Choe Chung-heon
military ruler of Korea during the Goryeo period
1149 CE to 1219 CE
Choe Chung-heon (1149–1219) is a military ruler of Korea during the Goryeo period.
Choe's father was a Grand General in the Goryeo military, hence precipitating his own entry into the military.
Choe witnesses military men become all-powerful in the quick succession of military leaders who depose one another.
Choe plots against the long standing war council, feigning fealty to the newly promoted supreme general and council head, Yi Ui-min.
After many years of humiliation and hardship, Choe and his subordinates launch a coup d'état while Yi is absent from the capital.
After destroying the war council and killing Yi, Choe becomes a prominent leader.
Although the coup is a success, Choe does not take full power.
Choe becomes Prime Minister of the State and Royal Protector, seeing the abdication of 4 kings, 3 rebellions and numerous attempts on his life.
Finally, during the early reign of King Gojong, Choe retires, handing his position to his eldest son Choe U (though not without bloodshed as his youngest attempts to take it for himself).
Choi Chungheon dies at 71 in 1219. ntil the death of Choe's grandsons, the Choe family will reign supreme over the political and military landscape of Goryeo.
Choi U, Choi Hang, and Choi Ui pass on the legacy of Choe Chung-heon for sixty years until the assassination of Choi-Ui.
World
The Far East
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The unrestrained corruption and cruelty of Goryeo's rukler Yi Ui-min, who comes from a nobi (slave) background, leads to a coup by general Choe Chung-heon, who assassinates Yi Ui-min and takes supreme power in 1196.
For the next sixty-one years, the Choe house will rule as military dictators, maintaining the emperors as puppet monarchs.