Far East Kingdoms

Korea

(Information for 2333 BC - AD 1932, excluding Koguryo from Ki-baik Lee, A New History of Korea (1984), supplied by Michael Welles, plus additional notes.)

Rulers of Old Choson

A study in 2012 found that eunuchs of the Choson (or Chosun) period lived up to nineteen years longer than their better endowed peers. They even outlived members of the royal family. Records state that eunuchs had some woman-like appearances such as no bear, large breasts, big hips and thin, high-pitched voices. The imperial court of Choson used eunuchs to guard the gates and manage food. They were the only men outside the royal family who were allowed to spend the night in the palace, and they could not have children of their own, so they adopted girls or castrated boys. Their average age at death was seventy years, although the oldest of them reached 109 years. By comparison, men in other families in the noble classes lived into their early fifties. Males in the royal family lasted until they were just forty-five on average.

(Additional information from External Link: Eunuchs reveal clues to why women live longer than men.)

2333 - ? BC

Tan'gun Wanggom

c.300 BC

The Chinese Yen/Yan conquer Choson.

222 BC

Control of Choson briefly passes to the Chinese Ch'in.

206 BC

Control of Choson passes to the Chinese Han.

? - 194 BC

Chun Wang

Possibly a subject ruler under Chinese Han control.

194 BC

Chosen rebels against Chinese rule and re-emerges as the independent Wiman Chosen.

Rulers of Wiman Choson

Wiman led a rebellion against Chinese control, although he was Chinese himself. Choson became independent until re-conquered by the Han Chinese.

194 - ? BC

Wiman Wang

? - 108 BC

Ugo Wang

108 BC

The Chinese Han conquer Choson. The Korean kingdom of Puyo soon emerges to the north of Choson, while Silla, Koguryo, Pon Kaya, and Tae Kaya all emerge soon afterwards.

Rulers of Silla
57 BC - AD 935

Silla emerged as one of several kingdoms in or around the first century BC, but it was the longest lasting of any of them.

57 BC - AD 4

Pak Hykkose Kosogun

4 - 24

Namhae Ch'ach'aung

24 - 57

Yuri Isagum

57 - 80

Sok T'arhae Isagum

80 - 112

Pak P'asa Isagum

112 - 134

Chima Isagum

134 - 154

Ilsong Isagum

154 - 184

Adalla Isagum

184 - 196

Sok Porhyu Isagum

196 - 230

Naehae Isagum

230 - 247

Chobun Isagum

247 - 261

Ch'omhae Isagum

262 - 284

Kim Mich'u Isagum

284 - 298

Sok Yurye Isagum

298 - 310

Kirim Isagum

310 - 356

Hurhae Isagum

356 - 402

Kim Naemul Maripkan

402 - 417

Silsong Maripkan

417 - 458

Nulchi Maripkan

458 - 479

Chabi Maripkan

479 - 500

Soji Maripkan

500 - 514

Chijung Wang

514 - 540

Pophung Wang

540 - 576

Chinghung Wang

562

The kingdom conquers Tae Kaya.

576 - 579

Chinji Wang

579 - 632

Chinp'yong Wang

632 - 647

Queen Sondok Yowang

647 - 654

Queen Chindok Yowang

654 - 661

(T'aejong) Muyol Wang

661 - 681

Munmu Wang

667 - 676

China occupies Korea. Silla assists in conquering Koguryo in 667-668.

681 - 692

Sinmun Wang

692 - 702

Hyoso Wang

698

Parhae emerges.

702 - 737

Songdok Wang

737 - 742

Hyosong Wang

742 - 765

Kyongdok Wang

765 - 780

Hyegong Wang

780 - 785

Sondok Wang

785 - 798

Wonsong Wang

798 - 800

Sosong Wang

800 - 809

Aejang Wang

809 - 826

Hondok Wang

826 - 836

Hungdok Wang

836 - 838

Huigang Wang

838 - 839

Minae Wang

839

Sinmu Wang

839 - 857

Munsong Wang

857 - 861

Honan Wang

861 - 875

Kyongmun Wang

875 - 886

Hon'gang Wang

886 - 887

Chonggang Wang

887 - 897

Queen Chinsong Yowang

897 - 912

Hyogong Wang

912 - 917

Pak Sindok Wang

917 - 924

Kyongmyong Wang

924 - 927

Kyongae Wang

927 - 935

Kim Kyongsun Wang

924

The rulers of Silla are superseded by the Koryo Dynasty.

