Jinseong of Silla
Jinseong of Silla (c. 865–897) was the fifty-first ruler of the Korean kingdom, Silla in 887–897.[1] She was also Silla's third and last reigning queen after Seondeok and Jindeok. Her reign saw the end of Unified Silla and the beginning of the Later Three Kingdoms period.
| Jinseong of Silla | |
| Hangul | 진성여왕 |
|---|---|
| Hanja | 眞聖女王 |
| Revised Romanization | Jinseong yeowang |
| McCune–Reischauer | Chinsŏng yŏwang |
| Birth name | |
| Hangul | 김만, also 김원 |
| Hanja | 金曼, also 金垣 |
| Revised Romanization | Gim Man, also Gim Won |
| McCune–Reischauer | Kim Man, also Kim Wŏn |
| Monarchs of Korea |
| Silla |
|---|
| (Post-unification) |
|
Life
Jinseong was the daughter of King Gyeongmun and Queen Munui. The younger sister of Heongang and Jeonggang, she rose to the throne when both of her brothers died without issue. Though Seondeok and Jindeok's successful reigns were invoked to help Jinseong secure the throne, Silla's third queen regnant ultimately did not live up to the expectations of her predecessors.
Reign
Jinseong is noted in the Samguk Sagi for her immoral and licentious conduct, ranging from taking bribes to bringing attractive men into the palace and committing lewd acts with them. She also carried on an affair with the high commander (Gakgan) Wihong. The Samguk Sagi was written by Confucianists, who held a negative view of female rule, so the precise details therein should perhaps not be taken at face value.
In contrast, according to the records of Choe Chiwon, she was a good-hearted monarch with no greed.
During her reign, public order collapsed. Taxes could no longer be collected and the military conscription system failed. Taking advantage of this domestic disarray, Yang Gil in the northwest and Gyeon Hwon in the southwest rebelled and founded their own kingdoms.
In 895, Jinseong appointed Heongang's illegitimate son Kim Yo as Crown Prince. On July 4, 897, she abdicated the throne and later died on December 31, 897. She was buried to the north of Sajasa temple in Gyeongju.
Legacy
She ordered the first compilation of hyangga works, Samdaemok, to be created.
References
- Lee Bae-yong, Women in Korean History, Ewha Womans University Press, 2008, pp. 145-147, ISBN 978-8-973-00772-1.
Jinseong of Silla Born: c. 865 Died: 897 | ||
| Regnal titles | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Jeonggang |
Queen of Silla Silla 887–897 |
Succeeded by Hyogong Gyeon Hwon |