This is a list of monarchs of

Korea Korea ( ko, 한국, or , ) is a peninsular region in East Asia. Since 1945, it has been divided at or near the 38th parallel, with North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) comprising its northern half and South Korea (Republic o ...

, arranged by dynasty. Names are romanized according to the South Korean

Revised Romanization of Korean Revised Romanization of Korean () is the official Korean language romanization system in South Korea. It was developed by the National Academy of the Korean Language from 1995 and was released to the public on 7 July 2000 by South Korea's Min ...

McCune–Reischauer McCune–Reischauer romanization () is one of the two most widely used Korean language romanization systems. A modified version of McCune–Reischauer was the official romanization system in South Korea until 2002, when it was replaced by the Re ...

romanizations may be found at the articles about the individual monarchs.

Gojoseon

Gojoseon Gojoseon () also called Joseon (), was the first kingdom on the Korean Peninsula. According to Korean mythology, the kingdom was established by the legendary founder named Dangun. Gojoseon possessed the most advanced culture in the Korean Pen ...

(2333 BC – 108 BC) was the first

n kingdom. According to legend, it was founded by

Dangun Dangun (; ) or Dangun Wanggeom (; ) was the legendary founder and god-king of Gojoseon, the first Korean kingdom, around present-day Liaoning province in Northeast China and the northern part of the Korean Peninsula. He is said to be the "gran ...

in 2333 BC.

Bronze Age The Bronze Age is a historic period, lasting approximately from 3300 BC to 1200 BC, characterized by the use of bronze, the presence of writing in some areas, and other early features of urban civilization. The Bronze Age is the second pri ...

archaeological evidence of Gojoseon culture is found in northern Korea and

Liaoning Liaoning () is a coastal province in Northeast China that is the smallest, southernmost, and most populous province in the region. With its capital at Shenyang, it is located on the northern shore of the Yellow Sea, and is the northernmost ...

. By the 9th to 4th century BC, various historical and archaeological evidence shows Gojoseon was a flourishing state and a self-declared kingdom. Both Dangun and Gija are believed to be mythological figures, but recent findings suggest and theorize that since Gojoseon was a kingdom with artifacts dating back to the 4th millennium BC, Dangun and Gija may have been royal or imperial titles used for the monarchs of Gojoseon, hence the use of Dangun for 1900 years. * :"An extreme manifestation of nationalism and the family cult was the revival of interest in Tangun, the mythical founder of the first Korean state... Most textbooks and professional historians, however, treat him as a myth." * :"Although Kija may have truly existed as a historical figure, Tangun is more problematical." * :"Most orean historianstreat the angunmyth as a later creation." * :"The Tangun myth became more popular with groups that wanted Korea to be independent; the Kija myth was more useful to those who wanted to show that Korea had a strong affinity to China." * :"If a choice is to be made between them, one is faced with the fact that the Tangun, with his supernatural origin, is more clearly a mythological figure than Kija."

Earliest mythological rulers

Historical rulers

Buyeo

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 Korea ...

(c. 2nd century BC – 494 AD) ruled in modern-day

Northeast China Northeast China or Northeastern China () is a geographical region of China, which is often referred to as "Manchuria" or "Inner Manchuria" by surrounding countries and the West. It usually corresponds specifically to the three provinces east of t ...

. Although records are sparse and contradictory, it is speculated that in the 1st century BC,

Eastern Buyeo Eastern Buyeo, also rendered as Dongbuyeo or Eastern Fuyu, was an ancient kingdom that developed from Northern Buyeo (Northern Fuyu), until it was conquered by Goguryeo. According to the ''Samguk Sagi'', it was established when the Buyeo king ...

branched out, after which the original Buyeo is sometimes referred to as Northern Buyeo. Its remnants were absorbed by the neighboring and brotherhood kingdom 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 ...

in 494.

Early
Eastern Buyeo Eastern Buyeo, also rendered as Dongbuyeo or Eastern Fuyu, was an ancient kingdom that developed from Northern Buyeo (Northern Fuyu), until it was conquered by Goguryeo. According to the ''Samguk Sagi'', it was established when the Buyeo king ...

