A History of Korea (116 page)

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Authors: Jinwung Kim

BOOK: A History of Korea
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1290

Territory under administration of Tongny
ŏ
ng-bu returned to Kory
ŏ

1294

Territory under jurisdiction of T’amna ch’onggwan-bu returned to Kory
ŏ

1356

Kory
ŏ
, by military force, recovers territory under administration of Ssangs
ŏ
ng Ch’onggwan-bu

1359

Chinese Red Turbans invade Kory
ŏ

1361

Red Turbans again invade Kory
ŏ

1364

Mun Ik-j
ŏ
m secretly brings cotton seeds to Kory
ŏ
from Yuan

1376

Ch’oe Y
ŏ
ng demolishes Japanese pirates at Hongsan

1377

Ch’oe Mu-s
ŏ
n persuades government to manufacture cannon and gunpowder; oldest extant book printed by movable metal type,
Chikchi simch’e yoj
ŏ
l,
appears

1380

Yi S
ŏ
ng-gye annihilates Japanese pirates at Unbong

March 1388

Chinese Ming demands the “return” of Kory
ŏ
’s northeastern territory

April 1388

Kory
ŏ
determines to invade Liaodong region of Manchuria

May 1388

Yi S
ŏ
ng-gye, deputy commander of Kory
ŏ
forces, marches troops back from Wihwa-do, seizing power

June 1388

Yi S
ŏ
ng-gye deposes King U and enthrones King Ch’ang

February 1389

Pak Wi leads direct assault on Japanese pirates’lair on Tsushima

November 1389

Yi S
ŏ
ng-gye deposes King Ch’ang and enthrones King Kongyang

June 1391

Yi S
ŏ
ng-gye promulgates Kwaj
ŏ
ngp
ŏ
p, basic statute for land reform

August 1392

Yi S
ŏ
ng-gye ascends throne as T’aejo, ending Kory
ŏ
dynasty and founding Chos
ŏ
n dynasty

November 1394

Chos
ŏ
n moves capital to Hanyang

September 1398

Yi Pang-w
ŏ
n kills his younger half-brother, the crown prince, and seizes power

October 1398

T’aejo abdicates throne to King Ch
ŏ
ngjong

February 1400

Yi Pang-w
ŏ
n defeats his elder brother, Yi Pang-gan, militarily

December 1400

King Ch
ŏ
ngjong abdicates throne to Yi Pang-w
ŏ
n who ascends the throne as T’aejong

September 1418

King Sejong ascends the throne

July 1419

Yi Chong-mu attacks Tsushima, den of Japanese pirates.

1426

Chos
ŏ
n opens three ports along southeast coast to Japanese, granting limited trade privileges

May 1433

Ch’oe Yun-d
ŏ
k and Yi Ch’
ŏ
n establish four outposts along upper Yalu River

November 1437

Kim Chong-s
ŏ
establishes six garrison forts in northeastern part of Korean peninsula.

September 1441

Chang Y
ŏ
ng-sil and Yi Ch’
ŏ
n invent the world’s first pluviometer

October 1446

King Sejong completes han’g
ŭ
l, Korea’s written alphabet

September 1451

Kory
ŏ
sa
compiled

March 1452

Kory
ŏ
sa ch
ŏ
ryo
compiled

July 1456

King Sejo kills six martyred subjects who opposed his usurpation of the throne and plotted to depose him

November 1457

King Sejo kills his young nephew, King Tanjong

November 1470

King S
ŏ
ngjong completes
Ky
ŏ
ngguk taej
ŏ
n

August 1498

“Literati Purge of 1498”

November 1504

“Literati Purge of 1504”

May 1510

Armed uprising by Japanese residing at the three ports of Pusanp’o, Naeip’o, and Y
ŏ
mp’o.

July 1517

Piby
ŏ
nsa is established and empowered to deal with all matters of defense and security

December 1519

“Literati Purge of 1519”

December 1543

Chu Se-bung establishes the Paekundong s
ŏ
w
ŏ
n, the first of its kind, at P’unggi, Ky
ŏ
ngsang province

September 1545

“Literati Purge of 1545”

September 1575

Factional strife between Easterners and Westerners begins.

May 1592

158,000 Japanese forces launch surprise attack on Chos
ŏ
n, heralding the start of war

June 1592

Japanese forces occupy Seoul.

