Myeongjong_of_Goryeo
Myeongjong of Goryeo
19th King of Goryeo (r. 1170–1197)
Myeongjong of Goryeo (8 November 1131 – 3 December 1202), personal name Wang Ho, was the 19th king of Korea's Goryeo dynasty. He was the third son of King Injong. His reign marked the beginning of the century-long military rule of Korea known as the Goryeo military regime.
Although it was intended that King Injong's second son should succeed his father, he was assassinated because Chong Chung-bu feared that he might become a threat to him in the future. Myeongjong was a weak king, and was merely on the throne to show the general populace they still had a king, as the true rulers were the military leaders who had lanuched a coup against Myeongjong's father and had established a military government.[1][2] Despite this, Myeongjong did attempt to play off the military leaders against each other to both secure his own survival but also in an attempt to regain royal authority.[3] His reign saw constant bloodshed as well as the deaths of the military rulers Chong Chung-bu, Yi Ui-bang, Kyong Tae-sung, and Yi Ui-min.
After twenty-seven years on the throne, he was sent into exile by the military ruler of the time, Ch'oe Ch'ung-hŏn. King Injong's fifth son, King Sinjong, was placed on the throne.
