Goryeo military regime

The term Goryeo military regime (Hangul: 무신정권; Hanja: 武臣政權; RR: Musin Jeonggwon; MR: Musin Jŏnggwŏn) describes the government of Goryeo from the time of the military coup d'état of 1170 to the Sambyeolcho Rebellion of 1270 and the definitive subordination of Korea to the Mongol Empire. The rule of the Ubong Choe house from 1196 to 1258 is in particular known as the Choe regime (Hangul: 최정권; Hanja: 崔政權; RR: Choe Jeonggwon).

The Goryeosa exemplifies the period in its evaluation of the reign of one of the kings of the military regime, Sinjong:

Sinjong was put upon the throne by Ch'oe Ch'ung-hŏn, and all matters of life and death, decisions to accept or to reject, were in Ch'oe's hands. Sinjong stood above his subjects holding only empty authority. Alas, he was nothing but a puppet.

—Goryeosa

List of leaders

Name	Assumed power	Power ended	Monarch	Notes
Yi Ui-bang 이의방 / 李義方	1170	1174	Uijong Myeongjong	Led a successful rebellion against the civilian government and deposed Uijong, installing Myeongjong as a puppet king. Overthrown.
Jeong Jung-bu 정중부 / 鄭仲夫	1174	1179	Myeongjong	Participant in 1170 rebellion; ordered the assassination of Yi Ui-bang and assumed personal power. Overthrown.
Gyeong Dae-seung 경대승 / 慶大升	1179	1183	Myeongjong	Assassinated Jeong jung-bu and his family. Gyeong Dae-seung tried to restore the civilian government. But Myeongjong, who regarded him as violate on royal power, hated him. Consequently Gyeong Dae-seung failed to restore the civilian government, but historians of the Joseon Dynasty didn't consider him as traitor. (All other leaders considered as traitor against the king)
Yi Ui-min 이의민 / 李義旼	1183	1196	Myeongjong	Assumed power by request of Myeongjong after Gyeong's death. Overthrown.
Choe regime (The House of Choe)
Choe Chung-heon 최충헌 / 崔忠獻	1196	1219	Myeongjong Sinjong Huijong Gangjong Gojong	Overthrew the governing War Council and assassinated Yi Ui-min.
Choe Woo 최우 / 崔瑀	1219	1249	Gojong	Son of Choe Chung-heon.
Choe Hang 최항 / 崔沆	1249	1257	Gojong	Son of Choe Woo.
Choe Ui 최의 / 崔竩	1257	1258	Gojong	Son of Choe Hang. Overthrown & Killed by Kim Jun & Ryu(Yu) gyung柳璥(1211–1289),who was a scholar & prime minister as teacher of An hyang & King Gojong. Bobgwan 本貫 of family name 'Mun wha文化' was given by King Gojong from military(武) liberation. Mun wha gun(文化郡) is original area in Whanghaedo(黃海道)region.
Later rulers
Kim Jun 김준 / 金俊	1258	1268	Wonjong	Assassinated Choe Ui. Overthrown.
Im Yeon 임연 / 林衍	1268	1270	Wonjong Yeongjong Wonjong	Assassinated Kim Jun. Unsuccessfully attempted to instate a new king.
Im Yu-mu 임유무 / 林惟茂	1270	1270	Wonjong	Son of Im Yeon. Overthrown by Sambyeolcho under direction of the Mongols. End of the military regimes.

Sources

• Lee, Ki-baek (1984). "Chapter 7: Rule by the Military". A New History of Korea. Harvard University Press. ISBN 978-0-674-61576-2. 
• Schultz, E. J. (2000). Generals and Scholars: Military Rule in Medieval Korea. University of Hawaii Press. ISBN 978-0-8248-2324-5. 

See also

• Kamakura shogunate

}}