Background

Wang Kŏn was born in 877 to a powerful maritime merchant family of Goguryeo descent based in Songak (modern Kaesong) as the eldest son of Wang Ryung. According to the Pyeonnyeon tongnok, quoted in the Goryeosa, Wang Kŏn's grandfather Chakchegon was the son of Emperor Suzong of Tang. According to the Encyclopedia of Korean Culture and the Doosan Encyclopedia, this is hagiographical. The Pyeonnyeon tongnok (c. late 12th century) said: While on a sea voyage to meet his father, Emperor Suzong of the Tang dynasty, 16-year-old Chakchegon encountered a dragon king, slayed a shape-shifting fox, and married a dragon woman; the dragon woman later transformed into a dragon and went away. According to the Seongwollok, quoted in the Goryeosa, the "dragon woman" was a daughter of Tu Ŭn-chŏm from Pyongju (modern-day Pyongsan County). The story that Wang Kŏn was descended from either Suzong or Xuanzong was dismissed by the Joseon compilers of the Goryeosa. Modern historians believe that Wang Kŏn's ancestors were influential Goguryeoic hojoks (lords) that conducted maritime trade with China for generations. According to the Gaoli tujing (c. early 12th century) written by the Song dynasty envoy Xu Jing, Wang Kŏn's ancestors were Goguryeo nobility. According to Jang Deokho, his ancestors were Goguryeo refugees who settled around Songak, accumulating great wealth through maritime trade and gaining control of the region, including the Ryesong River. During the Later Silla period, the northern regions, including Songak, were the strongholds of Goguryeo refugees, and Wang Kŏn's hometown of Songak would become the original capital of Later Goguryeo in 901.

According to a document created during the reign of King Uijong of Goryeo, the Sillan monk Doseon prophesied that Wang Kŏn would rise to power and become king after visiting Wang Kŏn's father.

Rise to power

Wang Kŏn began his career in the turbulent Later Three Kingdoms. In the later years of Silla, many local leaders and bandits rebelled against the rule of Queen Jinseong, who did not have strong and wise enough leadership or policies to improve the poor condition of the people. Among those rebels, Kung Ye of the northwestern region and Kyŏn Hwŏn of the southwest gained more power. They defeated and absorbed many of the other rebel groups as their troops marched against local Silla officials and bandits. In 895, Kung Ye led his forces into the far northwestern part of Silla, where Songdo was located. Taejo's father, Wang Ryung, along with many local clans, quickly surrendered to Kung Ye. Wang Kŏn followed his father into service under Kung Ye, the future leader of Taebong, and he began his service under Kung Ye's command.

Wang Kŏn's ability as a military commander was soon recognized by Kung Ye, who promoted him to general and even regarded him as his brother. In 900, he led a successful campaign against local clans and the army of Later Baekje in the Chungju area, gaining more fame and recognition from the king. In 903, he led a famous naval campaign against the southwestern coastline of Later Baekje at Keumsung, later Naju, while Kyon Hwon was at war against Silla. He led several more military campaigns, and also helped conquered people who lived in poverty under Silla rule. The public favored him due to his leadership and generosity.

In 913, he was appointed as prime minister of the newly renamed Taebong. Its king, Kung Ye, whose leadership helped found the kingdom but who began to refer to himself as the Buddha, began to persecute people who expressed their opposition against his religious arguments. He executed many monks, then later even his own wife and two sons, and the public began to turn away from him. His costly rituals and harsh rule caused even more opposition.

Rise to the throne and founding of Goryeo

In the night of July 24, 918, four top-ranked generals of Taebong—Hong Yu (홍유; 洪儒), Pae Hyŏn-gyŏng (배현경; 裵玄庆), Sin Sung-gyŏm and Pok Chigyŏm (복지겸; 卜智谦)—met secretly and agreed to overthrow Kung Ye's rule and crown Wang Kŏn as their new king. Wang Kŏn first opposed the idea but later agreed to their plan. Kung Ye was overthrown in a coup and killed near the capital, Cheorwon. On the sunrise of the next day, the generals installed Wang Kŏn as the new king. Taejo renamed the kingdom Goryeo, thus beginning the Goryeo Dynasty. The next year he moved the capital back to his hometown, Gaegyeong.

