Jinheung of Silla
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| Jinheung of Silla | ||||||||
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| Monarchs of Korea Silla (Pre-Unification) |
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King Jinheung (540-576) was the 24th monarch of Silla, one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea.
He followed King Beopheung (514–540) and was followed by King Jinji (576–579). Jinheung was the nephew of King Beopheung. King Jinheung was one of the greatest kings of Silla, and was responsible for expanding Silla territory immensely. He and King Seong, 26th king of Baekje, struggled with each other over the Han River valley. Jinheung won this struggle and expanded Silla's territory immensely.
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[edit] Rise to the throne
King Jinheung of Silla rose to the throne at the young age of seven when his predecessor and uncle, Beopheung, died. Since he was too young to rule a kingdom at the time, his mother acted as regent. When he became of age, he began to rule independently. One of his first acts as true king of Silla was to appoint a man named Kim Isabu as Head of Military Affairs, which occurred during the year 541 BCE. Jinheung adopted a policy of peace with the neighboring empire of Baekje. In 551 BCE, he allied with Baekje so that he could attack the northern Korean empire of Goguryo. The result of this allied attack on Goguryo was the conquest of the Han river. The kingdoms of Baekje and Silla both had agreed on splitting the conquered territory equally amongst themselves.
[edit] Expansion
During the reign of King Seong of Baekje, King Jinheung allied with Goguryo and launched an attack on the Han River valley during the year 553 BC. Feeling betrayal from Silla, King Seong attacked during the year 554 BC, but was caught in an ambush led by a Silla general and was assassinated along with those who were accompanying him. King Jinheung guarded the new territory with a firm hand for seven years before sending General Kim Isabu to conquer Daegaya during the year 561 BC. King Jinheung constructed a monument in his newly conquered territory and established provinces in the area. He subdued all rebellions and continued to develop culture in his kingdom. In 576 BC, the Hwarang was established, and they would later play a huge role in the unification of the Three Kingdoms of Korea.
[edit] Death and Succession
King Jinheung died during the year 576 BC at the young age of 43 after ruling for 37 years of conquest and advancement. King Jinheung was succeeded by his second son, Prince Sa-ryun, who became King Jinji of Silla.
[edit] Legacy
King Jinheung's achievements for his kingdom established the basis for unification of Korea. He is remembered today by the Korean people as one of the greatest rulers of Silla and Korea.