Galsa Buyeo Galsa Buyeo, also rendered as Galsa-guk or Hesi Fuyu, was an ancient kingdom founded by King of Galsa of Eastern Buyeo (Eastern Fuyu) in Manchuria, on the upstream of the Yalu River. History First king of Galsa feared that Eastern Buyeo would f ...

Later Northern Buyeo

Goguryeo

(37 BC – 668 AD) was 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 ...

. Goguryeo rulers may have used the title of ''

Taewang Imperial titles were used in various historical Korean states before the 14th century and at the turn of the 20th century: Early Korean states used "great king", "greatest king", and "holy king"; later Korean states used "emperor". Korean monarc ...

'' (太王, "Greatest King").

Baekje

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 ...

(18 BC – 660 AD) was one of the

. Temple names were the same as personal names, unless noted otherwise.

Silla

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 ...

(57 BC – 935 AD) was one of the

. In the early years, Silla was ruled by the Pak, Seok, and

Kim Kim or KIM may refer to: Names * Kim (given name) * Kim (surname) ** Kim (Korean surname) *** Kim family (disambiguation), several dynasties **** Kim family (North Korea), the rulers of North Korea since Kim Il-sung in 1948 ** Kim, Vietnamese f ...

families. Rulers of Silla had various titles, including ''Isageum, Maripgan, and Daewang''. Like some Baekje kings, some declared themselves emperor. # Hyeokgeose Geoseogan 혁거세 거서간 赫居世居西干 (57 BC – 4 AD) # Namhae Chachaung 남해 차차웅 南解次次雄 (4–24) # Yuri Isageum 유리이사금 儒理尼師今 (24–57) (Kings Yuri to Heurhae bore the Korean title ''Isageum'', an old word for "ruler") # Talhae Isageum 탈해이사금 脫解尼師今 (57–80) # Pasa Isageum 파사이사금 婆娑尼師今 (80–112) # Jima Isageum 지마이사금 祇摩尼師今 (112–134) # Ilseong Isageum 일성이사금 逸聖尼師今 (134–154) # Adalla Isageum 아달라이사금 阿達羅尼師今 (154–184) # Beolhyu Isageum 벌휴이사금 伐休尼師今 (184–196) # Naehae Isageum 내해이사금 奈解尼師今 (196–230) # Jobun Isageum 조분이사금 助賁尼師今 (230–247) # Cheomhae Isageum 첨해이사금 沾解尼師今 (247–261) # Michu Isageum 미추이사금 味鄒尼師今 (262–284) # Yurye Isageum 유례이사금 儒禮尼師今 (284–298) # Girim Isageum 기림이사금 基臨尼師今 (298–310) # Heulhae Isageum 흘해이사금 訖解尼師今 (310–356) # Naemul Maripgan 내물마립간 奈勿麻立干 (356–402) (Kings Naemul to Soji bore the Korean title ''Maripgan'', an old word for "ruler") # Silseong Maripgan 실성마립간 實聖麻立干 (402–417) # Nulji Maripgan 눌지마립간 訥祇麻立干 (417–458) # Jabi Maripgan 자비마립간 慈悲麻立干 (458–479) # Soji Maripgan 소지마립간 炤知麻立干 (479–500) # King Jijeung 지증왕 智證王 (500–514) (Kings Jijeung to Gyeongsun bore the title ''Wang'' (the modern Korean word for "king"), with the exceptions noted below) # King Beopheung 법흥왕 法興王 (514–540) # King Jinheung 진흥왕 眞興王 (540–576) # King Jinji 진지왕 眞智王 (576–579) # King Jinpyeong 진평왕 眞平王 (579–632) #

Queen Seondeok Queen Seondeok of Silla ( ko, 선덕여왕 ; 595~610 – 17 February 647/January 8, Lunar Calendar) reigned as Queen Regnant of Silla, one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, from 632 to 647. She was Silla's twenty-seventh ruler, and its first re ...

