Gyeon Hwon

Gyeon Hwon (; 867 – 27 September 936, r. 892 – March 934) was the king and founder of Later Baekje, one of the Later Three Kingdoms of Korea, and reigned from 892 to 935. Some records render his name as "Jin Hwon" (진훤). He was also the progenitor of the Hwanggan Gyeon clan. Substantial accounts of his life are preserved in the Samguk Sagi, which presents a single narrative, and the Samguk Yusa, which presents excerpts about him from various sources. Records say that Gyeon Hwon was born Lee, not Gyeon. Most accounts agree that Gyeon Hwon's father was Ajagae, a farmer of the Lee clan, and that he was born in what is today Gaeun-eup in Mungyeong, North Gyeongsang province, as the oldest of six children. However, Gyeon Hwon later changed his family name to Gyeon. Some argue that he changed his surname to start afresh as the founder of Hubaekje. Gyeon Hwon is also the founder of the Hwanggan clan of the Gyeons. His sons, Singeom, Yanggeom, Yonggeom and Geumgang, are also listed as gyeon (Jin), not Lee. His mother was from the Gwangju area, but her exact identity is not known; Ajagae had two wives, Lady Sangwon and Lady Namwon, and Gyeon Hwon was born to his first wife. However, legend says that his mother was from Gwangju and gave birth to her firstborn son after having physical contact with a worm disguised as a man, and that Gyeon Hwon grew up drinking the milk of a tiger. The Silla court of Queen Jinseong was heavily corrupted and embroiled with political confusion. Widespread famine ravaged the country, driving many of the people into rebel forces. Village headmen, and new military forces arose and created power bases all over the country. The government who had tried to implement a forceful taxation plan found itself in the face of rebellions led by bandits, local nobles, and rebel leaders. It was during this time that Gyeon Hwon's father Ajagae led a local peasant revolt and set up base in Sangju. Gyeon Hwon is said to have left home at 15 to join the Silla army and became the commander of Silla forces in the Jeolla region.