By: Quinn Riordan
Princess Yeondeok married the Emperor Tiazmo of the Jin Dynasty, or the Jurchen people, leading the Goryeo into a war. As the Princess held a bouquet and walked down the aisle with her dad and husband to join together the two dynasties through the marriage, the court grew further divided and conflict seemed imminent.
“The marriage was formed with good intentions, with the hope to unify the two dynasties and create one strong dynasty with the Jurchen people,” Princess Yeondeok said.
Princess Yeondeok planned the marriage in order to gain access to the Jurchen officials and utilize espionage to gain tactical and military knowledge. However, she worked as a double agent she exchanged information with her new husband and the court. As lies spread, the court became warier of its other members and the multiple assassination attempts were made on Princess Yeondeok.
As tensions rose, the Goryeo court received an announcement stating “the Jin Dynasty was marching to the border, after they were told about the false peace talks the court planned with the Jurchen.” The Jurchen were well aware of this attack and killed the fake Generals that the Goryeo placed in the meeting. They prevented the horseshoe plan that would move them towards the sea where the Goryeo navy was waiting. Because of this unexpected action, the Goryeo faced heavy losses, and the Jurchen stood undefeated and continued their march to the border.
Previously, the Jin Dynasty had proposed that the Goryeo Dynasty joined the Jin, with the stipulation that they had to pay them silver and give up land, to create the ultimate dynasty. Princess Yeondeok read these demands to the court, promising to use her position to put court members in high positions on the Jurchen court, allowing them greater power and control. These demands were not accepted by the Goryeo court, and with the Jurchen marching on to the border, the sense of alarm and urgency in the room was palpable.
Directives were hastily made and passed to form an alliance with the Song Dynasty and Japan, to set the border on fire to prevent invasion, draft troops, and move the army to fight. The battle commenced, but the border fires prevented the Jurchen from entering Goryeo land which left the land ravaged with destruction. Many Goryeon troops died as the Jurchen remained away from the sea routes. The Jurchen withdrew from the front, leaving the Goryeo Dynasty plagued with an uprising, unhappy citizens, destroyed lands, and tensions within the court.