Silla was one of the three ancient kingdoms of
Korea which is believed to have been founded in 57 BC and remained in power until 935 CE becoming one of the longest sustaining dynasties. It began as a chiefdom in the
Samhan confederacies, once allied with
China, but
Silla eventually conquered the other two kingdoms,
Baekje in 660 and
Goguryeo in 668.
The
Silla rule in
Korea is divided into three periods called Early (57 BC–654 AD), Middle (654–780), and Late (780–935).
Silla was founded by
King Park Hyeokgeose in 57 BC, around present-day
Gyeongju. He ruled from 57 BC to 4 CE. In 37 BC
Hyeokgeose built
Geumseong in the capital city (present-day
Gyeongju), and in 32 BC he built a royal palace inside. He died at age 73 and was succeeded by his eldest son
Namhae.
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Geumseong |
Namhae of Silla was the second King of
Silla who ruled from 4 CE to 24 CE. By the 2nd century,
Silla existed as a distinct state in the southeastern area of the
Korean peninsula. It expanded its influence over neighboring
Jinhan chiefdoms, but through the 3rd century was probably no more than the strongest city-state in a loose federation.
Namhae was succeeded by
Yuri of Silla who ruled from 24 to 57 CE.
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Bulguksa Temple, Gyeongju |
Yuri of Silla was succeeded by
Talhae of Silla who ruled from 57 CE to 80 CE. In 64, the rival
Korean kingdom
Baekje attacked several times.
Silla battled the
Gaya confederacy in 77. A tomb believed to be
Talhae's is located in northern
Gyeongju City. The
Gyeongju National Museum is constructed on the site where
Talhae had a palace built. He was succeeded by
Pasa of Silla who ruled from 80 to 112 CE. In 87, he built
Silla's first recorded castles outside of the
Gyeongju region.
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Gyeongju National Museum |
Talhae of Silla was succeeded by
Jima who ruled from 112 CE to 134 CE. Relations with neighboring
Gaya confederacy were peaceful, after
Jima's unsuccessful invasion attempts across the
Nakdong River in 115 and 116. In 123, he established relations with the
Japanese kingdom of Wa. He was succeeded by
Ilseong of Silla who ruled from 134 CE to 154 CE
. He is primarily remembered for his 144 edict banning the use of jewelry and other luxury goods by the populace. The tomb of
King Ilseong is located in
Tap-dong, central
Gyeongju City.
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Bridge over Nakdong River |
Ilseong of Silla was succeeded by Adalla who ruled from 154 CE to 184 CE. He opened the road over Haneuljae (in present-day Mungyeong) in 157, and also the pass of Jungnyeong (in present-day Yeongju) in 159, extending Silla north of the Sobaek mountains. He was succeeded by Beolhyu of Silla whose reign extended from 184 CE to 196 CE. In 185, he conquered a small chiefdom called Somun-guk (in today's Uiseong).
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Sobaek Mountains |
Beolhyu of Silla was succeeded by
Naehae who was the tenth king of Silla and ruled from 196 to 230 CE.
Kingdom of Baekje invaded
Silla in 199 and 214;
Silla responded by conquering
Baekje's Sahyeon-seong. Naehae personally led the successful defense to
Baekje's next attack in 218. He was succeeded by
Jobun of Silla (r. 230 – 247 CE).
Jobun of Silla was succeeded by
Cheomhae who ruled for 14 years from 247 CE to 261 CE. He was succeeded by
Michu. He was the son of
Gudo, a leading
Silla general. In 264, he visited the peasant people to encourage them during a severe famine. In 268, subjects were dispatched by
Michu to hear concerns of people. His tomb is preserved in central
Gyeongju today. He was succeeded by
Yurye of Silla who reigned from 284 to 298 CE.
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Royal tomb of Michu of Silla, South Korea |
Yurye of Silla was succeeded by
Girim(r. 298-310, died 310) who became to be the 15th emperor of
Silla. In 308, he gave the country the name "
Silla." It had previously been known as
Saro-guk or Seorabeol. He was succeeded by
Heulhae of Silla who ruled for 46 years from 310 CE to 356 CE. There was an alliance by marriage with
Wa(Japan), which was concluded in 313 but broke down in 346. In 347 there was a major invasion and the
Japanese forces laid siege to
Gyeongju.
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Japanese invasion of Korea |
Heulhae of Silla was succeeded by
Naemul who ruled from 356 CE until his death in 402 CE. He was the first king to appear by name in
Chinese records. He sent a tribute mission to the king of
Early Jin in 381.
