Anwon of Goguryeo (died 545) (r. 531–545) was the 23rd ruler of
Goguryeo
Goguryeo (37 BC–668 AD) ( ) also called Goryeo (), was a Korean kingdom located in the northern and central parts of the Korean Peninsula and the southern and central parts of Northeast China. At its peak of power, Goguryeo controlled most ...
, the northernmost of the
Three Kingdoms of Korea
Samhan or the Three Kingdoms of Korea () refers to the three kingdoms of Goguryeo (고구려, 高句麗), Baekje (백제, 百濟), and Silla (신라, 新羅). Goguryeo was later known as Goryeo (고려, 高麗), from which the modern name ''Kor ...
. He was the younger brother of
Anjang of Goguryeo, and is said to have been tall and wise.
The other two of the Three Kingdoms,
Baekje
Baekje or Paekche (, ) was a Korean kingdom located in southwestern Korea from 18 BC to 660 AD. It was one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, together with Goguryeo and Silla.
Baekje was founded by Onjo, the third son of Goguryeo's founder Jum ...
and
Silla
Silla or Shilla (57 BCE – 935 CE) ( , Old Korean: Syera, Old Japanese: Siraki2) was a Korean kingdom located on the southern and central parts of the Korean Peninsula. Silla, along with Baekje and Goguryeo, formed the Three Kingdoms of K ...
, 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
280px, "Samguk Sagi" Book 04. Silla's Records. In 512, Usan-guk（于山國）was Ulleungdo（鬱陵島）
Usan-guk, or the State of Usan, occupied Ulleung-do and the adjacent islands during the Korean Three Kingdoms period. According to th ...
, 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 throne, 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.
Family
*Father:
King Munja (문자명왕, 文咨明王)
**Grandfather: Prince Joda/Juda (조다, 助多)
*Consorts and their respective issue(s):
#''Center Lady'' (정부인, 正夫人) – No issue.
#''Middle Lady'' (중부인, 中夫人)
##
Prince Pyeongseong (평성, 平成)
#''Little Lady'' (소부인, 小夫人)
##Unknown son
See also
*
History of Korea
The Lower Paleolithic era in the Korean Peninsula and Manchuria began roughly half a million years ago.
Christopher J. Norton, "The Current State of Korean Paleoanthropology", (2000), ''Journal of Human Evolution'', 38: 803–825.
The earlies ...
*
Three Kingdoms of Korea
Samhan or the Three Kingdoms of Korea () refers to the three kingdoms of Goguryeo (고구려, 高句麗), Baekje (백제, 百濟), and Silla (신라, 新羅). Goguryeo was later known as Goryeo (고려, 高麗), from which the modern name ''Kor ...
*
List of Korean monarchs
This is a list of monarchs of Korea, arranged by dynasty. Names are romanized according to the South Korean Revised Romanization of Korean. McCune–Reischauer romanizations may be found at the articles about the individual monarchs.
Gojoseon
G ...
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Anwon Of Goguryeo
Goguryeo rulers
545 deaths
6th-century monarchs in Asia
Year of birth unknown
6th-century Korean people