the Tang finally acquiesced in 660, sending 130,000 troops under General So Jung Bang. Meanwhile Kim Yusin set out from Silla with 50,000 soldiers and fought the bloodly battle at Hwang San Bul leaving Baekje devastated and unprotected. King Uija of Beakje finally surrendered, leaving only Koguryo to face Silla as an adversary on the Korean peninsula.
In June of the following year King Muyeol died, leaving his son Kim Beopmin to assume the throne as King Munmu.