선덕여왕 善德王 (632–647) # Queen Jindeok 진덕여왕 眞德王 (647–654) # King Taejong Muyeol 태종무열왕 太宗武烈王 (654–661) #

King Munmu Munmu of Silla (626–681; reigned 661–681) was the 30th king of the Korean kingdom of Silla. He is usually considered to have been the first ruler of the Unified Silla period. Munmu was the son of King Muyeol and Munmyeong, who was the youn ...

문무왕 文武王 (661–681) #

King Sinmun Sinmun of Silla (r. 681–692) was the thirty-first king of Silla, a Korean state that originated in the southwestern Korean peninsula and went on to unify most of the peninsula under its rule in the mid 7th century. He was the eldest son of Sil ...

신문왕 神文王 (681–692) # King Hyoso 효소왕 孝昭王 (692–702) # King Seongdeok 성덕왕 聖德王 (702–737) # King Hyoseong 효성왕 孝成王 (737–742) # King Gyeongdeok 경덕왕 景德王 (742–765) #

King Hyegong Hyegong of Silla (758–780) (r. 765–780) was the 36th ruler of the Korean kingdom of Silla. Being the only child between King Gyeongdeok and Lady Manwol ( Queen Gyeongsu), Hyegong was the last descendant of King Muyeol to sit on the throne. B ...

혜공왕 惠恭王 (765–780) # King Seondeok 선덕왕 宣德王 (780–785) # King Wonseong 원성왕 元聖王 (785–798) # King Soseong 소성왕 昭聖王 (798–800) # King Aejang 애장왕 哀莊王 (800–809) # King Heondeok 헌덕왕 憲德王 (809–826) # King Heungdeok 흥덕왕 興德王 (826–836) # King Huigang 희강왕 僖康王 (836–838) # King Minae 민애왕 閔哀王 (838–839) # King Sinmu 신무왕 神武王 (839) # King Munseong 문성왕 文聖王 (839–857) # King Heonan 헌안왕 憲安王 (857–861) # King Gyeongmun 경문왕 景文王 (861–875) # King Heongang 헌강왕 憲康王 (875–886) # King Jeonggang 정강왕 定康王 (886–887) # Queen Jinseong 진성여왕 眞聖王 (887–897) # King Hyogong 효공왕 孝恭王 (897–912) # King Sindeok 신덕왕 神德王 (912–917) #

King Gyeongmyeong Gyeongmyeong of Silla (died 924) (r. 917–924) was the 54th ruler of the Korean kingdom of Silla. He was the eldest son of King Sindeok and Princess Uiseong. He ruled during the Later Three Kingdoms period, when much of his country's former ...

경명왕 景明王 (917–924) #

King Gyeongae Gyeongae of Silla (died 927) (r. 924–927) was the 55th ruler of the Korean kingdom of Silla. Biography He was the son of King Sindeok by Queen Uiseong, and was the younger brother of King Gyeongmyeong, who preceded him to the throne. ...

경애왕 景哀王 (924–927) # King Gyeongsun 경순왕 敬順王 (927–935)

Gaya confederacy

The

Gaya confederacy Gaya (, ) was a Korean confederacy of territorial polities in the Nakdong River basin of southern Korea, growing out of the Byeonhan confederacy of the Samhan period. The traditional period used by historians for Gaya chronology is AD 42–53 ...

(42–562) consisted of several small statelets. All rulers of Gaya bore the title ''Wang'' ("King").

Geumgwan Gaya

Geumgwan Gaya Geumgwan Gaya (43–532), also known as Bon-Gaya (본가야, 本伽倻, "original Gaya") or Garakguk (가락국, "Garak State"), was the ruling city-state of the Gaya confederacy during the Three Kingdoms Period in Korea. It is believed to have b ...

(42–532) was one of the

Daegaya

Daegaya Daegaya was a city-state in the Gaya confederacy during the Korean Three Kingdoms period. Daegaya was located in present-day Goryeong County, in North Gyeongsang Province of South Korea. (It should not be confused with Goryeong Gaya, which was loc ...

