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Choe U

Type Figure Region Goryeo Time 1149–1249 Also known as Choe U、崔忠献

Choe U (1149–1249) was a Goryeo military strongman who established the Choe military dictatorship after the 1196 coup, deposing and installing kings …

Timeline

  1. 1149–1196Gaeseong · GoryeoChoe U came from a military background and rose within Goryeo's warrior tradition; in 1196 he, King Myeongjong, and State Councillor Yi Ui-bi launched a coup, and after killing Yi Ui-bi he gradually seized military and court power, opening the era of Choe dominance.
  2. 1196–1230Gaeseong · GoryeoChoe U deposed and installed kings, controlled the Six Ministries and the army, and ran the government through private troops and a network of retainers; in 1213 he installed the young Wang Ho as King Gojong, holding real power. Goryeo's foreign relations were complex, dealing with Jin, Song, and later the Mongols.
  3. 1231–1249Ganghwa Island · GoryeoIn 1231 the Mongols launched their first large-scale invasion of Goryeo, and Choe U led the decision to move the capital to Ganghwa Island to evade them; through the 1230s Goryeo wavered between resistance and peace negotiations. Choe U died at Ganghwa in 1249 at the age of one hundred, and his son Choe Cong took over the regime.

Sources