Muyeol of Silla

Birth name
Muyeol of Silla
Hangul	태종 무열왕
Hanja	太宗武烈王
Revised Romanization	Taejong Muyeol
McCune–Reischauer	T'aejong Muyǒl
Hangul	김춘추
Hanja	金春秋
Revised Romanization	Gim Chun-chu
McCune–Reischauer	Kim Ch'unch'u

Monarchs of Korea Silla (Pre-unification)
Hyeokgeose 57 BCE – 4 CE Namhae 4–24 Yuri 24–57 Talhae 57–80 Pasa 80–112 Jima 112–134 Ilseong 134–154 Adalla 154–184 Beolhyu 184–196 Naehae 196–230 Jobun 230–247 Cheomhae 247–261 Michu 262–284 Yurye 284–298 Girim 298–310 Heulhae 310–356 Naemul 356–402 Silseong 402–417 Nulji 417–458 Jabi 458–479 Soji 479–500 Jijeung 500–514 Beopheung 514–540 Jinheung 540–576 Jinji 576–579 Jinpyeong 579–632 Seondeok 632–647 Jindeok 647–654 Muyeol 654–661

King Taejong Muyeol (604 – June 661), born Kim Chunchu, was the 29th monarch of the southern Korean kingdom of Silla (Sinra) and ruled from 654 to 661. He is credited for leading the unification of the Three Kingdoms of Korea. He was a friend and superior of Kim Yusin, a renowned army general, who eventually became his brother-in-law after marrying Taejong's sister.

King Taejong Muyeol was born with the "sacred bone" rank of seonggol. His father, Kim Yongsu (金龍樹), was a son of Silla's 25th ruler, King Jinji. When King Jinji was overthrown, all royalty from his line, including Kim Yongsu, were deemed unfit to rule over the kingdom. However, as he Yongsu was one of the few remaining seonggols, and married a seonggol princess (King Jinpyeong's daughter Princess Cheonmyeong), their child, Kim Chunchu, became seonggol and thus had a claim to the throne. Kim Yongsu was a powerful figure in the government. However, he lost all of his power to Kim Baekban, the brother of the king. In order to survive, he had accepted to become a jingol, the rank that was right below seonggol. Therefore, he lost his chance of becoming the king, and so did his child, Kim Chunchu. Following the death of his aunt, Queen Seondeok, Chunchu was passed over in favor of Jindeok of Silla, the last verifiable seonggol. With her death, all the seonggols were dead, so somebody with the royal blood in the jinggol rank had to succeed the throne. Kim Alcheon (a.k.a. So Alcheon), who was then Sangdaedeung (highest post of government) of Silla was the original favorite to succeed the throne. His father was a seonggol, who married a jingol wife so that his son would not be a seonggol and suffer from the fight for the throne. However, Kim Yushin supported Kim Chunchu, and Alcheon eventually refused the throne and supported Chunchu's claim. As a result, Kim Chunchu succeeded the throne as King Muyeol.

He was well acquainted with the Emperor Gaozong of the Tang Dynasty, for he and the Emperor were friends before Gaozong became an Emperor. King Muyeol was a great support to the Emperor, and the Emperor returned the support to King Muyeol. He constantly pleaded with the Tang for reinforcements to destroy Baekje, to which the Tang finally acquiesced in 660, sending 130,000 troops under General Su Dingfang. Meanwhile, Kim Yusin set out from Silla with 50,000 soldiers and fought the bloody Battle of Hwangsanbeol leaving Baekje devastated and unprotected. King Uija of Baekje finally surrendered, leaving only Goguryeo to face Silla as an adversary on the Korean peninsula.

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