Dae Gwang-hyeon

Dae Gwang-hyeon (대광현, 大光顯, ? ~ ?) was the last Crown Prince of Balhae and a member of the Balhae Royal Family, and was the leader of the Balhae refugees who sought refuge in the Korean Kingdom of Goryeo.

Biography

Dae Gwang-hyeon was probably the first son of King Dae Inseon, and the last Crown Prince of Balhae.

After several months of oppressing Balhae, the Khitan army swept through the nation and reached Sanggyeong, the capital city. The last king of Balhae surrendered to the Khitan Army and the capital was overrun. The king was captured, but the Crown Prince managed to gather an army and escape to Goryeo in hopes of gathering strength to avenge the humiliating defeat and downfall of his nation. Dae Gwang-hyeon arrived with his fellow Balhae people during the 1st month of 937, the 17th year of King Taejo's reign. He was warmly welcomed and included into the ruling Goryeo family by Wang Geon, bringing a unification of the two successor nations of Goguryeo.^[1]

He had at least one son, Dae Do-su, who later led Goryeo to victory against the Khitan Liao at the Battle of Anyung Fortress. He was also the ancestor of the Hyeopgye and Yeongsun Tae clan, most of whose members currently reside in South Korea.

References

^ Lee, Ki-Baik (1984). A New History of Korea. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press. p. 103. ISBN 067461576X. "When Parhae perished at the hands of the Khitan around this same time, much of its ruling class, who were of Koguryŏ descent, fled to Koryŏ. Wang Kŏn warmly welcomed them and generously gave them land. Along with bestowing the name Wang Kye ("Successor of the Royal Wang") on the Parhae crown prince, Tae Kwang-hyŏn, Wang Kŏn entered his name in the royal household register, thus clearly conveying the idea that they belonged to the same lineage, and also had rituals performed in honor of his progenitor. Thus Koryŏ achieved a true national unification that embraced not only the Later Three Kingdoms but even survivors of Koguryŏ lineage from the Parhae kingdom."

[1] Lee, Ki-Baik (1984). A New History of Korea. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press. p. 103. ISBN 067461576X. "When Parhae perished at the hands of the Khitan around this same time, much of its ruling class, who were of Koguryŏ descent, fled to Koryŏ. Wang Kŏn warmly welcomed them and generously gave them land. Along with bestowing the name Wang Kye ("Successor of the Royal Wang") on the Parhae crown prince, Tae Kwang-hyŏn, Wang Kŏn entered his name in the royal household register, thus clearly conveying the idea that they belonged to the same lineage, and also had rituals performed in honor of his progenitor. Thus Koryŏ achieved a true national unification that embraced not only the Later Three Kingdoms but even survivors of Koguryŏ lineage from the Parhae kingdom."

[1]

Biography

See also

References