Mobon of Goguryeo

King Mobon of Goguryeo (30 – 53, r. 48–53) was the fifth king of Goguryeo, the northernmost of the Three Kingdoms of Korea.

Mobon of Goguryeo
Hangul
Hanja
Revised RomanizationMobon-wang
McCune–ReischauerMopon-wang
Birth name
Hangul
Hanja
Revised RomanizationHaeu, Aeru, Haeaewu, or Mangnae
McCune–ReischauerHaeu, Aeru, or Makrae
Monarchs of Korea
Goguryeo
  1. Chumo 37–19 BCE
  2. Yuri 19 BCE–18 CE
  3. Daemusin 18–44
  4. Minjung 44–48
  5. Mobon 48–53
  6. Taejodae 53–146
  7. Chadae 146–165
  8. Sindae 165–179
  9. Gogukcheon 179–197
  10. Sansang 197–227
  11. Dongcheon 227–248
  12. Jungcheon 248–270
  13. Seocheon 270–292
  14. Bongsang 292–300
  15. Micheon 300–331
  16. Gogugwon 331–371
  17. Sosurim 371–384
  18. Gogugyang 384–391
  19. Gwanggaeto the Great 391–413
  20. Jangsu 413–490
  21. Munja 491–519
  22. Anjang 519–531
  23. Anwon 531–545
  24. Yangwon 545–559
  25. Pyeongwon 559–590
  26. Yeongyang 590–618
  27. Yeongnyu 618–642
  28. Bojang 642–668

Background and reign

According to the Samguk Sagi, a 12th-century Korean history of the Three Kingdoms, Mobon was the eldest son of Goguryeo's third king Daemusin. Although Mobon was the crown prince at the time of Daemusin's death, because of Mobon's youth, Daemusin's younger brother Minjung ascended to the throne. Mobon became king upon Minjung's death. However, in the Samguk Yusa, Mobon is described as Minjung's older brother.

The Samguk Sagi notes that Mobon's character was fierce and stubborn and he incurred the resentment of the common people. In 49, he attacked the Beiping, Yuyang, Shanggu, and Taiyuan commanderies of Han Dynasty, several times, but later signed a treaty with Han.

He was killed by a court official named Duro, from Mobon. He was buried in Mobon-won.

He named his son Ik the crown prince, but upon Mobon's death, there was a power struggle for the throne. Some scholars believe that Mobon was the last of the Hae surname line that began with Goguryeo's second king Yuri, and the sixth king Taejo began the Go surname lineage (then retroactively attributing the Go surname to the founding monarch Jumong).

Controversy surrounding later reign

Many of the main Korean sources, such as the Samguk Sagi and Samguk Yusa, state that King Mobon was a great king who thought for his people initially, but turned into a ruthless tyrant in the later part of his reign. However, in observing the events that are mentioned in the same Korean sources, such things as the opening of all food storages to relieve the people of their hunger and destitution and the expansion of territories are mentioned, which are not acts that are characteristic of a tyrant. With this in mind, some scholars suspect that the records and public image of King Mobon may have been an attempt by the supporters of Taejo of Goguryeo to justify their coup de'tat. These scholars further support the theory that the difference in last names in the early Goguryeo rulers is due to a shift in power among the Five Noble Families.

gollark: I consider special casing bad, i.e. Go's three "generic" types are worse than a proper generics system.
gollark: i.e. Elm's `comparable` junk instead of full typeclasses.
gollark: That's *a* bad thing, but special casing is just where you bodge in support for one specific situation instead of a general solution.
gollark: No it doesn't.
gollark: It hides dark secrets.

See also

References
    Mobon of Goguryeo
    Born: 30 Died: 53
    Regnal titles
    Preceded by
    Minjung    		 King of Goguryeo
    48–53    		 Succeeded by
    Taejodae
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