Queen Seondeok of Silla

Queen Seondeok of Silla
Queen of Silla
Reign	632 - 647 (15 years)
Coronation	632
Predecessor	Jinpyeong of Silla
Successor	Jindeok of Silla
Died	17 February 647 Silla
Father	Jinpyeong of Silla
Mother	Queen Maya of Silla

Queen Seondeok of Silla
Hangul	선덕여왕, also 선덕왕
Hanja	善德女王, also 善德王
Revised Romanization	Seondeok yeowang, also Seondeok wang
McCune–Reischauer	Sŏndŏk yŏwang, also Sŏndŏk wang

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

Queen Seondeok of Silla (Hangul: 선덕여왕 Korean pronunciation: [sʰʌndʌk jʌwaŋ]; ? - 17 February 647) reigned as Queen Regnant of Silla, one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, from 632 to 647. She was Silla's twenty-seventh ruler, and its first reigning queen. She was the second female sovereign in recorded East Asian history and encouraged a renaissance in thought, literature, and the arts in Silla.

Before she became queen, Seondeok was known as Princess Deokman (hanja: ). According to the Samguk Sagi, she was the first of Jinpyeong of Silla's daughters, but according to other historical records, she was the second of King Jinpyeong's daughters and much younger than her elder sister, Princess Cheonmyeong. Her nephew, Princess Cheonmyeong's son, eventually became King Muyeol of Silla while Seondeok's other sister, Princess Seonhwa, eventually married Mu of Baekje and became the mother of Uija of Baekje. Seonhwa's existence is controversial due to the discovery of evidence in 2009 that points to King Uija's mother as being Queen Sataek and not Seonhwa as indicated by historical records.

Because he had no sons, Jinpyeong selected Seondeok as his heir. Though unprecedented, this action would probably not have been all that shocking within Silla as women of the period already had a certain degree of influence as advisors, queens dowager and regents - Jinpyeong himself gained the throne as a result of a coup d'état organized by Mishil. Throughout the kingdom, women were the heads of families since matrilineal lines of inheritance existed alongside patrilineal ones. Within Silla, the status of women was relatively high, but there were still restrictions on female behavior and conduct; they were discouraged from activities considered unwomanly. Ultimately, Seondeok's successful reign in turn facilitated the acceptance of two more Queens regnant of Silla.

...
Wikipedia