Person

Yeon Gaesomun

d. 665 · 7th century

Yeon Gaesomun was a Goguryeo general and statesman who seized power in a coup in 642, killing King Yeongnyu and placing King Bojang on the throne while ruling as military dictator. He resisted Tang invasions under Emperor Taizong, including the siege of Ansi fortress in 645. After his death, quarrels among his sons helped the Silla and Tang alliance conquer Goguryeo in 668.

Yeon Gaesomun
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Mentioned in 1 profile

GoguryeoGovernance, Decline

Mentioned in 1 state history

Goguryeo

See also

Cite this entry
APA
The Epoch Institute. (2026). Yeon Gaesomun. In The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/yeon-gaesomun
MLA
“Yeon Gaesomun.” The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/yeon-gaesomun. Accessed .
Chicago
The Epoch Institute. “Yeon Gaesomun.” The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/yeon-gaesomun.
Harvard
The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Yeon Gaesomun’, The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/yeon-gaesomun (Accessed: ).

Last reviewed October 2026Random entry ↻