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PersonAD 867 – AD 936

Gyeon Hwon

Silla soldier from Gaeun in Sangju who founded Later Baekje at Wansan-ju in 900; deposed by his son Singeom, he defected to Goryeo

While a soldier guarding the southwest coast, he seized Mujin Province (Gwangju) in 892, and in 900 moved to Wansan Province (Jeonju), claiming to continue Baekje and "avenge the old grievance of King Uija." He exchanged envoys with Wuyue and Later Tang in China, the Khitan and Japan. In 927 he stormed Gyeongju, forced King Gyeongae to kill himself and installed King Gyeongsun, then routed Wang Geon at the Battle of Gongsan on his way home. His fortunes declined after defeat at Gochang in 930. When he tried to pass the throne to his fourth son Geumgang, his eldest son Singeom and others confined him at Geumsansa; in 935 he escaped and defected to Goryeo, and the next year he marched with the Goryeo army at the Battle of Illicheon.

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5 related events

  1. 1
    AD 900Gyeon Hwon Founds Later Baekjeleader

    Gyeon Hwon, a Silla soldier who had seized Mujin-ju (Gwangju), made Wansan-ju (Jeonju) his capital in 900 and founded Later Baekje.

  2. 2
    AD 927Battle of Gongsancommander

    After Gyeon Hwon sacked Gyeongju and drove King Gyeongae to his death, Wang Geon marched to Silla’s aid but was routed by Later Baekje at Dongsu on Mount Gongsan; Sin Sung-gyeom died in his place.

  3. 3
    AD 930Battle of Gochangcommander

    Wang Geon crushed Gyeon Hwon’s Later Baekje army at Gochang (Andong), winning Goryeo the initiative among the Later Three Kingdoms.

  4. 4
    AD 935Gyeon Hwon Defects to Goryeoleader

    Deposed by his eldest son Singeom and confined at Geumsansa, Gyeon Hwon escaped and went over to Goryeo.

  5. 5
    AD 936Battle of Illicheonparticipant

    Wang Geon, with Gyeon Hwon at his side, crushed Singeom’s Later Baekje army at Illicheon; Singeom surrendered at Hwangsan, Later Baekje fell and Goryeo reunified the Later Three Kingdoms.

Related works

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People who appear alongside

  • Taejo Wang GeonAD 877 – AD 943

    Songak magnate who served Gung Ye, took Naju, overthrew Gung Ye to found Goryeo in 918 and reunified the Later Three Kingdoms in 935–936

  • Yu Geum-pilAD 941

    Goryeo general who distinguished himself at the battles of Gochang and Illicheon

  • Singeom

    Gyeon Hwon's eldest son, who confined his father at Geumsansa and took the throne, but surrendered to Goryeo after the Battle of Illicheon in 936

  • Sin Sung-gyeomAD 927

    Goryeo founding general who wore Wang Geon's armour at the Battle of Gongsan and died so that his king could escape

  • King GyeongaeAD 927

    55th king of Silla, forced to kill himself when Gyeon Hwon stormed Gyeongju in 927

  • King GyeongsunAD 978

    Last king of Silla, who surrendered the kingdom to Goryeo in 935 and was made sasimgwan of Gyeongju

Themes this person appears in

  • Gyeongju57 BC – 1860

    Silla’s capital for a thousand years — tombs, pagodas, temples and bells from every age of Silla, and the birthplace of Donghak

  • AndongAD 930 – 1940

    From the Battle of Gochang that helped found Goryeo to Yi Hwang’s Dosan Seowon — home of Goryeo wooden halls and Yeongnam Confucianism

  • DaeguAD 689 – 1960

    Dalgubeol, where King Sinmun tried to move his capital — where the National Debt Repayment Movement and the 2·28 student protest began

  • JeonjuAD 685 – 1894

    From Wansanju, capital of Later Baekje, to the ancestral seat of the Joseon royal house — where the Annals were saved and the Donghak army took the fortress

  • GwangjuAD 685 – 1980

    Mujinju, where Gyeon Hwon first rose — city of the 1929 student independence movement and the May 18 Democratic Uprising