Geumwa of Dongbuyeo


Geumwa was the second ruler of Dongbuyeo, an ancient kingdom of Korea. His story is recorded in Samguk Sagi, Samguk Yusa and Book of King Dongmyeong.

Birth and background

Geumwa was the son of Hae Buru, who was the king of Dongbuyeo. According to the Samgukyusa, Hae Buru was old and without an heir, when he found a gold-colored frog-like child under a large rock near Lake Gonyeon. Hae Buru named the child Geumwa, meaning golden frog, and later made him crown prince.
Hae Buru established Dongbuyeo when he moved the capital east to Gaseopwon by the Sea of Japan.

Reign

Jumong's departure

Geumwa became king after Hae Buru's death. At Ubal river, south of Mount Taebaek, Geumwa met Lady Yuhwa, the disowned daughter of Habaek, the god of the Amnok River or, according to an alternative interpretation, the sun god Haebak, and brought her back to his palace. She was impregnated by sunlight and conceived Jumong.
Geumwa's seven sons resented Jumong, and so did he. He attempted numerous times to destroy Jumong when he was an egg, but later gave up, as the egg was indestructible. Jumong later ran away to Jolbon, or former Bukbuyeo, where he later established Goguryeo.

Mother of Goguryeo

, Jumong's mother, died. Geumwa gave her the burial of a Queen Mother, despite the fact that she had never been a queen. Jumong sent numerous gifts to Geumwa in gratitude of caring for his mother, and peace was seemingly restored between the two kingdoms.

Death

Geumwa died, and the throne was passed to his eldest son Daeso. King Daeso attacked Goguryeo during the reign of its second ruler, King Yuri. Goguryeo's third ruler King Daemusin attacked Dongbuyeo and killed Daeso. After internal strife, Dongbuyeo fell, and its territory was absorbed into Goguryeo.

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