King Taejo

Hello! My name is Wang Geon, but you probably know me by my royal title, King Taejo. I want to tell you the story of how I brought a divided land together. I was born on January 31st, 877, in a town called Songak, which is now known as Kaesong. My family were wealthy merchants who traded with people from faraway lands like China. I grew up during a very difficult time in Korea called the Later Three Kingdoms period. Our peninsula was split into three rival kingdoms—Silla, Later Baekje, and the one I lived in, Later Goguryeo. There was constant fighting, and people longed for peace.

When I was old enough, around the year 900, I joined the army of a powerful leader named Gung Ye, the king of Later Goguryeo. I wanted to help bring peace to the land. I was a good sailor and strategist, and soon I became a successful naval commander. One of my greatest victories came in 910 at the Battle of Naju, where my fleet helped us gain control of an important region from our rival, Later Baekje. My successes on the battlefield earned me the respect of my soldiers and the trust of many important officials.

Unfortunately, King Gung Ye changed. He became a cruel and paranoid ruler, and the people suffered under his command. My fellow generals knew we needed a new leader. In 918, they came to me and asked me to take the throne. It was a difficult decision, but I knew it was for the good of the people. I accepted, and that year, I became the new king. I renamed our kingdom Goryeo—a name that would eventually become 'Korea.' I also moved the capital back to my beloved hometown, Songak.

My biggest dream was to unite the three kingdoms under one peaceful rule. This was my most important goal. It took many years of both diplomacy and fighting. I believed in being generous to those who joined me willingly. In 935, the king of Silla, seeing that his kingdom was weakening, peacefully surrendered to me. I welcomed him and his people with respect. The final piece was Later Baekje. In 936, our armies met for a final, decisive conflict at the Battle of Illicheon. We were victorious, and at last, the entire Korean peninsula was united under the Goryeo banner.

As king, I worked hard to build a strong and stable nation. I embraced people from all the former kingdoms, treating them as one. To create strong alliances, I married the daughters of powerful clan leaders from all over the country. Before I grew old, I wrote down my advice for all the future kings of Goryeo. These were called the 'Ten Injunctions,' and they were rules and principles I hoped they would follow to keep our kingdom peaceful and prosperous for a long, long time.

I lived to be 66 years old and passed away in the year 943. My greatest achievement was uniting Korea and founding the Goryeo dynasty, which would last for almost 500 years. My royal name, Taejo, means 'Great Founder,' and I am remembered as the king who brought peace and unity to the Korean people after many years of conflict. My story is a reminder that with determination and a belief in bringing people together, one person can help build a lasting nation.