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Three kingdom's administrative forms for the Crown Prince(太子) and his political stature found in articles on the Crown Prince Installation in Samguksagi(『三國史記』)

  • The Review of Korean History
  • 2010, (100), pp.399-445
  • Publisher : The Historical Society Of Korea
  • Research Area : Humanities > History

ByoungGon Kim 1

1동국대학교

Accredited

ABSTRACT

This thesis covers the administration of the Crown Prince system and his political stature in Three Kingdoms by analyzing the article on the Crown Prince Installation in Samguksagi. To sum up this as follows. In Goguryeo(高句麗), 16 kings out of 28 kings proclaimed their sons the Crown Prince. 2 kings out of 5 kings whose birth date is identified installed the Crown Prince at the age of 35. When installing, the period of king's reign was from 12 to 19 years and it was mostly held on Chunjeongwol(春正月). They were 9 times for the oldest son to be a the Crown Prince to the throne, 2 times for the second son, 1 time for the third son, and 4 times for only one son. Half of them were the oldest son, and they were in about early or middle teens. Considering the article on the Crown Prince installation and the appointment of high-ranking government posts, political stature of the Crown Prince is higher than Guksang(國相), which is the highest-ranking government posts. Considering the number of the installation of the Crown Prince, regulation of the date, and political stature of the Crown Prince, it represents that royal authority in Goguryeo was more stable than two other Kingdoms. In Baekje(百濟), the installation of the Crown Prince was confirmed 6 times by 6 kings out of 31 kings. When installing the Crown Prince, the period of king's reign is irregular. The installed Crown Prince included the 5 eldest sons and one third son. Comparing the installation of the Crown Prince with the number of the appointment of high-ranking government posts, political stature of the Crown Prince was less than Byeonggwanjwapyeong(兵官佐平) and Naesinjwapyeong(內臣佐平). Repeated wars and rebellions made Backje weaker and weaker, so Backje failed to proclaim the Crown Prince properly, which could guarantee stable succession to the throne. In Silla(新羅), the installation of the Crown Prince was confirmed 17 times by 14 kings out of 56 kings. Among the former 27 kings, when the system of installation of the Crown Prince had not established yet, 15 kings didn't proclaimed the Crown Prince because they had no sons. When installing the Crown Prince, present king's age, the period of his reign and the date of installation are various. But the kings who were acceded to the throne in change of a royal family almost carried out the installation of the Crown Prince within 5 years. Among 17 Princes who were installed to the throne were 11 Crown Prince the son by king's legal wife, 1 the eldest grandson, 2 the second son, 1 unknown son, and 1 king's younger brother, 1 the son of a concubine, so the portion of the son by king's legal wife is two-thirds. When installing the Crown Prince, the average age of them was under 15. Comparing the installation of the Crown Prince with the number of the appointment of high-ranking government posts, political stature of the Crown Prince was less than Sangdaedeong(上大等) and Sijung(侍中). It's because the Crown Prince was mostly installed when young and with a struggle for the throne people who have enough political power to usurp to the throne made the Crown Prince powerless. Such phase of the installation of the Crown Prince represents that royal authority in Silla was changable, depending on political situation.

Citation status

* References for papers published after 2023 are currently being built.