(42–562) was one of the

Tamna

Tamna Tamna, or Tamna-guk, was a state based on Jeju Island from ancient times until it was absorbed by the Korean Joseon dynasty in 1404, following a long period of being a tributary state or autonomous administrative region of various Korean king ...

(2337 BC(?)–938 AD) was an ancient local kingdom on the Jeju Island.

Balhae

Balhae Balhae ( ko, 발해, zh, c=渤海, p=Bóhǎi, russian: Бохай, translit=Bokhay, ), also rendered as Bohai, was a multi-ethnic kingdom whose land extends to what is today Northeast China, the Korean Peninsula and the Russian Far East. It wa ...

(698–926) was an ancient Korean kingdom established after the fall of

. Balhae occupied southern parts of

Primorsky Krai Primorsky Krai (russian: Приморский край, r=Primorsky kray, p=prʲɪˈmorskʲɪj kraj), informally known as Primorye (, ), is a federal subject (a krai) of Russia, located in the Far East region of the country and is a part of the ...

, and the northern part of the

Korean peninsula Korea ( ko, 한국, or , ) is a peninsular region in East Asia. Since 1945, it has been divided at or near the 38th parallel, with North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) comprising its northern half and South Korea (Republic o ...

Later Baekje

Later Baekje Hubaekje or Later Baekje (, ) was one of the Later Three Kingdoms of Korea, along with Taebong and Silla. Later Baekje was a Korean dynastic kingdom founded by the disaffected Silla general Gyeon Hwon in 900, whom led the local gentry and popul ...

(900–936) was founded by Gyeon Hwon, who was a general during Later Silla's period of decline. Thus began the

Later Three Kingdoms The Later Three Kingdoms period (889-935 AD) of ancient Korea saw a partial revival of the old three kingdoms which had dominated the peninsula from the 1st century BC to the 7th century AD. After the Unified Silla kingdom had ruled Korea alone ...

period. Later Baekje met its downfall at the hands of

Gyeon Hwon Gyeon Hwon (; 867 – 27 September 936, r. 892 – March 934) was the king and founder of Later Baekje, one of the Later Three Kingdoms of Korea, and reigned from 892 to 935. Some records render his name as "Jin Hwon" (진훤). He was also the prog ...

himself, who later led the

Goryeo Goryeo (; ) was a Korean kingdom founded in 918, during a time of national division called the Later Three Kingdoms period, that unified and ruled the Korean Peninsula until 1392. Goryeo achieved what has been called a "true national unificati ...

armies alongside

Taejo of Goryeo Taejo of Goryeo (31 January 877 – 4 July 943), also known as Taejo Wang Geon (; ), was the founder of the Goryeo dynasty, which ruled Korea from the 10th to the 14th century. Taejo ruled from 918 to 943, achieving unification of the Later Three ...

to capture

Singeom Gyeon Singeom (; ? – September 936, r. 15 November 935 – 936) was the second and final king of Hubaekje, one of the Later Three Kingdoms of Korea. He came to the throne after conspiring with his two brothers, Yanggeom and Yonggeom, to overth ...

, the prince of Later Baekje, who had betrayed Gyeon Hwon.

Later Goguryeo

Taebong Taebong (; ) was a state established by Gung Ye () on the Korean Peninsula in 901 during the Later Three Kingdoms. Name The state's initial name was Goryeo, after the official name of Goguryeo, a previous state in Manchuria and the northern ...

(901–918), also known as Majin or Later Goguryeo, was established by Gung-ye, an outcast prince of Silla. Gung-Ye joined General Yang-Gil's rebellion, and rose through the ranks. He eventually assassinated Yang-Gil and established a new kingdom, naming it Later Goguryeo. Gung-Ye turned out to be a tyrant, and was overthrown by his generals, opening the way for General

Wang Geon Taejo of Goryeo (31 January 877 – 4 July 943), also known as Taejo Wang Geon (; ), was the founder of the Goryeo dynasty, which ruled Korea from the 10th to the 14th century. Taejo ruled from 918 to 943, achieving unification of the Later Thre ...

