Goryeo

Goryeo 高麗 (Hanja) 고려 (Hangul)
918–1392
Royal flag Royal seal (1370–1392)
Map of Goryeo in 1389
Status	Independent state[1][a] (918–1270, 1356–1392) Vassal state of the Yuan dynasty (1270–1356)
Capital	Main : Gaegyeong[b][c] Temporary : Cheorwon (918–919) Ganghwa[d] (1232–1270) Hanyang[e] (1382–1383, 1390–1391)[3]
Common languages	Late Old Korean, Early Middle Korean, Classical Chinese (literary)[4][5]
Religion	Buddhism (state religion), Confucianism, Taoism, Shamanism, Islam[6][7]
Demonym(s)	Korean
Government	Monarchy under a military junta (1170–1270)
King/Emperor[f]
• 918–943	Taejo (first)
• 1389–1392	Gongyang (last)
Military dictator
• 1170–1174	Yi Ui-bang (first)
• 1270	Im Yu-mu (last)
History
• Coronation of Taejo	25 July 918
• Unification of the Later Three Kingdoms	936
• Goryeo–Khitan War	993–1019
• Goryeo–Jurchen War	1104–1109
• Military dictatorship	1170–1270
• Mongol invasions	1231–1259
• "Son-in-law state" of the Yuan dynasty	1270–1356
• Abdication of Gongyang	12 July 1392
Population
• N/A	3,000,000–5,000,000[11]
Currency	Goryeo coinage
Preceded by Succeeded by Balhae Later Baekje Later Goguryeo Unified Silla Joseon
Today part of	North Korea South Korea

Goryeo (Korean: 고려; MR: Koryŏ; [ko.ɾjʌ]) was a Korean state founded in 918, during a time of national division called the Later Three Kingdoms period, that unified and ruled the Korean Peninsula until 1392.^[12] Goryeo achieved what has been called a "true national unification" by Korean historians as it not only unified the Later Three Kingdoms but also incorporated much of the ruling class of the northern kingdom of Balhae, who had origins in Goguryeo of the earlier Three Kingdoms of Korea.^[13][14] The name "Korea" is derived from the name of Goryeo, also romanized as Koryŏ, which was first used in the early 5th century by Goguryeo.^[15] According to Korean historians, it was during the Goryeo period that the individual identities of Goguryeo, Baekje and Silla were successfully merged into a single entity that became the basis of the modern-day Korean identity.^[15][16] Goryeo was the successor state to Later Goguryeo and Goguryeo.^{[17][18][19][20]}

Throughout its existence, Goryeo, alongside Unified Silla, was known to be the "Golden Age of Buddhism" in Korea.^[21] As the state religion, Buddhism achieved its highest level of influence in Korean history, with 70 temples in the capital alone in the 11th century.^[22] Commerce flourished in Goryeo, with merchants coming from as far as the Middle East.^[23][24] The capital in modern-day Kaesong, North Korea was a center of trade and industry.^[25] Goryeo was a period of great achievements in Korean art and culture.^[26]

During its heyday, Goryeo constantly wrestled with northern empires such as the Liao (Khitans) and Jin (Jurchens). It also attacked the Mongol–Yuan dynasty and reclaimed territories as the Yuan declined.^[27] This is considered by modern Korean scholars to be Goryeo's Northern Expansion Doctrine (북진 정책) to reclaim ancestral lands formerly owned by Goguryeo.^[28] As much as it valued education and culture, Goryeo was able to mobilize sizable military might during times of war.^[29][30] It fended off massive armies of the Red Turban Rebels from China^[31][32] and professional Japanese pirates^[33][34] in its twilight years of the 14th century.^[35] A final proposed attack against the Ming dynasty resulted in a coup d'état led by General Yi Sŏng-gye that ended the Goryeo dynasty.^[36]

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