June-October 1592

Yi Sun-sin gains decisive naval victories over Japanese navy, seizing control of the sea and separating Japanese forces in Chos
ŏ
n from their homeland

November 1592

Chos
ŏ
n forces, commanded by Kim Si-min, defeat major Japanese force at Chinju

January 1593

40,000-strong Ming Chinese relief army arrives in Chos
ŏ
n

March 1593

Chos
ŏ
n forces, under Kw
ŏ
n Yul, defeat major Japanese force at Haengju

September 1593

Japanese and Ming forces withdraw from Chos
ŏ
n

February 1597

141,000 Japanese forces again invade Chos
ŏ
n

August 1597

Yi Sun-sin dismissed as commander-in-chief of Chos
ŏ
n naval forces, replaced by W
ŏ
n Kyun

August 1597

Yi Sun-sin reinstated after W
ŏ
n Kyun’s death

October 1597

Yi Sun-sin, with only 12 remaining warships, achieves victory over Japanese flotilla at My
ŏ
ngnyang

December 1598

Japanese forces in full-scale retreat, ending the war

February 1627

Later Jin of Manchus invades Chos
ŏ
n

April 1627

Chos
ŏ
n reaches agreement with Later Jin

January 1637

Qing, formerly Later Jin, invades Chos
ŏ
n again

February 1637

King Injo capitulates to Qing emperor Taizong at Samj
ŏ
ndo

January 1709

Taedongp
ŏ
p enforced throughout the country, abolishing tribute tax system

August 1750

Kyuny
ŏ
kp
ŏ
p enacted, reducing “military cloth tax” from two cotton bolts to one per year

March 1801

“Catholic Persecution of 1801”

February 1805

Kim Cho-sun holds reins of government, heralding royal in-law government by Andong Kim clan

January 1812

Hong Ky
ŏ
ng-nae rebels

August 1839

“Catholic Persecution of 1839”

May 1860

Ch’oe Che-u founds Tonghak

March 1862

Peasant uprising at Chinju; succession of riots follow in three southern provinces.

January 1864

Taew
ŏ
n’gun takes the reins of government, as son ascends the throne as King Kojong

February 1866

“Catholic Persecution of 1866”

August 1866

U.S. schooner
General Sherman
destroyed and crew members killed

October 1866

“Western Disturbance of 1866”; French force invades Kanghwa-do, carrying off gold, silver, and precious books

April 1871

Taew
ŏ
n’gun closes all s
ŏ
w
ŏ
n but 47

May-June 1871

“Western Disturbance of 1871”; U.S. naval expedition joins battle with Chos
ŏ
n force on Kanghwa-do

26 February 1876

Chos
ŏ
n concludes Treaty of Kanghwa (Friendship Treaty) with Japan, opens doors to outside world

22 May 1882

Chos
ŏ
n and the United States conclude Treaty of Peace, Amity, Commerce, and Navigation

19 July 1882

Revolt of old-line soldiers against reformative government

2 August 1882

Chos
ŏ
n government requests Chinese troops to suppress military mutiny

10 August 1882

Chinese forces arrive at Inch’
ŏ
n

30 August 1882

Chos
ŏ
n and japan conclude Treaty of Chemulp’o (Inch’on); leaders of military mutiny are punished and Japan stations guards at its legation in Seoul

20 September 1882

Chos
ŏ
n sends delegation, headed by Pak Y
ŏ
ng-hyo, to Japan to formally apologize; Chos
ŏ
n delegation takes present-day South Korean national flag, T’aeg
ŭ
kki

6 March 1883

T’aeg
ŭ
kki formally adopted as national flag

8 July 1883

Diplomatic mission, led by Min Y
ŏ
ng-ik, dispatched to United States

26 November 1883

Chos
ŏ
n signs trade and commerce treaties with Great Britain and Germany

7 July 1884

Chos
ŏ
n signs trade and commerce treaty with Russia

4 December 1884

Members of Kaehwadang, led by Kim Ok-kyun and allied with Japan, stage coup d’état, killing and wounding several Sadaedang senior officials

5 December 1884

Progressive Kaehwadang members form new government, formulate program of reform

6 December 1884

Chinese forces attack and defeat Japanese forces that assisted in Kaehwadang coup

11 December 1884

Kim Ok-kyun and other Kaehwadang members escape to Japan

9 January 1885

Chos
ŏ
n and Japan conclude Treaty of Hans
ŏ
ng (Seoul) for indemnities to Japanese victims of Kaehwadang coup and compensation for rebuilding Japanese legation

15 April 1885

Great Britain occupies K
ŏ
mun-do off south coast of Ch
ŏ
lla province to use against Russia, names it “Fort Hamilton”

31 May 1885

China and Japan conclude Convention of Tianjin, calling for troops of both countries to be withdrawn from Chos
ŏ
n and requiring prior notification when troops are to be dispatched to Chos
ŏ
n

4 June 1886

Chos
ŏ
n signs a trade and commerce treaty with France

1 March 1887

Great Britain withdraws its forces from K
ŏ
mun-do

15 February 1894

Start of Tonghak peasant war

10-11 May 1894

Tonghak peasant forces defeat government troops at Hwangt’ohy
ŏ
n hill

31 May 1894

Tonghak peasant forces occupy Ch
ŏ
nju, provincial capital of Ch
ŏ
lla province

1 June 1894

Chos
ŏ
n government formally requests Chinese military assistance to suppress Tonghak peasant rebellion

8 June 1894

Chinese and Japanese forces land, respectively, at Asan Bay and Inch’
ŏ
n

10 June 1894

Chos
ŏ
n government and Tonghak forces conclude the “Peace of Ch
ŏ
nju”; Japanese forces enter Seoul

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