Gang Jo
Encyclopedia
Gang Jo was a Goryeo
general who served under Emperor Mokjong of Goryeo
and Emperor Hyeonjong of Goryeo
. General Gang Jo was a general in charge of the Northern border army.
. General Gang Jo immediately executed Kim Chi-Yang and his supporters.
Then, the scholar officials, enemies of Gang Jo, spread rumors and lies that the general was planning to take over the government for himself. These rumors reached the Emperor, and he planned to kill Gang Jo. Gang Jo heard of the conspiracy and doubts of the Emperor, and ordered his army to attack and kill all of his enemies, including the emperor. After assassinating Emperor Mokjong, General Gang placed Emperor Hyeonjong of Goryeo
on the throne.
attacked Goryeo during the fall of 1010 in an attempt to kill Gang Jo for killing the Goryeo Emperor. The 400,000-man Liao
army came invading into Goryeo territory. The Liao first attacked and lost at the city of Uiju
, whose castle lord was General Yang Gyu.
Next, the Liao finally headed to the city of Tong-Ju, which is where General Gang Jo and 30,000 Goryeo troops were waiting. General Gang Jo set up an ambush on a narrow pass that the Liao army was inevitably going to have to pass. There, he directly led his troops in a three-pronged attack when the Liao came. The Liao soldiers were forced to retreat and 10,000 died during this ambush. The enemy troops issued another attack on Tong-Ju city but faced a humiliating defeats with indescribable casualties.
The Liao commander lead the remnants of his heavily-damaged army and led yet another attack on the city, with Gang Jo as his main target. The Liao were defeated a third time, and were forced to retreat once more. In one last ditch effort, the Liao army came attacking once more, but this time, General Gang Jo did not directly orchestrate the attack and played Badok with one of his lieutenants instead, thinking that victory was a given. General Gang's conceitedness and underestimation would eventually lead to his downfall and death.
Liao soldiers pierced through the city's defenses and captured General Gang. General Gang refused to surrender to the Liao Emperor, who in turn, executed General Gang.
of Goguryeo
, who had also killed an Emperor of Goguryeo for conspiring against him.
Gang Jo, however, was not as brilliant as Yeon Gaesommun, as he was not able to keep control for very long. Gang Jo did bring great victories to Goryeo over the Liao dynasty, but his death brought about another period of trouble for Goryeo, just as Yeon Gaesommun's death had done to Goguryeo. Gang Jo can be seen as a smaller-scale version of Yeon Gaesomun.
Goryeo
The Goryeo Dynasty or Koryŏ was a Korean dynasty established in 918 by Emperor Taejo. Korea gets its name from this kingdom which came to be pronounced Korea. It united the Later Three Kingdoms in 936 and ruled most of the Korean peninsula until it was removed by the Joseon dynasty in 1392...
general who served under Emperor Mokjong of Goryeo
Mokjong of Goryeo
Mokjong of Goryeo was the seventh ruler of the Goryeo dynasty of Korea.-Reign:Mokjong is known for his reform of the Jeonsigwa , and for a plot by his mother, Queen Honae and Kim Chi-yang to overthrow him...
and Emperor Hyeonjong of Goryeo
Hyeonjong of Goryeo
Hyeonjong of Goryeo was the 8th ruler of the Goryeo dynasty of Korea. He was a grandson of Emperor Taejo. He was appointed by the military leader Gang Jo, whom the previous Emperor Mokjong had called upon to destroy a plot by Kim Chi-yang.In 1010, The Khitan attacked again during an internal...
. General Gang Jo was a general in charge of the Northern border army.
Rise to power
When scholar-official Kim Chi-yang burned the royal palace to the ground, threatening to kill the emperor and take over, Emperor Mokjong called General Gang Jo to the capital city of KaesongKaesong
Kaesŏng is a city in North Hwanghae Province, southern North Korea , a former Directly Governed City, and the capital of Korea during the Koryo Dynasty. The city is near Kaesŏng Industrial Region and it contains the remains of the Manwoldae palace. It was formally named Songdo while it was the...
. General Gang Jo immediately executed Kim Chi-Yang and his supporters.
