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Unified Silla & Balhae

King Sinmun

神文王King

?~692

King Sinmun (Sinmun of Silla) was the 31st ruler of Unified Silla, reigning from 681 to 692. Soon after taking the throne he crushed the revolt of his father-in-law Kim Heum-dol, curbing the power of the aristocracy and greatly strengthening royal authority. He reorganized the country into nine provinces and five secondary capitals, granted office-land stipends to officials, and founded the Gukhak, a Confucian state academy, thereby consolidating Silla's centralized rule after unification.

Key achievements

  • Strengthened royal authority (suppressed Kim Heumdol rebellion), established 9 provinces and 5 secondary capitals, gwanjeon stipend, Gukhak academy

Related places

Gameunsa Temple Site in Gyeongju