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PersonAD 978

King Gyeongsun

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

He was put on the throne by Gyeon Hwon after the sack of Gyeongju and the death of King Gyeongae in 927. With Silla reduced to the area around Gyeongju, he decided to submit to Goryeo. Crown Prince Maui protested that a thousand-year kingdom could not be handed over in a day and, overruled, is said to have gone into the Diamond Mountains. Wang Geon gave him the rank of chief minister and married him to his eldest daughter, Princess Nangnang. His appointment as sasimgwan of Gyeongju marked the start of the sasimgwan system.

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2 related events

  1. 1
    AD 927Battle of Gongsanrelated figure

    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.

  2. 2
    AD 935King Gyeongsun of Silla Submits to Goryeomonarch

    Silla’s last king, Gyeongsun, after consulting his court, surrendered his kingdom to Goryeo, ending 992 years of Silla.

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

  • Gyeon HwonAD 867 – AD 936

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

  • 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

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

  • 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