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2.2.1. Military conquest by Silla

Question 2: Foundation and fall of the unified Silla › 2. Unification of the Korean Peninsula by Silla › 1. Military conquest by Silla

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2.2. Unification of the Korean Peninsula by Silla

2.2.1. Military conquest by Silla

Referring to Annals of Silla in Samguk Sagi, let us follow the history of battles between Baekje and Silla that had lasted for around 500 years since the second century and ended with the annexation of Baekje by Silla.

1) [In June 167, Baekje’s forces defeated the two fortresses in the western area and captured 1,000 inhabitants.

2) In February 188, Baekje attacked the Mosan Fortress but was defeated.

3) In July 189, Baekje’s troops fought with Silla Guyang, killing more than 500 and capturing others.

4) In August 190, Baekje dispatched soldiers to attack the district of Wonsan in the border zone. They carried out counterattacks but were defeated.

5) In July 2014, Baekje’s troops attacked the Yocha Fortress, while Silla took the Sahyeon Fortress in Baekje.

6) In October 222, Baekje invaded Udu Province.

7) In July 224, Silla fought against Baekje’s forces at the foot of Bongsan Mountain and defeated them.

8) In 240, the soldiers of Baekje invaded the border area in the west.

9) In September 255, Baekje started invasion. In October, Baekje attacked the Bongsan Mountain Fortress.

10) In February 261, Baekje applied for peace, which was rejected.

11) In February 268, Baekje’s troops attacked the Bongsan Mountain Fortress but they were routed.

12) In November 272, Baekje invaded the border with Silla.

13) In July 554, the king of Baekje, Myeongnong (Holy King), attacked the Fortress Gwansan in alliance with Garyang (Gaya Confederacy). Silla’s forces made a surprise attack on the king of Baekje, killed him and slew 29,600 officers and soldiers.

14) In July 562, Baekje’s troops made an invasion in Silla, but Silla defeated them, captured and killed over 1,000 soldiers.

15) In October 577, Baekje’s forces invaded the western border but Silla succeeded in defeating them and decapitated 3,700 soldiers.

16) In August 602, Baekje attacked the Amak Fortress but suffered a terrible defeat.

17) In October 616, Baekje’s army attacked the Mosan Fortress.

18) In October 624, during the invasion by Baekje’s troops, six fortresses were encircled and three fell.

19) In August 626, Baekje’s forces attacked the Jujae Fortress and the lord of the fortress died during the battle.

20) In March 627, Baekje’s troops conquered two fortresses located in the western border area and captured three hundred men and women.

21) In August 633, Baekje’s forces invaded the western border area.

22) In May 636, 500 soldiers of Baekje, who were hiding to attack the Doksan Fortress, were attacked and slaughtered.

23) In July 642, Uija, the king of Baekje, dispatched a large troop and conquered more than 40 fortresses in the west.

24) In August 642, as Baekje conspired with Goguryeo to conquer the Dangjeong Fortress and cut the transportation route to Tang, Silla informed Tang of this attempt.

25) In September 644, the king of Silla attacked Baekje and conquered seven fortresses.

26) In October 647, when Baekje’s forces encircled the fortresses of Musan, Gamhol and Dongjam, Silla defeated them with 10,000 soldiers and decapitated more than 3,000.

27) In March 648, while Baekje’s forces invaded the western border area and conquered over ten fortresses, Silla succeeded in defeating them.

28) In January 655, Goguryeo built allied forces with Baekje and Mohe and conquered 33 fortresses located in the north. The king of Silla asked Tang for help. Tang dispatched its general to attack Goguryeo.

29) In April 659, Baekje’s troops frequently invaded the state border. Hoping to subdue them, the king of Silla asked Tang to dispatch its troops.

30) In March 660, Emperor Gaozong of Tang ordered the commanders in chief to lead the army and navy of 130,000 soldiers to defeat Baekje.]

As shown above, Baekje and Silla fought against each other for as long as 493 years, from 167 to 660. Before 167, they had already attacked each other. This means that both countries waged continuous wars against each other for more than 500 years, from the foundation to the fall of Baekje.

Finally, in 660, Baekje was defeated by the allied forces of Silla and Tang and was annexed to Silla. “Annals of Baekje” of Samguk Sagi,point out that “the commanders of Tang sent to the capital of Tang the king and the crown prince of Baekje, three princes, ministers and 88 commanders, and 12,807 commoners”. Almost all members of the ruling class of Baekje were taken to Tang. Nothing is known about what happened to them after that.

Political disorder and the hedonism of the ruling class have been referred to as an important factor in the fall of Baekje. This was explained as below in the chapter on the sixteenth year of the king Uija (656) in Annals of Baekje, Samguk Sagi,.

[In spring 656, in March, King Uija indulged in sensual pleasures and continued to drink with his vassals in the court. As his minister Seongchung strongly admonished the king, he got angry and sent him to jail. After that, there was no one who remonstrated with him. Seongchung died of an illness in prison, but just before his death, he wrote a letter announcing that there would be a war soon and showing what kind of strategies should be used. However, the king did not pay attention to his letter.]

Baekje, where the king indulged in pleasures, was annexed to Silla, and the new territory of this unified Silla was a little bit larger than that of today’s Republic of Korea. Most of the territory ruled by the former Goguryeo became that of Balhae, founded in 698 by the adherents of the former Goguryeo and people of the Mohe tribe.

#silla #korean peninsula #baekje #goguryeo #korean history

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