Koryo / Goryeo Dynasty
AD 924 - 1392

924 - 943

T'aejo I

944 - 945

Hyejong

946 - 949

Chongjong I

950 - 975

Kwangjong

976 - 981

Kyongjong

981 - 997

Songjong I

997 - 1009

Mokshong

1010 - 1032

Hyongjong I

1032 - 1035

Tokjong

1035 - 1047

Chongjong II

1047 - 1083

Munjong I

1083

Sunjong

1084 - 1095

Sonjong

1095

Honjong I

1096 - 1105

Sokjong

1106 - 1122

Yejong I

1123 - 1146

Injong I

1147 - 1170

Uijong

1170 - 1197

Myongjong

1198 - 1205

Sinjong

1205 - 1211

Huijong

1212 - 1213

Kangjong

1213 - 1259

Kojong I

1217 - 1218

The Mongols raid into Korea.

1235

The Mongols invade Korea for the first time with the serious intent of conquering it instead merely of raiding it.

1258

Korea is under Mongol suzerainty.

1260 - 1274

Wonjong

1275 - 1309

Ch'unguyol

1294

With the death of Kublai Khan, the Yuan dynasty survives under his successor, but the Mongol empire effectively ceases to exist. There are no further Khakhans (great khans), and command of the empire's territory is now permanently divided into four distinct and fully independent kingdoms: the Golden Horde (made up of the Blue Horde and White Horde), the Il-Khanate, Mughulistan, and Yuan China, which incorporates Mongolia and much of southern Siberia, along with governing Tibet through the institution of the Xuanzheng Yuan, and with Korea as a tributary state.

1309 - 1314

Ch'ungson

1314 - 1330

Ch'ungsuk

1330 - 1332

Ch'unghye

1332 - 1339

Ch'angsuk

Restored?

1339 - 1344

Ch'unghye

Restored?

1344 - 1348

Ch'ungmok

1349 - 1351

Ch'unajong

1340s

The Red Turban Army is created as a result of opposition to the faltering and unpopular Yuan Mongol rulers by the followers of the White Lotus sect of Buddhism. Kuo Tsu-hsing founds the army, named after the red turbans its members wear and the red banners they carry. The rebellion starts slowly, with Yuan officials being assaulted, but it blossoms, although overtures towards Koryo are repulsed militarily by Ch'unajong.

1351 - 1374

Kongmin / Gongmin / Buyantumur

Son of Ch'angsuk. Assassinated.

1372/1373

Yuan Khan Ayushiridara asks Kongmin for assistance in the fight against the Ming. As a former Mongol vassal, he is acclaimed as a fellow descendant of Chingiz Khan, and will therefore be happy to work together wth the Yuan in their current reduced state. However, Kongmin's reforms have already cut many ties with the Yuan in favour of the Ming, and he not only refuses to help, he actively pursues a policy of reconquering territory that had been annexed by the Great Khans in the 1270s.

1374

The pro-Mongol faction at court, which is led by Yin In-im, kills Kongmin. Immedately, they sent envoys to the Mongols at Liaoyang, and Ayushiridara quickly recognises the legitimacy of the king's successor, the young Sin U, despite the boy being a puppet of Yin In-im. Despite this, when Ayushiridara repeats his request for military assistance, the Korean court declines.

1374 - 1389

Sin U

Crowned by court official, Yi In-im. Puppet.

1389

Sinch'ang

1389 - 1392

Kongyang

Yi Dynasty
AD 1392 - 1910

1392 - 1398

T'aejo II

1398 - 1400

Chongjong III

1401 - 1418

T'aejong

1418 - 1450

Sejong

1450 - 1452

Munjong II

1452 - 1455

Tanjong

1456 - 1468

Sejo

1468 - 1469

Yejong II

1470 - 1494

Songjong II

1494 - 1506

Yonsan Gun

1506 - 1544

Chungjong

1544 - 1545

Injong II

1546 - 1567

Myonjong

1567 - 1608

Sonjo

1592 / 1598

Japan invades Korea but is defeated in 1592 and 1598.

1609 - 1623

Kwan Naegun

1623 - 1649

Injo

1650 - 1659

Hyojong

1660 - 1675

Hyonjong II

1675 - 1720

Sukchong

1720 - 1724

Kyonjong

1725 - 1776

Yongjo

1777 - 1800

Chongjo

1801 - 1834

Sunjo

1835 - 1849

Honjong II

1850 - 1864

Ch'oljong

1864 - 1907

Kojong II

Died 1919.

