Re-review of the Genealogy of King Naemul's Royal Family in the Fifth Century: With a focus on the background behind the enthronement of King Jijeung

Abstract

It is necessary to analyze several issues to figure out the genealogy of the Silla royal family during the Maripgan period and the background behind the enthronement of King Jijeung including relations between King Jijeung and King Soji, whether King Galmun of Paho was Bokho or Misaheun, marital relations between King Jabi and King Soji, relations between King Galmun of Gibo and Naesuk Lee Beol-chan, and causal relations between the Sageumgap Event and King Jijeung's ascent to power. According to Samguksagi, King Jijeung and King Soji are second cousins of Jaejong relations. According to the royal history in Samgukyusa, they are an uncle and his nephew in a five-chon relation. Most of previous studies reported that they were an uncle and his nephew since King Jijeung was 24 years older than King Soji. They are, however, second cousins in the same generation of the royal family. The age gap of 24 years between them is due to the fact that King Soji was born between King Jabi that married a daughter of Misaheun in his middle forties. King Jabi and Lady Josaeng were brother and sister born in the 410s. Lady Josaeng gave birth to King Jijeung at the age of 20 or so in 437. King Jabi had King Soji in 461 in his middle or late forties. These facts offer an explanation about the age gap between the two kings. Samguksagi wrote that King Jijeung was an uncle of King Soji instead of his second cousin probably because King Soji was in the direct line of King Nulji that was the late king before King Jijeung. Samgukyusa records the history of King Jabi and his royal family, stating “The queen was a daughter of King Galmun of Paho or Mijilhee Gakgan or □□ Gakgan.” Many previous studies understood that “King Galmun of Paho = Mijihee Gakgan = Miheun Gakgan” based on these records, having different opinions on whether he is Bokho or Misaheun. The opinion arguing that he was Misaheun led to a conclusion that he was King Galmun, having huge impacts on researches on King Galmun and the Bu system. However, Paho is Bokho, and Mijilhee is Misaheun. These two different lines of transmission derive from King Jabi that married a daughter of Bokho at a proper age for marriage and remarried a daughter of Misaheun in his middle or late forties. Since no Misaheun became King Galmun, previous studies that reviewed King Glamun and the Bu system based on the idea that Misaheun was King Galmun need to have a reconsideration. The queen of King Soji was Seonhye, a daughter of Naesuk Lee Beol-chan in the Enthronement of Soji Maripgan in Samguksagi and a daughter of King Galmun of Gibo in the History of the Royal Family in Samgukyusa. Many previous studies raised a possibility that Naesuk and Gibo were the same person. In addition, many interpreted that King Jijeung, a son of Gibo(Seupbo), was a brother of Lady Seonhye, a daughter of Naesuk and that King Jijeung eliminated King Soji to seize power after Lady Seonhye was sentenced to death after the Sageumgap event. Based on the dates of birth and the time of activities between King Jijeung, a son of Gibo, and Mulryeok and Geochilbu, a son and grandson of Naesuk, however, it is apparent to say that Gibo and Naesuk had an age gap of a generation or more between them. Moreover, there is a credibility issue in the transmission that Lady Seonhye was sentenced to death after the Sageumgap event in Dongsagangmok. It will be reasonable to understand that she had nothing to do with the event.