, who established

Goryeo dynasty

(918–1392) was ruled by the Wang Dynasty. The first ruler had the

temple name Temple names are posthumous titles accorded to monarchs of the Sinosphere for the purpose of ancestor worship. The practice of honoring monarchs with temple names began during the Shang dynasty in China and had since been adopted by other dyna ...

''Taejo,'' which means "great progenitor", and was applied to the first kings of both Goryeo and

Joseon Joseon (; ; Middle Korean: 됴ᇢ〯션〮 Dyǒw syéon or 됴ᇢ〯션〯 Dyǒw syěon), officially the Great Joseon (; ), was the last dynastic kingdom of Korea, lasting just over 500 years. It was founded by Yi Seong-gye in July 1392 and re ...

, as they were also the founders of the Wang and Yi Dynasties respectively. Starting with Gwangjong, rulers of Goryeo styled themselves emperors, with the first three rulers elevated to that title posthumously. With the Mongol conquest, however, the title of the ruler was demoted to a king, or "Wang." The next twenty-three kings (until

Wonjong Wonjong of Goryeo (5 April 1219 – 23 July 1274) was the 24th ruler of the Goryeo dynasty of Korea from 1260 to 1274. Biography He ascended the throne with the help of Kublai Khan. During his reign, Goryeo became a vassal of the Mongol-found ...

) are also referred to by their temple names, ending in ''jong''. Beginning with Chungnyeol (the twenty-fifth king), all the remaining kings of Goryeo had the title ''Wang'' ("King") as part of their temple names. Era names are in bracket where available.

Joseon dynasty

(1392–1910) followed Goryeo. In 1897, when Joseon became the

Korean Empire The Korean Empire () was a Korean monarchical state proclaimed in October 1897 by Emperor Gojong of the Joseon dynasty. The empire stood until Japan's annexation of Korea in August 1910. During the Korean Empire, Emperor Gojong oversaw the Gwa ...

, some of the Joseon kings were posthumously raised to the rank of emperors. Joseon monarchs had

s ending in ''jo'' or ''jong.'' ''Jo'' was given to the first kings/emperors of new lines within the dynasty, with the first king/emperor having the special name ( Taejo), which means "great progenitor" (see also

). ''Jong'' was given to all other kings/emperors. Two kings,

Yeonsangun Yeonsangun of Joseon or Prince Yeonsan of Joseon (23 November 1476 – 20 November 1506), personal name Yi Yung ( Korean: 이융; Hanja: 李㦕), was the tenth ruler of the Joseon dynasty of Korea. Often considered the worst tyrant in Joseon's ...

and

Gwanghaegun Gwanghae-gun or Prince Gwanghae (4 June 1575 – 7 August 1641), personal name Yi Hon (Hangul: 이혼, Hanja: 李琿), was the 15th ruler of the Joseon Dynasty of Korea. As he was deposed in a coup d'état, he did not receive a temple name. ...

, were not given temple names after their reigns ended. Each monarch had a

posthumous name A posthumous name is an honorary name given mostly to the notable dead in East Asian culture. It is predominantly practiced in East Asian countries such as China, Korea, Vietnam, Japan, and Thailand. Reflecting on the person's accomplishments or ...

that included either the title ''Wang'' ("King"), ''Hwangje'' ("Emperor"), ''Daewang'' ("King ''X'' the Great"), or ''Daeje'' ("Emperor ''X'' the Great"). For the sake of consistency, the title "King/Emperor" has been added to each monarch's temple name in the list below. * see

section

Korean Empire

In 1897, King Gojong proclaimed Joseon to be the

, which lasted until 1910. Technically, the emperors can be referred to by their era names rather than their

s, but the latter are commonly used.

Notes

References

* * * * *https://web.archive.org/web/20031006023320/http://www.rootsinfo.co.kr/index_sub02.html (in Korean only) *http://www.rulers.org {{DEFAULTSORT:List Of Monarchs Of Korea * *

Monarchs A monarch is a head of stateWebster's II New College DictionarMonarch Houghton Mifflin. Boston. 2001. p. 707. for life or until abdication, and therefore the head of state of a monarchy. A monarch may exercise the highest authority and power in ...