Gongju Era

Let’s move to the second era of the Baekje Kingdom, the Gongju Era. This era began following an invasion by Goguryeo in the 5th century. Goguryeo, the kingdom occupying the northern part of the peninsula, finally took control of the Seoul area, and Baekje was forced to relocate its capital city to Gongju, located 130km south of Seoul.

Mountains and rivers surrounded Gongju, and it had natural defensive advantages. The nearby Geumgang River was a benefit as it allowed for exchange with China to continue and the wide plains yielded abundant food supplies for the people of Baekje. Gongju was the center of transportation and economy in the region.

Using the area’s geographical advantages, Baekje successfully protected itself from being invaded and was reinvigorated and became powerful once again.

It was King Muryeong, the 25th ruler of Baekje, who spearheaded the revival of the kingdom with great success. He appointed individuals to government posts equitably and reasonably. He stabilized the power of the authorities by appointing royal family members as local officials. Furthermore, the king defended Baekje from attacks by Goguryeo and Silla, whilst adopting advanced culture from China through active diplomacy.

King Muryeong also cultivated plains in the area to boost the kingdom’s economy. Due to his tireless efforts and wisdom, Baekje emerged triumphant from its period of crisis and became a powerful kingdom once again.

The 63 years in Gongju was a difficult period for Baekje after the loss of their original capital to Goguryeo. However, it was also a period for reinvigoration and a time for moving forward and recovering the strong position it had formerly held in East Asia.