Gyeon Hwon - Reign

Reign

After crowning himself as ruler of Hubaekje, Gyeon Hwon sent his army to present-day Hapcheon, southwest of the Silla capital Gyeongju, but the campaign failed and the army retreated. Then in 910, when Wang Geon, the general of the rival kingdom of Hugoguryeo attacked and captured the city of Naju, the very city in which Gyeon Hwon had started his rebellion, he made an attempt to retake the city from Wang but failed.

In 918, Gung Ye, who had been maintaining his rule by acts of terror, was dethroned and murdered by his own army commanders. General and chief minister Wang Geon was crowned as their new ruler, marking the beginning point of Goryeo.

Gyeon Hwon sent another major expedition to Hapcheon in 920 and finally succeeded in taking over the region, forcing King Gyeongmyeong into an alliance with Goryeo. Then he invaded the present-day Andong area, but his troops were defeated by local Silla guards. Gyeon Hwon was forced to make peace with Goryeo after the battle, through a hostage exchange of royal family members. However, when his nephew died, he killed the Goryeo hostage, cousin of Wang Geon, and resumed war against Goryeo.

In 927, Gyeon Hwon led his army himself and directly attacked the Silla capital of Gyeongju. King Gyeongae was unprepared to this attack and he chose suicide over capture by the invading army of Hubaekje. Gyeon Hwon then established Kim Bu as the next Silla king, who became King Gyeongsun. On his way back, he was met by the forces led by Wang Geon, and easily defeated the Goryeo army, killing many of Wang's notable generals and warriors, with Wang barely escaping through the daring self-sacrifice of his general Shin Sung-gyeom and Kim Nak. One year later he took over the city of Jinju from Silla.