Naemul's later reign was troubled by recurrent invasions by
Wa(Japan) and the northern
Malgal tribes. He was succeeded by
Silseong (r. 402 – 417 CE). After being crowned in 402,
Silseong established an alliance with
Wa and sent
Naemul's son
Kim Misaheun there as a hostage. In 412, he sent another son of
Naemul, Kim Bokho, to
Goguryeo as a hostage.
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Royal Tomb of King Naemul |
Silseong of Silla was succeeded by
Nulji (reigned 417–458) who became the 19th ruler of
Silla Dynasty. In the later part of the 4th century,
Silla allied with kingdom of
Goguryeo. However, when
Goguryeo began to expand its territory southward, moving its capital to
Pyongyang in 427,
Nulji was forced to ally with kingdom of
Baekje in 433 CE.
Nulji was succeeded by
Jabi of Silla who ruled from 458 CE to 479 CE. In 474,
Goguryeo launched a massive assault on
Baekje,
Silla's neighbor to the west.
Jabi sent troops to aid
Baekje, forming a historic alliance between the two kingdoms which lasted into the 6th century.

Jabi of Silla was succeeded by
Soji (r. 479–500) who became the 21st ruler of
Silla Dynasty.
Soji was succeeded by
Jijeung of Silla who reigned from 500 CE to 514 CE. He is remembered for strengthening royal authority and building
Silla into a centralized kingdom.
Jijeung began his program of legal reform in 502, when he outlawed the custom of burying servants with their masters. He established a market in eastern
Gyeongju in 509. In 512, he sent
Kim Isabu to conquer the island nation of
Usan-guk.
Jijeung of Silla was succeeded by
Beopheung(r. 514–540 AD). By his time (514–540),
Silla was a full-fledged kingdom, with
Buddhism as state religion, and its own era name systems.
Silla absorbed the
Gaya confederacy during the
Gaya–Silla Wars, annexing
Geumgwan Gaya in 532.
Beopheung was succeeded by
King Jinheung(526 - 576, reign 540 - 576) who was the 24th ruler of
Silla. He established a strong military force.
Silla helped
Baekje drive
Goguryeo out of the
Han River (Seoul) territory, and then wrested control of the entire strategic region from
Baekje in 553, breaching the 120-year
Baekje-Silla alliance. Also,
King Jinheung established the
Hwarang. He was succeeded by
Jinji of Silla who ruled from 576 CE to 579 CE
.
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Olympic Bridge on Han River, Seoul |
Jinji of Silla was succeeded by
Jinpyeong who ruled from 579 CE as the 26th ruler of
Silla Dynasty. He died in January 632, in the 54th year of his reign. He is buried in
Bomun-dong, Gyeongju. His tomb was designated a historical landmark by the
Korean government in 1969.
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Tomb of Jinpyeong of Silla |
Jinpyeong was succeeded by
Queen Seondeok of Silla who became
Silla's first female ruler in 632 CE and ruled until 647 CE. She was the second female sovereign in recorded
East Asian history and encouraged a renaissance in thought, literature, and the arts in
Silla.
Seondeok's reign began in the midst of a violent rebellion and fighting in the neighboring kingdom of
Baekje were often what preoccupied her. Like
Empress Wu Zetian of the
Tang and her own father, she was drawn to
Buddhism and presided over the completion of
Buddhist temples.
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Queen Seondeok of Silla |
Queen Seondeok of Silla was succeeded by
Queen Jindeok who was 28th ruler and second queen of
Silla reigning from 647 CE to 654 CE. During her seven-year reign
Queen Jindeok's primary concern was foreign policy. With the help of general
Kim Yushin she was able to strengthen
Silla's defenses and greatly improve her kingdom's relations with
Tang China. Her tomb is located on the hill in
Gyeongju city.
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Tomb of Queen Jindeok's tomb, Gyeongu City |
Queen Jindeok of Silla was succeeded by King Taejong Muyeol who reigned from 654 CE to 661 CE. He is credited for leading the unification of the Three Kingdoms of Korea. He constantly pleaded with the Tang for reinforcements to destroy Baekje, to which the Tang finally acquiesced in 660, sending 130,000 troops under General Su Dingfang. Meanwhile, Kim Yusin ,a Silla army general set out from Silla with 50,000 soldiers and fought the bloody Battle of Hwangsanbeol leaving Baekje devastated and unprotected. King Uija of Baekje finally surrendered, leaving only Goguryeo to face Silla as an adversary on the Korean peninsula.
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Battle of Hwangsanbeol |
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