Heonan of Silla

Heonan (died 861), personal name Kim Ŭijŏng, was the 47th king of the Silla kingdom of Korea. He was the younger half-brother of King Sinmu. What little we know of his reign comes from the Samguk sagi. The rebel leader Kung Ye is alleged to have been a son of either King Heonan or Gyeongmun, though the accuracy of such a claim is not fully verifiable.

Following a famine in the year 859, he sent relief to the peasants and supported agriculture through the construction of irrigation works.

Being without a son, Heonan chose his relative Kim Ŭng-nyŏm as his heir. After his death, Kim Ŭng-nyŏm took the throne, becoming King Gyeongmun. His tomb in Gyeongju was known as the Gongjakji (공작지/孔雀趾).

Family

Parents

• Father: Prince Kim Kyun-jŏng (), posthumously named King Chujong ()
• Grandfather: Prince Ye–yŏng ()
• Mother: Madame Jomyeong ( 조명부인)

Consort and their respective issue:

• Wife: Queen Anjeong of the Kim clan ()
• Daughter: of the Kim clan ()–married Gyeongmun of Silla
• Daughter: ()–married Gyeongmun of Silla
• Son (presumed): Kung Ye (it is unclear whether his father was King Heonan or King Gyeongmun)

In Popular Culture

• Portrayed by Lee Geun-Woo in the 2000–2002 KBS1 TV series Taejo Wang Geon

See also

• List of Korean monarchs
• Unified Silla
• History of Korea

References