He promoted Buddhism as Goryeo's national religion, and laid claim to the northern parts of the Korean Peninsula and Manchuria, which he considered his rightful legacy as the successor of Goguryeo. According to the Goryeosa, in 918, the ancient capital of Pyongyang had been in ruins for a long time and foreign barbarians were using the surrounding lands as hunting grounds and occasionally raiding the borders of Goryeo; therefore, in his first year as king, Wang Kŏn ordered his subjects to repopulate the ancient capital, and soon sent his cousin Wang Sing-nyŏm to defend it. Afterward, he decreed Pyongyang as the Western Capital. He also sought alliances and cooperation with local clans rather than trying to conquer and bring them under his direct control.

The War of the Later Three Kingdoms

In 927, Kyon Hwon of Later Baekje led his forces into Silla's capital, Gyeongju, capturing and executing its king, King Gyeongae. Then he established King Gyeongsun as his puppet monarch before he turned his army toward Goryeo. Hearing of the news, Taejo planned a strike with 5,000 cavalrymen to attack Kyon's troops on the way back home at Gongsan near Daegu in the Battle of Gongsan. He met the Later Baekje army and suffered a disastrous defeat, losing most of his army including his generals Kim Nak and Sin Sung-gyom, the very same man who crowned Wang as a king. According to the legend, Taejo and Sin Sung-gyom exchanged their armor so that the king would be able to escape the battlefield. While Wang Kŏn escaped the battlefield, Sin and the remaining army fought bravely against the Later Baekje army. But eventually his army was routed and in the woods Sin was shot with arrows and was killed by the enemy. Taejo escaped from this mountain and fled alone to the mountain , and he spent a few days hiding in a large cave at the peak of Apsan. While Taejo retreated from the battle and fled to Apsan Mountain, he left many place names related to him in Daegu. However, Goryeo quickly recovered from defeat and successfully defended Later Baekje's attack on its front.

In 935, the last king of Silla, King Gyeongsun, felt there was no way to revive his kingdom and surrendered his entire land to Taejo. Taejo gladly accepted his surrender and gave him the title of prince, and accepted his first cousin as his fifth wife and queen (Wang had six queens, and many more wives as he married daughters of every single local leader). In turn, King Gyeonsun married King Taejo's eldest daughter, Princess Nakrang, whose daughter also intermarried into the royal Wang clan through her marriage with King Gyeongjong; the grandson of King Taejo and Queen Sinmyeong.

It caused much disgust to Kyon Hwon. Kyon's father, Ajagae, who held his own claim to the Sangju region, also defected and surrendered to Goryeo and was received as the father of a king.

In the same year, Kyon Hwon's oldest son, Kyŏn Sin-gŏm, led a coup with his brothers Yang-gŏm and Yong-gŏm, against their father, who favored their half-brother, Kŭm-gang, as his successor to the throne. Kyon Hwon was sent into exile and imprisoned in the temple of Geumsansa, but escaped to Goryeo and was treated like Taejo's father, who died just before his surrender.

Goryeo victory and unification

In 936, Wang led his final campaign against Sin-gom of Later Baekje. Sin-gom fought against Taejo, but facing much disadvantage and inner conflict, he surrendered to Taejo. Wang finally conquered Later Baekje, and unified the nation for the second time since Unified Silla; he ruled until 943, and died from disease.

Taejo sought to bring even his enemies into his ruling coalition. He gave titles and land to rulers and nobles from the various countries he had defeated: Later Baekje, Silla, and also Balhae, which disintegrated around the same time. Thus he sought to secure stability and unity for his kingdom which had been lacking in the later years of Silla.

After the destruction of Balhae by the Khitans in 926, Balhae's last crown prince and much of its ruling class sought refuge in Goryeo, where they were warmly welcomed and included into the ruling family by Taejo, thus uniting the two successor nations of Goguryeo. Taejo felt a strong familial kinship with Balhae, calling it his "Relative Country" and "Married Country", and protected Balhae refugees, many of whom were also of Goguryeo origin. This was in strong contrast to Later Silla, which had endured a hostile relationship with Balhae.

Taejo displayed strong animosity toward the Khitans who had destroyed Balhae. The Liao dynasty sent 30 envoys with 50 camels as a gift in 942, but he exiled the envoys and starved the camels under a bridge in retribution for Balhae, despite the major diplomatic repercussions. Taejo proposed to Gaozu of Later Jìn that they attack the Khitans as revenge for the destruction of Balhae, according to the Zizhi Tongjian. Furthermore, in his Ten Injunctions to his descendants, he stated that the Khitans are no different from beasts and should be guarded against.

