Volta
ConflictJuly 554(Lunar)

Battle of Gwansan Fortress

King Seong attacked Silla’s Gwansan Fortress with Gaya and Wa allies but was killed in an ambush; some 30,000 Baekje soldiers died.

Samnyeonsanseong, Boeun — Silla fortress of the district whose officer Dodo killed King Seong at Gwansanseong
Samnyeonsanseong, Boeun — Silla fortress of the district whose officer Dodo killed King Seong at Gwansanseong

Republic of Korea (Korea.net) · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Source

Having lost the lower Han to Silla in 553, King Seong attacked Silla’s Gwansan Fortress (Okcheon) the next year with Gaya and Wa troops. Crown Prince Chang (later King Wideok) took the fortress at first, but Seong, coming to encourage his son, was ambushed by Silla troops under Kim Mu-ryeok, governor of Sinju and grandfather of Kim Yu-sin, and was killed by Dodo, a minor officer from Samnyeonsan.

The Samguk sagi says four Baekje ministers (jwapyeong) and 29,600 soldiers died. Baekje was crippled, and Baekje and Silla stayed bitter enemies until the wars of unification. Secure in the Han basin, Silla went on to conquer Daegaya in 562.

Show on the map

The map in AD 554

Open the full map

OpenFreeMap © OpenMapTiles © OpenStreetMap contributors

States and rulers at the time
Silla · victor — King Jinheung
Baekje · defeated — King Seong
Gaya · allied force
Places
Gwansan Fortress

People

  • King Seong of BaekjeAD 554

    commander · Twenty-sixth king of Baekje, who moved the capital to Sabi and died at Gwansan Fortress

  • King JinheungAD 534 – AD 576

    monarch · Twenty-fourth king of Silla, who took the Han River basin and Daegaya, raised border steles and organized the hwarang

  • Kim Mu-ryeok

    commander · Silla general of Geumgwan Gaya royal descent and grandfather of Kim Yu-sin, who as governor of Sinju defeated Baekje at Gwansanseong

Before and after

Earlier
AD 553 Silla Seizes the Lower Han River
Later
AD 561 King Jinheung’s Border Steles