Goryeo military regime

Goryeo military regime
Hangul	무신정권
Hanja	武臣政權
Revised Romanization	Musin Jeonggwon
McCune–Reischauer	Musin Jŏnggwŏn

The term Goryeo military regime (Hangul: 무신정권; hanja: 武臣政權; RR: Musin Jeonggwon; MR: Musin Jŏnggwŏn) describes the government of Goryeo from the time of the military coup d'état of 1170 to the Sambyeolcho Rebellion of 1270 and the definitive subordination of Korea to the Mongol Yuan dynasty, division of the Mongol Empire. The rule of the Ubong Choe house from 1196 to 1258 is in particular known as the regime of the Choe clan (최씨정권, 崔氏政權).

The History of Goryeo exemplifies the period in its evaluation of the reign of one of the kings of the military regime, Sinjong:

Sinjong was put upon the throne by Ch'oe Ch'ung-hŏn, and all matters of life and death, decisions to accept or to reject, were in Ch'oe's hands. Sinjong stood above his subjects holding only empty authority. Alas, he was nothing but a puppet.

— Goryeosa^[1]

List of leaders

Name	Assumed power	Power ended	Monarch	Notes
Yi Ui-bang	1170	1174	Uijong Myeongjong	Led a successful rebellion against the civilian government and deposed Uijong, installing Myeongjong as a puppet king. Overthrown.
Jeong Jung-bu	1174	1179	Myeongjong	Participant in 1170 rebellion; ordered the assassination of Yi Ui-bang and assumed personal power. Overthrown.
Gyeong Dae-seung	1179	1183	Myeongjong	Assassinated Jeong jung-bu and his family. Gyeong Dae-seung tried to restore the civilian government. But Myeongjong, who regarded him as violate on royal power, hated him. Consequently, Gyeong Dae-seung failed to restore the civilian government, but historians of the Joseon Dynasty didn't consider him as traitor. (All other leaders considered as traitor against the king)
Yi Ui-min	1183	1196	Myeongjong	Assumed power by request of Myeongjong after Gyeong's death. Overthrown.
Regime under the Choe clan
Choe Chung-heon	1196	1219	Myeongjong Sinjong Huijong Gangjong Gojong	Overthrew the governing War Council and assassinated Yi Ui-min.
Choe Woo	1219	1249	Gojong	Son of Choe Chung-heon.
Choe Hang	1249	1257	Gojong	Son of Choe Woo.
Choe Ui	1257	1258	Gojong	Son of Choe Hang. Overthrown and Killed by Kim Jun and Yu Gyeong (1211–1289).
Later regimes
Kim Jun	1258	1268	Wonjong	Assassinated Choe Ui. Overthrown.
Im Yeon	1268	1270	Wonjong Yeongjong Wonjong	Assassinated Kim Jun. Unsuccessfully attempted to instate a new king.
Im Yu-mu	1270	1270	Wonjong	Son of Im Yeon. Overthrown by Sambyeolcho under direction of the Mongols. End of the military regimes.

See also

• Kamakura shogunate

References

1. Lee 1984, p. 142.

Sources

• Lee, Ki-baek (1984). "Chapter 7: Rule by the Military". A New History of Korea. Harvard University Press. ISBN 978-0-674-61576-2.
• Schultz, E. J. (2000). Generals and Scholars: Military Rule in Medieval Korea. University of Hawaii Press. ISBN 978-0-8248-2324-5.