Minjung of Goguryeo

Minjung of Goguryeo
King of Goguryeo
ReignAD 44–48
PredecessorKing Daemusin
SuccessorKing Mobon
BornHae Saekju / Hae Eupju
c.AD 5-18
Died48 AD
Burial
Minjungwon (민중원; 閔中原)
HouseHouse of Hae
FatherGo Yuri
Korean name
Hangul
민중왕
Hanja
閔中王
Revised RomanizationMinjung-wang
McCune–ReischauerMinjung-wang
Birth name
Hangul
해색주
Hanja
解色朱
Revised RomanizationHae Saekju
McCune–ReischauerHae Saekju
Monarchs of Korea
Goguryeo
  1. Chumo c. 37–19 BC
  2. Yuri 19 BC–18 AD
  3. Daemusin 18–44
  4. Minjung 44–48
  5. Mobon 48–53
  6. Taejodae 53–146
  7. Chadae 146–165
  8. Sindae 165–179
  9. Gogukcheon 179–197
  10. Sansang 197–227
  11. Dongcheon 227–248
  12. Jungcheon 248–270
  13. Seocheon 270–292
  14. Bongsang 292–300
  15. Micheon 300–331
  16. Gogugwon 331–371
  17. Sosurim 371–384
  18. Gogugyang 384–391
  19. Gwanggaeto the Great 391–413
  20. Jangsu 413–491
  21. Munja 491–519
  22. Anjang 519–531
  23. Anwon 531–545
  24. Yangwon 545–559
  25. Pyeongwon 559–590
  26. Yeongyang 590–618
  27. Yeongnyu 618–642
  28. Bojang 642–668

King Minjung (?–48, r. 44–48[1]) was the fourth ruler of Goguryeo, the northernmost of the Three Kingdoms of Korea. According to The History of the Three Kingdoms, he was the younger brother of the country's third ruler, King Daemusin, and the fifth son of the second ruler, King Yuri.[2]

Background

According to the Samguk sagi, a 12th-century Korean history of the Three Kingdoms, Minjung was the fifth and youngest son of Yuri (Goguryeo's second King), as well as the youngest brother of his predecessor Daemusin. His original name was Hae Saek-ju or Hae Eup-ju, and some scholars believe the king's surname was Hae.[2] The Samguk sagi states that at the time of Daemusin's death the crown prince was his eldest son Mobon (then known as Hae U), but Mobon was still too young to rule. Thus, Minjung (then known as Haesaekjoo) ascended to the throne with national support.[2] However, an alternative account exists in the Samguk yusa, stating that Minjung was the son of Daemusin and the younger brother of Mobon.

Reign

During Minjung's five years of reign, he avoided military conflict and maintained peace throughout most of the kingdom. A massive pardon of prisoners occurred in his first year of reign.[a] Several natural disasters marked his reign, including a flood during his second year of reign that occurred in the eastern provinces causing several citizens to lose their homes and starve. Seeing this, Minjung opened up the food storage and distributed food to the people.[b] In his third year of reign, it didn't snow in the capital.[c] In his fourth year of reign, Minjung found a stone grotto in the Western region of his kingdom and was said to have rested in it after a long hunt.[3]

Death

In the year 48, during the fifth year of his reign, Minjung fell ill and died. On his deathbed, he requested to be buried in a grotto in Minjung-won, where he was eventually laid to rest. As a result, he was given the posthumous name, Minjung.[3]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ From Samguk sagi "閔中王 諱解色朱 大武神王之弟也 大武神王薨 太子幼少 不克卽政 於是 國人推戴以立之 冬十一月 大赦".
  2. ^ cited from book 14 of Samguk sagi, 2nd volume of Goguryeo bongi. "二年 春三月 宴群臣 夏五月 國東大水 民饑 發倉賑給".
  3. ^ Samguk sagi,"三年 秋七月 王東狩 獲白獐 冬十一月 星孛于南 二十日而滅 十二月 京都無雪"

References

  1. ^ Nahm, Andrew C. Korea: Tradition and Transformation — A History of the Korean People, second edition, Elizabeth, NJ: Hollym International (1996). ISBN 1-56591-070-2, pp. 573
  2. ^ a b "King Minjung, King Mobon". KBS World Radio. Retrieved 2021-04-29.
  3. ^ a b 민중왕 (in Korean). Doopedia. Retrieved 2016-02-28.
Minjung of Goguryeo
 Died: 48
Regnal titles
Preceded by King of Goguryeo
44–48 		Succeeded by