Dongseong of Baekje

Dongseong of Baekje
Hangul	동성왕
Hanja	東城王
Revised Romanization	Dongseongwang
McCune–Reischauer	Tongsǒngwang

Monarchs of Korea Baekje

Onjo 18 BCE–29 CE Daru 29–77 Giru 77–128 Gaeru 128–166 Chogo 166–214 Gusu 214–234 Saban 234 Goi 234–286 Chaekgye 286–298 Bunseo 298–304 Biryu 304–344 Gye 344–346 Geunchogo 346–375 Geungusu 375–384 Chimnyu 384–385 Jinsa 385–392 Asin 392–405 Jeonji 405–420 Guisin 420–427 Biyu 427–455 Gaero 455–475 Munju 475–477 Samgeun 477–479 Dongseong 479–501 Muryeong 501–523 Seong 523–554 Wideok 554–598 Hye 598–599 Beop 599–600 Mu 600–641 Uija 641–660

Dongseong of Baekje (?-501, r. 479-501^[1]) was the 24th king of Baekje, one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea.

Background

He was the son of Gonji, the younger brother of the 22nd king Munju who returned to Baekje from Yamato Japan in 477 after hearing of the fall of the Baekje capital. Gonji died in that year, and like Munju may have been murdered by Hae Gu. Dongseong appears to have been promoted to the throne by the Jin clan that prevailed over Hae Gu's rebellion. After Samgeun died without children, the throne passed to Dongseong.

Reign

He worked to strengthen the court's power after the move of the capital from the present-day Seoul area to Ungjin. He built several fortresses and castles to build out the new capital. He incorporated the local Sa, Yeon, and Baek clans into the court to counter the entrenched aristocracy from the former capital.

Dongseong sent a tribute mission to the Southern Qi in 484, reopening Baekje’s ties with southern China after a long hiatus.

He established an alliance with Silla through his marriage of a Silla noblewoman in 493, and the two countries united in attacking Goguryeo in 495.

In 498, the Baekje army subjugated Tamna, the kingdom on Jeju island which had formally accepted Baekje rule twenty-two years before, because it failed to send tributes.

The Book of Qi states that Dongseong sent armies to Liaodong and Liaoxi (요서 遼西) in China to defeat Goguryeo forces.

Death

Beginning in 499, the country was stricken by famine, but according to the Samguk Sagi the king was unresponsive. He continued to live an indulgent lifestyle while brigandage spread.

By the end of Dongseong's rule, the local clans of the new capital had eclipsed the traditionally powerful Hae and Jin clans, and even pressured the throne. Dongseong sought to contain them by exiling Baek Ga to an outlying castle. This caused great resentment, and Baek Ga's forces assassinated Dongseong while he was hunting.

References

1. ^ by the translators of Il-yeon's: Samguk Yusa: Legends and History of the Three Kingdoms of Ancient Korea, translated by Tae-Hung Ha and Grafton K. Mintz. Book Two, page 124. Silk Pagoda (2006). ISBN 1-59654-348-5

See also

• History of Korea
• List of Korea-related topics