The Great Eight Families (, ) were eight noble families of

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 ...

, one 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 ...

. They were the most powerful of the noble families and had been comrades in arms with the founding monarch

Onjo of Baekje Onjo (?–28, r. 18 BC – AD 28) was the founding monarch of Baekje (백제, 百濟), one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea. According to the ''Samguk Sagi'' (삼국사기, 三國史記), he founded the royal family of Baekje. Background There ...

. They reached the pinnacle of their power during the Sabi, recorded in Chinese records such as ''

Tongdian The ''Tongdian'' () is a Chinese institutional history and encyclopedia text. It covers a panoply of topics from high antiquity through the year 756, whereas a quarter of the book focuses on the Tang Dynasty. The book was written by Du You from 766 ...

''. The Hae clan and the

Jin clan The was a powerful noble clan of Baekje, one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea. Baekje They were one of the "Great Eight Families" (''Daeseongpaljok'', 大姓八族) of Baekje: (Sa (沙氏), Yeon (燕氏), Hyeop (劦氏), Hae (解氏), Jin (眞氏) ...

were the representative royal houses who had considerable power from the early period of Baekje, and they produced many queens over several generations. The Hae clan was probably the royal house before the Buyeo clan replaced them, and both clans appear descended from the lineage of

Buyeo Buyeo or Puyŏ (Korean: 부여; Korean pronunciation: u.jʌ or 扶餘 ''Fúyú''), also rendered as Fuyu, was an ancient kingdom that was centered in northern Manchuria in modern-day northeast China. It is sometimes considered a Korean ki ...

and

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 ...

History

After the Battle at Mt. Amak fortress () against

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 ...

during the beginning of the reign of King

Mu of Baekje King Mu of Baekje (580–641) (r. 600–641) was the 30th king of Baekje, one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea. He was the 4th son of King Wideok. Background During his reign, the Three Kingdoms (Goguryeo, Baekje, and Silla) were at war with e ...

the Great Eight Families lost a great deal of power. Among the families the Hae clan (who had led the battle), Hyeop, Jin and Mok disappeared from the central political stage leaving only the Yeon, Guk and Baek clans. The Sa clan promoted their influence by military force and produced a queen in the late reign of

. They did not lose their status as central nobles during the reign of the last King,

Uija of Baekje Uija of Baekje (599?–660, r. 641–660) was the 31st and final ruler of Baekje, one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea. His reign ended when Baekje was conquered by an alliance of the rival Korean kingdom Silla and China's Tang dynasty. Backg ...

by colluding with royal authority. The royal family (Buyeo clan, ) acquired influence with the collapse of the Great Eight Families. After King Uija acceded the throne, royal might was also divided and the lineal descendant of the royal clan with the king as its center was in control of political situation. Among the Great Eight Families, Yeon and Baek clans fell behind and only clans of Sa and Guk maintained their status as central nobles. In the late Baekje all the Great Eight Families except for Sa and Guk clans lost their status as the central nobles and were degraded to local influence at last.

Families

() – produced queens of Baekje. *

Hae clan The was a powerful noble clan of Baekje, one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea. Origins The Hae clan was probably the royal house before the Buyeo clan replaced them, and both clans appear descended from the lineage of Buyeo and Goguryeo. The roya ...

() – produced queens of Baekje. *

Mok clan The was a powerful noble clan of Baekje, one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea. Origins The origins of the Mok clan are shrouded in the mists of time. Even though they were one of the most powerful families of Baekje only the name of a few of their ...

() * Baek clan () *

Guk clan The Guk clan () was a powerful noble clan of Baekje, one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea. History They were one of the " Great Eight Families" (, ) of Baekje: (Sa (), Yeon (), Hyeop (), Hae (), Jin (), Guk (), Mok (), and Baek ()). This helped them ...

() * Hyeop clan () *

Yeon clan The was a powerful noble clan of Baekje, one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea. History They were one of the "Great Eight Families" (''Daeseongpaljok'', 大姓八族) of Baekje: (Sa (沙氏), Yeon (燕氏), Hyeop (劦氏), Hae (解氏), Jin (眞氏) ...

() * Sa clan ()

Notes

References

* Hong, Wontack. (1994). ''Paekche of Korea and the Origin of Yamato Japan''. Seoul: Kudara International. * * * {{Cite web , title=Recollections of Backje Culture: Japan-Korea Grassroots Exchange at Work , url=http://www.kansai.gr.jp/culture_e/ibunka/monuments/siga/index.html , url-status=dead , archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071113135549/http://www.kansai.gr.jp/culture_e/ibunka/monuments/siga/index.html , archive-date=2007-11-13 , website=kansai.gr.jp

History

Families

Notes

References

See also