Then, the scholar officials, enemies of Gang Jo, spread rumors and lies that the general was planning to take over the government for himself. These rumors reached the Emperor, and he planned to kill Gang Jo. Gang Jo heard of the conspiracy and doubts of the Emperor, and ordered his army to attack and kill all of his enemies, including the emperor. After assassinating Emperor Mokjong, General Gang placed Emperor Hyeonjong of Goryeo
Hyeonjong of Goryeo
Hyeonjong of Goryeo was the 8th ruler of the Goryeo dynasty of Korea. He was a grandson of Emperor Taejo. He was appointed by the military leader Gang Jo, whom the previous Emperor Mokjong had called upon to destroy a plot by Kim Chi-yang.In 1010, The Khitan attacked again during an internal...
on the throne.
War with the Liao and death
Soon after this, Emperor Shengzong of LiaoEmperor Shengzong of Liao
Emperor Shengzong of Liao , born as Yelü Longxu , succeeded Emperor Jingzong as Emperor of the Liao Dynasty at the age of 12 in 982. As he was too young to actually rule, his mother, Empress Dowager Xiao, effectively ruled the kingdom...
attacked Goryeo during the fall of 1010 in an attempt to kill Gang Jo for killing the Goryeo Emperor. The 400,000-man Liao
Liao Dynasty
The Liao Dynasty , also known as the Khitan Empire was an empire in East Asia that ruled over the regions of Manchuria, Mongolia, and parts of northern China proper between 9071125...
army came invading into Goryeo territory. The Liao first attacked and lost at the city of Uiju
Uiju
Ŭiju is a kun, or county, in North Pyongan Province, North Korea. The county has an area of 420 km², and a population of 110,018 .-Location:...
, whose castle lord was General Yang Gyu.
Next, the Liao finally headed to the city of Tong-Ju, which is where General Gang Jo and 30,000 Goryeo troops were waiting. General Gang Jo set up an ambush on a narrow pass that the Liao army was inevitably going to have to pass. There, he directly led his troops in a three-pronged attack when the Liao came. The Liao soldiers were forced to retreat and 10,000 died during this ambush. The enemy troops issued another attack on Tong-Ju city but faced a humiliating defeats with indescribable casualties.
The Liao commander lead the remnants of his heavily-damaged army and led yet another attack on the city, with Gang Jo as his main target. The Liao were defeated a third time, and were forced to retreat once more. In one last ditch effort, the Liao army came attacking once more, but this time, General Gang Jo did not directly orchestrate the attack and played Badok with one of his lieutenants instead, thinking that victory was a given. General Gang's conceitedness and underestimation would eventually lead to his downfall and death.
Liao soldiers pierced through the city's defenses and captured General Gang. General Gang refused to surrender to the Liao Emperor, who in turn, executed General Gang.
Place in History and comparison to Yeon Gaesommun
Gang Jo is seen both as a hero and a ruthless dictator. Though because his period of reign was a time of war against the invading Liao, not many deaths were ordered by the general with the exception of Emperor Mokjong and the conspiring scholar-officials. Gang Jo can be compared with his predecessor Yeon GaesomunYeon Gaesomun
Yeon Gaesomun was a powerful and controversial military dictator and Generalissimo in the waning days of Goguryeo, which was one of the Three Kingdoms of ancient Korea. Yeon is also remembered for a number of successful resistance in military conflicts with Tang Dynasty under Emperor Li Shimin and...
of Goguryeo
Goguryeo
Goguryeo or Koguryŏ was an ancient Korean kingdom located in present day northern and central parts of the Korean Peninsula, southern Manchuria, and southern Russian Maritime province....
, who had also killed an Emperor of Goguryeo for conspiring against him.
Gang Jo, however, was not as brilliant as Yeon Gaesommun, as he was not able to keep control for very long. Gang Jo did bring great victories to Goryeo over the Liao dynasty, but his death brought about another period of trouble for Goryeo, just as Yeon Gaesommun's death had done to Goguryeo. Gang Jo can be seen as a smaller-scale version of Yeon Gaesomun.
See also
- GoryeoGoryeoThe Goryeo Dynasty or Koryŏ was a Korean dynasty established in 918 by Emperor Taejo. Korea gets its name from this kingdom which came to be pronounced Korea. It united the Later Three Kingdoms in 936 and ruled most of the Korean peninsula until it was removed by the Joseon dynasty in 1392...
- Dictators of Goryeo