Jungcheon of Goguryeo


King Jungcheon of Goguryeo was the 12th ruler of Goguryeo, the northernmost of the Three Kingdoms of Korea.

Background and rise to the throne

He was the son of King Dongcheon and was made heir to the throne in the 17th year of his father's reign. Upon his father's death in 248, Jungcheon followed him on the throne.

Reign

Deaths within the Royal family

In the 11th month of that year, Jungcheon's younger brothers Go Ye-mul, Go Sa-gu and others sought to betray him, but were caught and executed.
He married Lady Yeon, probably from the Yeonna-bu region. In 251, he came across a beautiful woman with nine-feet black hair from Gwanna region. Needless to say, two wives of Jungcheon argued severely at all times, trying to fend off each other out of king’s eyesight. Eventually, Lady Gwanna was put to get drowned by angered king in the Yellow Sea. Although Lady Gwanng had one son with Jungcheon, he never got an opportunity to be a crown prince and in 255, Yak-ro, a son with Lady Yeon got the seat in 255, later Seocheon of Goguryeo.

War with the Wei

In 259, the Cao Wei general Yuchi Kai invaded with his army. The king sent 5,000 cavalry to fight them in the Yangmaek region; the Wei forces were defeated and some 8,000 slain.

Death

In 270, the king died at the age of 46, and was buried in Jungcheonji-won.