Anwon of Goguryeo

King Anwon of Goguryeo (died 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, Emperor Gaozu of Liang enfeoffed him as king. In the third month of his reign, the Emperor of Wei sent an imperial rescript naming him Commissioner with Special Powers, Cavalier Attendant-in-ordinary, Concurrent Commandant, Protector of the Eastern Tributaries, Dynasty Founding Duke of the Liaodong Commandery, and King of Goguryeo, presenting him with the associated vestments, ornaments, coach, and standard.

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, such as flooding, earthquakes, thunderstorms and a severe epidemic, a severe drought, a plague of locusts.

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. He was given the posthumous royal title of King Anwŏn.

See also

• List of Korea-related topics
• History of Korea
• Three Kingdoms of Korea
• List of Korean monarchs