1907 - 1910

Sungjong

1904 - 1910

A Japanese Protectorate exists in Korea.

1910 - 1945

The country is annexed to Japan.

1945 - 1948

Korea is occupied by the victorious Word War II Allies.

1948

A republic is created in the form of South Korea, to be administered by the USA, while North Korea becomes a hard-line communist state under the direction of Soviet Russia and administered by a local client ruler.

Modern North Korea
AD 1948 - Present Day

North Korea is separated from China by the River Yalu. It is bordered to the south by South Korea, while Japan lies on the eastern side of the Sea of Japan.

Allied summit meetings held after the conclusion of the Second World War decided that Korea would be divided along the thirty-eighth parallel. The USA would administer the southern half while Soviet Russia would do the same in the north. Russia placed a client ruler in charge in the form of Kim Il-sung, and he created the North Korean People's Army, which was equipped with Russian hardware including tanks and artillery. He went onto become the country's autocratic 'Great Leader', and the state became ultra-secretive and highly dangerous.

1948 - 1994

Kim Il-sung

'Great Leader' and first ruler of North Korea. Born 1912.

1950 - 1953

After several years of increasingly hostile small scale actions along the thirty-eighth parallel, North Korea's forces attack South Korea on 25 June 1950. North Korean troops sweep south, capturing most of the country. Under United Nations authorisation, a multinational force made up primarily of troops from the USA, and Britain and the Commonwealth nations (including Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and India), pushes the North Koreans back to the Manchurian border. This prompts Communist China to intervene, pouring troops across the frontier and taking Korea as far south as Seoul. By 1951 the allies have stabilised a front line around the thirty-eighth parallel and the remainder of the Korean War consists of heavy fighting in this region, until a ceasefire is agreed in July 1953.

1994

The death of Kim Il-sung sees his son replace him as head of state, but not president. That post is assigned 'eternally' to Kim Il-sung. Kim Jong-il continues the cult of personality which leads a state that is rigidly controlled and stagnant.

1994 - 2011

Kim Jong-il

Son. 'Dear Leader'. Born 1941.

2006

In October, North Korea announces that it has successfully tested a nuclear weapon, causing alarm and consternation throughout the region.

North Korea parades its military hardware from one of the world's largest standing armies

2010

On 28 September, Kim Jong-un is promoted to general, a clear sign that he is being groomed as his father's successor. What muddies the waters is the fact that Kim Jong-il's sister is also promoted to general, suggesting that her husband, the real power behind the throne of the ailing dictator, could be positioning himself for an eventual takeover.

2011

Kim Jong-il dies of a heart attack on 17 December, at the age of sixty-nine (the news is announced to the North Korean people two days later). His death occurs on a train while he is visiting an area outside the capital, and comes three years after he suffers a stroke. His favoured son, Kim Jong-un, appears to be his successor.

2011 - Present

Kim Jong-un

Youngest son. 'Great Comrade'. Born 1983/1984.

Modern South Korea
AD 1948 - Present Day

Allied summit meetings held after the conclusion of the Second World War decided that Korea would be divided along the thirty-eighth parallel. The USA would administer the southern half while Soviet Russia would do the same in the north. US General Douglas MacArthur controlled the south from his headquarters in occupied Tokyo. The situation in the south was chaotic, and the Americans backed an administration under Syngman Rhee in the hope of finding some form of resolution. Syngman Rhee's openly stated intent was the reunification of Korea by force, so the Americans greatly limited the amount of military equipment available to him, leaving the south with little more than a lightly-armed gendarmerie.

1950 - 1953

After several years of increasingly hostile small scale actions along the thirty-eighth parallel, North Korea's forces attack South Korea on 25 June 1950. North Korean troops sweep south, capturing most of the country. Under United Nations authorisation, a multinational force made up primarily of troops from the USA, and Britain and the Commonwealth nations (including Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and India), pushes the North Koreans back to the Manchurian border. This prompts Communist China to intervene, pouring troops across the frontier and taking Korea as far south as Seoul. By 1951 the allies have stabilised a front line around the thirty-eighth parallel and the remainder of the Korean War consists of heavy fighting in this region, until a ceasefire is agreed in July 1953.