Dae Joyeong, also known as King Go, established the state of Balhae, reigning from 699 to 719.
Life
Early life
Dae Joyeong was the first son of general Sari Geolgeol Jungsang or Dae Geolgeol Jungsang. After the fall of Goguryeo to the Silla-Tang armies, Dae Jung-sang remained in a part of Goguryeo which had not been attacked during the 3rd Goguryeo-Tang war. Afterward, Geolgeol Jung-sang was opposed to the Tang. In the confusion of the Khitan uprising led by Li Jinzhong against the Tang in May 696, Dae Jung-sang led at least 8,000 Goguryeo remnant peoples, the Mohe people, to Dongmo mountain, and the Mohe leader Geolsa Biu made an alliance and sought independence.
The Tang killed Geolsa Biu, and Dae Jung-sang also died. Dae Geolgeol Jo-yeong integrated the armies of Goguryeo people and some Malgal tribes and resisted Tang's attack. His overwhelming victory over the Tang at the Battle of Tianmenling to enabled him to expand his father's empire. He claimed himself the King of Zhen in 698. He established his capital at Dongmo Mountain in the south of today's Jilin province, and built Dongmo mountain fortress, which was to become Zhen kingdom's capital. He attempted to expand his influence in international politics involving the Tang, the Göktürks, the Khitan, Silla and some independent Mohe tribes. At first he dispatched an envoy to the Göktürks, allying against Tang. Then he reconciled himself with the Tang when Emperor Zhongzong was restored to the throne. In 712, he renamed his empire Balhae. In 713 he was given the titular title of "Prefecture King of Balhae " by Emperor Xuanzong. After a period of rest within the empire, King Go made it clear that Silla was not to be dealt with peacefully because they had allied with Tang to destroy Goguryeo, the predecessor of Balhae. This aggressive stance towards Silla was continued on by his son and successor King Mu of Balhae. Dae Jo-yeong died in 719, and his son Dae Muye assumed the throne. Dae Jo-yeong was given the posthumous name "King Go."
Controversial origins
The ethnicity of Dae Jo-yeong is disputed. Traditional Chinese historians believed that he belonged to an ethnic minority group in Goguryeo. The Old Book of Tang says that he was of “Goryeo stock”, while the New Book of Tang states that he is “from the Sumo Mohe region of the former realm of Goguryeo.” He was the son of the Dae Jung-sang, a leader of Goguryeo remnants and thought by some to be the founder of a revived Goguryeo that later became Balhae. Under the control of Tang, many Goguryeo refugees were moved to Yingzhou. Balhae soon gained control of most of the former Goguryeo territory and went on to reign as king for many years.
Family
Dae Jo-yeong had at least two wives. His only known sons through his first wife were Dae Muye, and Dae Munye. The sons through his other wife or wives were Dae Chwi-jin, Dae Ho-bang, and Dae Nang-a. The only concrete fact regarding Dae Jo-yeong's sons was that Dae Muye was the firstborn and oldest among them. He had younger brother, Dae Ya-Bal.
