Bongsang of Goguryeo
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King Bongsang of Goguryeo (?-300, r. 292-300) was the 14th ruler of Goguryeo, the northernmost of the Three Kingdoms of Korea. He was the eldest son of King Seocheon.
From his youth, he is said to have been arrogant and dissolute, full of mistrust and envy. As soon as he was crowned, Bongsang charged his popular uncle Go Dal-ga (Prince An-guk) with treason and had him slain. According to the Samguk Sagi, his violence upset the people.
In the eighth lunar month of 293 the Xianbei chieftain Murong Hui invaded. Bongsang fled to the mountain of Sinseong. The sohyeong of the north, Go No-ja, led five hundred cavalry out to meet the king, and went on to defeat the Xianbei forces. King Bongsang promoted Go No-ja to daehyeong, a position of the 5th rank, giving him Gongnim as stipend land.
The following month, the king feared that his younger brother Go Dol-go was plotting against him, and forced him to commit suicide. Dol-go's son, the subsequent king Micheon fled and preserved his own life. In the eighth month of 296, Murong Hui invaded once more, but was repelled.
The following month, a heavy frost and hail fell and destroyed the crops, but the king carried on with reconstructing the palace, and the people complained greatly. King Bongsang did not listen to the counsel of his ministers, and did not look after the people.
In the end, his ministers carried out a coup in the eighth lunar month of 300. Bongsang and his two sons committed suicide. He was buried in Bongsan-won. The ministers found the escaped prince, and set him on the throne as King Micheon.