Legacy

The unification of the Later Three Kingdoms in 936 was very important in Korean history; the unification of 668 CE by Silla was only a unification of approximately half of the peoples of the Korean Peninsula and its vicinity (who at the time largely considered themselves one people divided among many states), since the northern part was ruled by Balhae, which asserted itself as a reincarnation of Goguryeo. However, Wang Kŏn's unification in 936 was a more complete unification (in which only a single state emerged among the people, as opposed to the 7th century, when two, Unified Silla and Balhae, emerged); the people of the Korean Peninsula thereafter remained under a single, unified state until 1948, when Korea was divided into north and south by Soviets and U.S. forces.

The modern name of "Korea" is derived from the name "Goryeo," which itself is derived from "Goguryeo," to whose heritage (and by extension, territory) Wang Kŏn and his new kingdom laid claim. As the first ruler to more fully unite the people of the Korean Peninsula under a single state, many modern-day Koreans look to his example for applicability to the current state of division on the Korean Peninsula.

During the early Goryeo dynasty, the title of t'aeja was only a peerage title for sons of the king; a separate title existed for the heir apparent called the chŏngyun.

Family

• Father: King Sejo of Goryeo (850–897)

　• Grandfather: King Uijo of Goryeo (b. 822)

　　• Great-grandfather: King Gukjo of Goryeo (810–859)

　　• Great-grandmother: Gang Jin-ui, Queen Jeonghwa of the Sincheon Gang clan (b. 803)

　• Grandmother: Jeo-Min-Ui, Queen Wonchang (b. 822)

• Mother: Queen Wisuk of the Han clan

• Consorts and their Respective Issue(s):

• Queen Sinhye of the Chŏngju Yu clan – No issue.

• Queen Janghwa of the Naju O clan

• #Crown Prince Wang Mu, 1st son

• Queen Sinmyeongsunseong of the Chungju Yu clan

• #Princess Nakrang, 1st daughter

• #Wang Tae, 2nd son

• #Wang Yo, 3rd son

• #Wang So, 4th son

• #Wang Jeong, 5th son

• #Jeungteong, 6th son – a monk.

• #Princess Heungbang, 2nd daughter

• Queen Sinjeong of the Hwangju Hwangbo clan

• #Wang Uk, King Daejong of Goryeo, 7th son

• #Queen Daemok, 3rd daughter

• Queen Sinseong of the Gyeongju Kim clan

• #Wang Uk, King Anjong of Goryeo, 8th son

• Queen Jeongdeok of the Chŏngju Yu clan

• #Prince Wangwi, 9th son

• #Prince Inae, 10th son

• #Prince Wonjang, 11th son

• #Prince Joyi, 12th son

• #Queen Munhye, 4th daughter

• #Queen Seonui, 5th daughter

• #6th daughter

• Grand Lady Heonmok of the Gyeongju Pyeong clan

• #Prince Sumyeong, 13th son

• Lady Jeongmok of the Gangneung Wang clan

• #Grand Royal Consort Sunan, 7th daughter

• Lady Dongyangwon of the Pyeongsan Yu clan

• #Wang Ui, Prince Hyomok, 14th son

• #Wang Won, Prince Hyoeun, 15th son

• Lady Sukmok of the Jinju Im clan

• #Prince Wonnyeong, 16th son

• Lady Cheonanbuwon of the Gyeongju Im clan

• #Wang Imju, Prince Hyoseong, 17th son

• #Prince Hyoji, 18th son

• Lady Heungbokwon of the Hongju Hong clan

• #Wang Jik, 19th son

• #8th daughter

• Lady Hudaeryangwon of the Yi clan / Lady Daeryangwon of the Yi clan (disputed)

• #9th daughter

• Lady Daemyeongjuwon of the Gangneung Wang clan – No issue.

• Lady Gwangjuwon of the Wang clan – No issue.

• Lady Sogwangjuwon of the Wang clan

• #Prince Gwangjuwon, 20th son

• Lady Dongsanwon of the Suncheon Bak clan – No issue.

• Lady Yehwa of the Haeju Wang clan – No issue.

• Lady Daeseowon of the Dongju Kim clan – No issue.

• Lady Soseowon of the Dongju Kim clan – No issue.

• Lady Seojeonwon – No issue.

• Lady Sinjuwon of the Sincheon Gang clan – No issue.

• Lady Wolhwawon – No issue.

