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Map of Korea - AD 300-668 Three Kingdoms
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Tombs
Tombs
Gold working
Gold working
Stoneware technology
Stoneware technology
Events
AD 300
Start of Three Kingdoms period: Silla, Paekche and Koguryo
AD 313
Kingdom of Koguryo seizes the territory of the Chinese commandery of Lelang, bringing to an end more than 400 years of Chinese authority
AD 346
Kun Chose becomes king of Paekche
AD 356
Silla becomes a centralised kingdom
AD 357
Anak tomb constructed in Taedong
AD 369
Japan invades Korea
AD 371
Paekche invades Koguryo; Koguryo king is killed
AD 372
Buddhism officially recognised in Koguryo
AD 384
Chimnyu becomes king of Paekche
AD 384
Buddhism introduced in Paekche
AD 391
Japanese forces establish colony of Mimana on the southern tip of Korean peninsula
AD 391
Kwanggaeto becomes king of Koguryo
AD 400
Koguryo helps Silla fend off Japanese invasion
AD 408
Earliest example of landscape painting found in Koguryo tomb
AD 413
Changsu becomes king of Koguryo
AD 427
Capital of Koguryo moved to Pyongyand
AD 427
End of use of large stone pyramid at Tong'gou
AD 433
Paekche allies with Silla to counter threat from Koguryo
AD 450
Stone chamber tombs in use in the Kaya kingdom
AD 475
Koguryo captures Paekche's capital, Hansông (Seoul), capital moves south
AD 475
Tongson of Paekche marries into Silla royal family
AD 479
Tongson becomes king of Paekche
AD 493
Puyo surrenders to Koguryo
AD 500
Chijung becomes king of Silla: introduces ploughing by oxen and irrigation
AD 501
Muryŏng becomes king of Paekche
AD 520
Silla law code creates 'bone-rank': society graded according to blood line
AD 522
Silla begins conquest of Kaya
AD 523
Song becomes king of Paekche
AD 525
Brick chamber tomb for King Murysong constructed in the outskirts of Kongju
AD 527
Buddhism officially recognised in Silla kingdom
AD 532
Paekche and Silla retake half of Japanese colony of Mimana
AD 532
Kaya confederation conquered by Silla
AD 538
Paekche kingdom introduces Buddhism to Japanese court
AD 540
Silla King Chinhung establishes boundary stones to mark the extent of his rule
AD 553
Silla attacks Paekche, breaking alliance
AD 553
Paekche's armies finish a long campaign to regain the Han River valley
AD 562
Silla kingdom joins with Tang China to defeat Kaya federation and seize the Han River valley
AD 562
Japanese forces are driven out of Korea
AD 595
Shôtoku Taishi of Japan sends unsuccessful military expedition to Korea to regain Mimana
AD 598
Chinese Sui dynasty launches unsuccessful attack against Koguryo
AD 614
End of Koguryô-Sui war: Sui defeated
AD 634
Sonduk becomes queen of Silla: introduces Chinese court dress and customs
AD 634
Oldest surviving observatory in Asia built in Silla capital
AD 645
Chinese Tang dynasty unsuccessfully attacks Koguryo
AD 647
Chindok becomes queen of Silla
AD 660
Silla kingdom joins with Tang China to defeat Paekche
AD 662
Large Japanese military force sent to Korea to help Paekche defend itself against the Chinese
AD 663
Japanese troops are defeated by Tang and Silla and expelled from Korea
Korea

AD 300-668 Three Kingdoms

The period between AD 300-668 is usually called the Three Kingdoms period, though Korea was at first divided into four. The Koguryŏ kingdom controlled the north. The Paekche kingdom was in the southwest. The Silla kingdom occupied the southeast. Based in the Naktong river basin in south-central Korea (around present-day Pusan city) was a confederation of small states known as Kaya. Kaya never developed into a unified kingdom under a single monarch. Silla overtook Kaya in 562 and went on to unify the peninsula in 668.

The founding dates of each of the three kingdoms is given in the historic records: Koguryŏ in 37 BC, Paekche in 18 BC and Silla in 57 BC. However, archaeological evidence suggests that these dates are not accurate and it seems that they did not form as kingdoms until the 4th century AD.

China had a strong influence on Korea’s political, social and religious environment during the Three Kingdoms period. Korea’s relationship with China was marked by conflict though positive relations were also formed. Buddhism, which was introduced from China in the 4th century AD, was a major reason behind this.

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