King Gwanggaeto the Great of Goguryeo Guide, Meaning , Facts, Information and Description
| King Gwanggaeto the Great of Goguryeo | |
|---|---|
| Korean Name | |
| Revised Romanization | Gwanggaeto |
| McCune-Reischauer | |
| Hangul | |
| Hanja | |
He expanded Goguryeo’s territories far into the Korean peninsula by advancing southward at the expense of the Baekje dynasty to occupy the north of the Han River, and occupied Manchurian territory to the east of Liaohe. On his death in 413, at just 39 years of age, Goguryeo ruled everything between the Sungari and Han Rivers. This gave it control over two thirds of what is now modern Korea as well as a large part of Manchuria and Inner Mongolia. In addition, the kings of Silla submitted to the northern dynasty's authority in 399 to receive protection from Japanese raids. Baekje challenged Goguryeo, and Emperor Gwanggaeto defeated the challenge, captured its capital in modern day Seoul, and made the kingdom Goguryeo's vassal, thereby bringing about the loose unification of the Korean peninsula.
During his reign, Emperor Gwanggaeto conquered 65 walled cities and some 1,400 villages, in addition to aiding Silla when it was attacked by the Japanese. In 392 he built nine Buddhist temples in Pyongyang. His accomplishments are recorded on a monument which was erected in 414 in southern Manchuria.