• Lady Sohwangjuwon – No issue.

• Lady Seongmu of the Pyeongsan Bak clan

• #Prince Hyoje, 21st son

• #Prince Hyomyeong, 22nd son

• #Prince Beopdeung, 23rd son

• #Prince Jari, 24th son

• #10th daughter

• Lady Uiseongbuwon of the Uiseong Hong clan

• #Grand Prince Uiseongbuwon, 25th son

• Lady Wolgyeongwon of the Pyeongsan Bak clan – No issue.

• Lady Mongryangwon of the Pyongsan Bak clan – No issue.

• Lady Haeryangwon – No issue.

生平

王建出生于开城。父亲王隆（后追尊庙号世祖）。

朝鲜半岛的首个统一王朝新罗在经历数百年国祚之后国力衰退，全国各地都有叛乱兴起。王建作为王隆之子，与父亲共同加入金弓裔阵营，年仅二十的他当时只为一小官，后因频频立功，成为一支由弓裔领导的叛军的大将军。王建智勇双全，且个人魅力十足，在军中活跃非常。由于弓裔对部下非常冷血及残暴，自认为弥勒佛，使他的部下拒绝再由弓裔领导。王建了解到弓裔之残暴后尽量减少自己待在宫中的时间，而带著一群心腹在外立功，使多国、多人降伏。他还打败了当时号称「朝鲜第一海盗」的能昌并带至弓裔前斩首。王建威名大振，令敌国闻风丧胆，他的功绩与魅力自然使弓裔怀疑。弓裔将王建诏入宫中，称王建欲造反，王建笑说并无此事。弓裔称自己早看穿王建的心，后将头抬起，作势施法。弓裔的秘书崔凝故意掉笔，趁机告诉王建不认错就得死。王建虽然没有谋逆之心，但还是承认了，弓裔以王建直言不讳而放过他。百姓们见弓裔残暴，转而拥立王建，王建虽然多次拒绝，仍不敌人民们的推举，终在918年，推翻弓裔自立为王，定都于开京（今朝鲜民主主义人民共和国开城市），改国号为高丽，后百济的甄萱得讯前往赠礼。由于新罗已衰落到一定的程度，其国君抱王建撒泪，王建也于其共泣，此举搏得了新罗的信赖。935年，新罗降伏。但是，对后百济的战争却进行的很艰难，双方经常争持不下。不过后百济很快陷入内乱，甄萱的儿子们大闹，迫使甄萱只得于936年降伏于王建，王建不仅没有除掉甄萱，还优待他。随后，王建派将攻下后百济，诛杀甄良剑与甄龙剑，免除甄神剑一死。此事过后，王建顺利统一朝鲜半岛。

之后王建致力于巩固国家的内部统一，抑制新罗时代地方豪强的势力，结束了国内的混乱局面，确立了府、州、郡、县的行政区划体系。对外，王建接收了部份被辽朝灭亡的渤海国遗民，与中国五代十国时期的诸王朝都保持了良好的关系，接受他们的册封。他还两度派遣使者前往日本要求建立友好通商关系，但是为日本方面拒绝。

统一后三国后，王建仅统治了7年就去世了。943年，王建去世，享年67岁。他开创了长达400多年的统一的高丽王朝，在历史上得到了很高的评价。

由于王建娶了新罗王室的公主为妻，并维持了朝鲜半岛贵族以前的势力范围，因此新罗贵族在王建去世后也没有挑战高丽统治朝鲜半岛的合法性。

王建开拓疆土，在泰封国越过大同江的基础上，大量向平壤移民，改平壤为西京，在平壤及其周边大力建城，收容渤海流民，到清川江宣誓主权，在东北面收留女真人。向后唐、后晋提议合击契丹。然而只有后晋出帝对此感兴趣。其后不久，王建去世，合击契丹的计划流产。

家庭

王后

共29人。（王太后3人、王后3人、大夫人1人、夫人4人、院夫人18人）

子女

子

女

影视形象

• - 1996年~1998年, 《龙之泪》，KBS

• 崔秀宗（幼年：） - 2000年~2002年, 《太祖王建》, KBS1

• - 2002年~2003年, 《帝国的早晨》, KBS1

• - 2009年, 《千秋太后》, KBS2

• 南庆邑 - 2015年, 《辉煌或疯狂》, MBC

• 赵敏基 - 2016年, 《月之恋人－步步惊心：丽》, SBS

注释