Gyeongsun of Silla

Who was Gyeongsun of Silla?

Gyeongsun of Silla was the 56th and final ruler of the Korean kingdom of Silla. A sixth-generation descendant of King Munseong, he was the son of Hyojong by Princess Gyea, who was the daughter of King Heongang. His wife was Lady Jukbang Park, his eldest son crown prince Ma-ui, and youngest son Beomgong.

Gyeongsun was placed on the throne by the Hubaekje king Gyeon Hwon after the Hubaekje forces sacked Gyeongju in 927. The kingdom was already in an extremely weakened state, so Gyeongsun reigned over a tiny remnant of the former Silla territory until finally abdicating in favour of Taejo of Goryeo in 935. His abdication completed Taejo's unification of Korea. He remarried Taejo's daughter Princess Nangrang and was appointed sasim-gwan of Gyeongju, becoming the first of Goryeo's sasim-gwan system. He lived out the remainder of his life near the Goryeo capital.

He died in 978 and his tomb lies in Jangnam-myeon, Yeoncheon County, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea.

According to Samguk Sagi, Gyeongsun's son, Prince Ma-Ui objected to his father's submission to Goryeo and became a hermit in Mount Kumgang.