Bongsang of Goguryeo

King Bongsang of Goguryeo (died 300, r. 292–300)[1] was the 14th ruler of Goguryeo, the northernmost of the Three Kingdoms of Korea. He was the eldest son of King Seocheon.[2]

Bongsang of Goguryeo
Hangul	봉상왕, 치갈왕
Hanja	烽上王, 雉葛王
Revised Romanization	Bongsang-wang, Chigal-wang
McCune–Reischauer	Pongsang-wang, Ch'igal-wang
Birth name
Hangul	고상부 or 삽시루
Hanja	高相夫 or 歃矢婁
Revised Romanization	Go Sang-bu or Sapsiru
McCune–Reischauer	Ko Sangbu or Sapsiru

From his youth, he is said to have been arrogant and dissolute, full of mistrust and envy.[1] As soon as he was crowned, Bongsang charged his popular uncle Go Dal-ga (Prince An-guk) with treason and had him slain, upsetting his people.[2]

In the eighth lunar month of 293 the Xianbei chieftain Murong Hui invaded. Bongsang fled to the mountain of Sinseong. The sohyeong of the north, Go No-ja, led five hundred cavalry out to meet the king, and went on to defeat the Xianbei forces. King Bongsang promoted Go No-ja to daehyeong, a position of the 5th rank, giving him Gongnim as stipend land.[2][3][4]

The following month, the king feared that his younger brother Go Dol-go was plotting against him, and forced him to commit suicide. Dol-go's son, the subsequent king Micheon fled and preserved his own life. In the eighth month of 296, Murong Hui invaded once more, but was repelled.[2]

The following month, a heavy frost and hail fell and destroyed the crops, but the king carried on with reconstructing the palace with gaining massive complaints from his people.[5] In spite of continuous resentment, King didn't listen to the counsels of his ministers, while some of Goguryeo people chose to flee away from forced labor.[2]

In the end, his ministers carried out a coup in the eighth lunar month of 300.[6] Bongsang and his two sons committed suicide. He was buried in Bongsan-won. The ministers found the escaped prince, and set him on the throne as King Micheon.[2]

See also

• List of Korea-related topics
• History of Korea
• Three Kingdoms of Korea
• List of Korean monarchs

References

1. Kim, Bushik (1145). Samguk Sagi (三國史記 卷第十七 髙句麗本紀 第五 ed.). 烽上王 一云雉葛., 諱相夫 或云歃矢婁., 西川王之太子也. 㓜驕逸多疑忌. 西川王二十三年薨, 太子即位.
2. "King Bongsang". KBS Radio. KBS. Retrieved 31 January 2016.
3. Kim, Bushik (1145). Samguk Sagi (三國史記 卷第十七 髙句麗本紀 第五 ed.). Retrieved 31 January 2016.二年, 秋八月慕容廆來侵. 王欲徃新城避賊. 行至鵠林, 慕容廆知王出, 引兵追之. 將及王懼. 時新城宰北部小兄髙奴子, 領五百騎迎王, 逢賊奮擊之, 廆軍敗退. 王喜, 加髙奴子爵爲大兄, 兼賜鵠林爲食邑.
4. Yi, Hun-gu (1929). A History of Land Systems and Policies in Korea. University of Wisconsin. p. 36. Retrieved 31 January 2016.
5. p'yŏn, Paeksanhakhoe (2005). Koguryŏsa yŏn'guŭi chemunje. Seoul: Paeksan charyowŏn. p. 204. ISBN 9788988435724. Retrieved 31 January 2016.
6. Kim, Bushik (1145). Samguk Sagi. Archived from the original on 4 October 2015. Retrieved 31 January 2016. 助利知王之不悛, 退與羣臣, 謀廢之.