Gojoseon (2333 BC – 108 BC) was the first Korean kingdom. According to legend, it was founded by Dangun in 2333 BC.[1]
Bronze Age archaeological evidence of Gojoseon culture is found in northern Korea and Liaoning. 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.[2]
Buyeo (c. 2nd century BC – 494 AD) ruled in modern-day Northeast China. Although records are sparse and contradictory, it is speculated that in the 1st century BC, Eastern Buyeo 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 in 494.
Silla (57 BC – 935 AD) was one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea. In the early years, Silla was ruled by the Pak, Seok, and Kim families. Rulers of Silla had various titles, including Isageum, Maripgan, and Daewang. Like some Baekje kings, some declared themselves emperor.
Later Baekje (900–936) was founded by Kyŏn Hwŏn, who was a general during Later Silla's period of decline. Thus began the Later Three Kingdoms period. Later Baekje met its downfall at the hands of Kyŏn Hwŏn himself, who later led the Goryeo armies alongside Taejo of Goryeo to capture Kyŏn Sin-gŏm, who had betrayed his father, Kyŏn Hwŏn, and usurped the throne.
Taebong (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, who established Goryeo.
Goryeo (918–1392) was ruled by the Wang Dynasty. The first ruler had the temple nameTaejo, which means "great progenitor", and was applied to the first kings of both Goryeo and Joseon, 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) 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 (1392–1910) followed Goryeo. In 1897, when Joseon became the Korean Empire, some of the Joseon kings were posthumously raised to the rank of emperors.
Joseon monarchs had temple names 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 Goryeo). Jong was given to all other kings/emperors.
Two kings, Yeonsangun and Gwanghaegun, were not given temple names after their reigns ended.
Each monarch had a posthumous name 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.
In 1897, King Gojong proclaimed Joseon to be the Korean Empire, which lasted until 1910. Technically, the emperors can be referred to by their era names rather than their temple names, but the latter are commonly used.
^Goguryeo kings had the surname Go, except for the second Yuri through fifth Mobon, whose surnames are recorded as Hae. All of the kings are recorded to belong to the same patrilineal bloodline. It is not clear whether the two surnames are different transcription of the same name, or evidence of a power struggle.
^The Samguk sagi and Samguk yusa, and sometimes other records mention "other names," "birth names," "childhood names," or "personal names."
^The king names generally derive from the location of the king's burial, and do not necessarily correspond to the Chinese concept of Posthumous name.
^The Jolbon line names and dates are from the Samguk sagi. The Wei shu History of the Wei dynasty gives the following names: 朱蒙 Jumong, 閭達 Yeodal, 始閭諧 Shiryeohae, 如栗 Yeoyul, and 莫來 Mangnae. The legendary line had already been formed with some variants in the early 5th century when king Jangsu built a monument for his father and Goguryeo made contact with the Northern Wei. The inscription of that monument gives these names: 鄒牟 Chumo, 儒留 Yuryu, and 大朱留 Daejuryu. The connections between those names are not clear.
^Goguryeo kings had the surname Go, except for the second (Yuri) through fifth (Mobon), whose surnames are recorded as Hae. All of the kings are recorded to belong to the same patrilineal bloodline. It is not clear whether the two surnames are different transcription of the same name, or evidence of a power struggle.
^According to the Book of the Later Han, Taejo died in 121, and his son Chadae stepped up.
"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."
"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."
^Book of later Han,桓帝 延熹四年, 遣使朝賀貢獻. 永康元年,王夫台將二萬餘人寇玄菟, 玄菟太守公孫域擊破之, 斬首千餘級. 至靈帝 熹平三年, 復奉章貢獻. 夫餘本屬玄菟, 獻帝時, 其王求屬遼東云.
^Record of three kingdoms,時句麗·鮮卑彊度以夫餘在二虜之間妻以宗女。尉仇台死簡位居立。
^Record of three kingdoms,尉仇台死簡位居立無適子有孽子麻餘位居死諸加共立麻餘
^Il-yeon: Samguk Yusa: Legends and History of the Three Kingdoms of Ancient Korea, translated by Tae-Hung Ha and Grafton K. Mintz. Epilogue, page 354. Silk Pagoda (2006). ISBN1-59654-348-5 - note: the dates for Geojilmi's reign go there until 344
Byeon Tae-seop (변태섭) (1999). 韓國史通論 (Hanguksa tongnon) (Outline of Korean history), 4th ed. ISBN978-89-445-9101-3.
Cumings, Bruce (1997). Korea's place in the sun. New York: W.W. Norton. ISBN978-0-393-31681-0.
Kim, Jung Bae (1997). "Formation of the ethnic Korean nation and the emergence of its ancient kingdom states". Korean history: Discovery of its characteristics and developments. Seoul: Hollym. pp. 27–36. ISBN978-1-56591-177-2.
Nahm, Andrew C. (1988). Korea: Tradition and Transformation — A History of the Korean People. Hollym International. ISBN978-0-930878-56-6.
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