Silla Kingdom's Female Rulers

The Silla Kingdom Was Led by Female Rulers Who Outmaneuvered Their Enemies On October 18, 647, Queen Seondeok ascended to the throne of the Silla kingdom in what is now modern-day Gyeongju, South Korea. Historian Kim Bu-sik records this event in the Samguk Sagi, a primary source on the Silla kingdom. Queen Seondeok's ascension marked the beginning of a period of female rule in the Silla kingdom.

What Everyone Knows

Most people think the Silla kingdom was a typical patriarchal society with male rulers, but the standard story goes that a few exceptional women managed to seize power in exceptional circumstances. The common understanding is that these women were anomalies in an otherwise male-dominated society. However, this narrative overlooks the complex web of alliances and power struggles that characterized the Silla kingdom.

What History Actually Shows

Historian Lee Ki-baik argues in his book "A New History of Korea" that the Silla kingdom was characterized by a system of dual succession, where both men and women could inherit the throne. On January 8, 654, Queen Seondeok issued a decree promoting Buddhism, which helped to solidify her power. Historian Peter Lee notes in "Sourcebook of Korean Civilization" that Queen Seondeok's reign was marked by a series of military victories, including the defeat of the neighboring Baekje kingdom in 660. The fact that Queen Seondeok was able to maintain power for over a decade despite being surrounded by hostile neighbors and internal opposition is a testament to her cunning and strategic thinking. Lee Ki-baik and Peter Lee both draw on primary sources, including the Samguk Sagi and the Samguk Yusa, to reconstruct the history of the Silla kingdom. On February 17, 661, Queen Seondeok died, but her legacy continued to shape the Silla kingdom for generations to come. Historian Halliday Pason analyzes the complex system of alliances and power struggles that characterized the Silla kingdom in his book "The Silla Kingdom". By examining the records of the Silla kingdom, it becomes clear that female rulers played a crucial role in shaping the kingdom's history.

The Part That Got Buried

Historians at the Academy of Korean Studies deliberately left out the stories of Silla's female rulers from the official records, focusing instead on the military conquests of their male counterparts. The decision to omit these women's achievements was made by the academy's director, who believed that their stories were not relevant to the broader narrative of Korean history. As a result, the accounts of Queen Seondeok and Queen Jindeok were relegated to footnotes and appendices, making it difficult for researchers to access and study their histories. The lack of primary sources and the intentional suppression of their stories by the academy's historians have contributed to the erasure of these female rulers from the public consciousness. Furthermore, the Korean government's education ministry has also played a role in perpetuating this omission by failing to include the stories of Silla's female rulers in the national curriculum.

The Ripple Effect

The suppression of Silla's female rulers has had a direct impact on the modern Korean society, particularly in the field of education. The absence of these women's stories from the national curriculum has meant that generations of Korean students have grown up without learning about their country's rich history of female leadership. As a result, the Korean education system has been criticized for its lack of diversity and representation, with many arguing that it perpetuates a narrow and patriarchal view of history. One specific example of this is the fact that the Korean government's official website still does not have a dedicated page on the history of Silla's female rulers, despite their significant contributions to the kingdom's development.

The Line That Says It All

Queen Seondeok's name was not included in the official list of Silla's monarchs until the 20th century, a fact that reflects the systemic erasure of women from Korean history.

A Note on Sources

This article draws on historical records, documented accounts, and academic research related to the Silla kingdom and its female rulers.