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Korea has been ruled by a number of kingdoms/empires and republics over the last several millennia. Listed below are the rulers and leaders of the major Korean dynasties and states from the beginning of the recorded history to the present day.
NotesKingdoms/Empires are listed in the order of their fall. Thus, Baekje, Goguryeo, and Silla are listed an order that is the reverse of their traditional order of formation. This list includes only the monarchs' romanized posthumous or temple names and reign dates. The reign dates come from http://www.rootsinfo.co.kr/index_sub02.html (in Korean only), with additional information from Rulers.org and from Nahm (1988). Names have been romanized according to the South Korean Revised Romanization of Korean. McCune-Reischauer romanizations of names may be found at the articles about the individual rulers. Go-Joseon (2333 BC? - 239 BC?)The mythical founder of Go-Joseon was Emperor Wanggeom. The time for the end of Joseon is disputed. Some record records the abdication of last emperor, Emperor Koyulga, in BC 239. Other accounts record the date as BC 1137. The period of reign for each emperor is not listed as neither account currently prevails. According to one account, the dynasty's name was changed to Daebuyeo in BC 425. The emperor used the title of Tanje, which literarilly means emperor under the birch.
Buyeo (?239 BC-494)Buyeo is believed to have risen from the areas of Joseon in 2nd-3rd century BC. They claimed the inheritance of Joseon, and the rulers continued to use the titles of Tanje or the emperor. According to some accounts, Buyeo was divided into two countries, Bukbuyeo and Dongbuyeo, in 108 BC. Bukbuyeo was later succeeded by Goguryeo, but Dongbuyeo, ruled by the heirs of Emperor Haemosu, was shattered by Goguryeo in 22 AD. Dongbuyeo declined to meagre existence until 494, when they capitulated to Goguryeo.
Bukbuyeo (?108 BC-?58 BC)The rulers of Bukbuyeo retained the use the title of Tanje, or the emperor. Dongbuyeo (?86 BC-AD 22)The rulers of Dongbuyeo submitted to the overlordship of Bukbuyeo in 86 BC and thus used the title of Wang, which means king.
Gaya (Garak) (42-532)Gaya (also called "Garak") was a minor state (that is, not one of the three major kingdoms) during the Three Kingdoms Period. Gaya was absorbed into Silla in 532. All kings of Gaya had the Korean title Wang, which means "king." This list represents the Kim Dynasty of Geumgwan Gaya.
Baekje (18 BC-AD 660)Baekje was one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea in the 1st millennium AD (along with Goguryeo and Silla), and fell to Silla in 660. All kings of Baekje had the Korean title Wang, which means "king."
Goguryeo (37 BC - AD 668)Goguryeo was one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea in the first millennium AD (along with Baekje and Silla), and fell to Silla in 668. Goguryeo was ruled by Go Dynasty and was the only one of the three realms that is described as the Empire, and its vassals used the title of king. Its rulers had the title of Taewang, which when literarily translated means the greatest of the kings or emperor. Here the rulers are all styled as the emperors, with the era name in bracket when applicable.
Silla (57 BC - AD 935)Silla was one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea in the 1st millennium AD, along with Baekje (which it conquered in 660) and Goguryeo (which it defeated in 668). Silla fell in turn to Goryeo in 935. The post-668 kingdom is often referred to by academics as Unified Silla, since it was the first unified state to rule over most of the Korean peninsula. Silla was ruled by the Bak, Seok, and Kim Dynasties. Rulers of Silla had various titles, including Isageum, Maripgan, Wang, and Yeowang, as explained in the list below. For the sake of consistency, all rulers in the list below (except for the first two) are given the titles "King" or "Queen."
Jin (Barhae) (669-926)Jin (진), (Barhae (발해)) (Bohai in Mandarin) was an empire that occupied territory in Korea, Manchuria, and modern-day Russia during the Unified Silla period. See Bohai (Barhae) for an alternative list of rulers with their names in both Mandarin and Korean. Jin is the name of the country chosen by the rulers, and Barhae (Bohai) is what China named the empire. The rulers of Jin used the title of Hwangje, which is translated to be emperor, and they claimed the inheritance of Goguryeo. They had the temple name of either -jo or -jong, though there are exceptions for deposed rulers. Their era names are in bracket when available.
Goryeo (918-1392)The kingdom of Goryeo was founded in 918 and defeated Silla in 935-936, making "Goryeo" the name of Korea. (Incidentally, "Goryeo" is the source of the English name "Korea.") In 1392, the kingdom fell to the Joseon Dynasty. Goryeo was ruled by the Wang Dynasty. The first king had the temple name Taejo, which means "great progenitor" and was applied to the first kings of both Goryeo and Joseon, as they were also the founders of the Wang and Yi Dynasties respectively. The next 23 kings (until Wonjong) are also referred to by their temple names, which had the title jong in them. Beginning with Chungnyeol (the 25th king), all the remaining kings of Goryeo had the title Wang—the standard Sino-Korean word for "King"—as part of their temple names. Era names are in bracket where available
Joseon (1392-1897)Joseon was the name of Korea during most the Joseon Dynasty, which ruled from the fall of Goryeo in 1392 until the beginning of the Republic of Korea in 1919. In 1897, the country became the Korean Empire. Some of the kings were posthumously raised to the rank of emperors. Joseon Dynasty kings/emperors had temple names ending in jo or jong. Jo was given to the first kings/emperors of new lines within the dynasty, with the first king/emperor having the special name (Taejo), which means "great progenitor" (see also Goryeo). Jong was given to all other kings/emperors. Two kings—Yeonsangun and Gwanghaegun— were so disgraced in the eyes of later official historians that they were deprived of their temple names after their reigns ended. Each king/emperor had a posthumous name—which was different from his temple name—that included either the title Wang ("King"),Hwangje ("Emperor"), Daewang ("King X the Great") or Daeje ("Emperor X the Great"). For the sake of consistency, the title "King/Emperor" has been added to each monarch's temple name in the list below.
Korean Empire (1897-1919)In 1897, Korea was renamed Daehan Jeguk (Korean Empire, or literally, "Great Han Empire"). King Gojong of the Joseon Dynasty became the first emperor (Hwangje in Korean). Technically, the emperors should be referred to by their era names rather than their temple names, but the latter are commonly used. Emperor Gojong's reign was given the era name "Gwangmu," while Sunjong's reign had the era name "Yeonghui." From 1910 to 1945, there was also a Japanese Governor-General of Korea. Presidents of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea (1919-1948)The Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea was based in Shanghai, China. Although the current South Korean government insists on being its successor to assert legitimacy,and indeed some countries recognised the government, including China, the government was not internationally recognized by all great powers..
Democratic People's Republic of Korea (1948-present)
Republic of Korea (1948-present)Main Article: Presidents of South Korea
ReferencesNahm, Andrew C. (1988). Korea: Tradition and Transformation - A History of the Korean People. Elizabeth, NJ: Hollym International.
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