Unified Silla: Map & History
Unified Silla, Late Silla, or Greater Silla is the name often applied to the historical period of the Korean kingdom of Silla after its conquest of Goguryeo in 668 AD, which marked the end of the Three Kingdoms period.
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Unified Silla, Late Silla, or Greater Silla is the name often applied to the historical period of the Korean kingdom of Silla after its conquest of Goguryeo in 668 AD, which marked the end of the Three Kingdoms period. In the 7th century, a Silla–Tang alliance conquered Baekje in the Baekje–Tang War. Following the Goguryeo–Tang War and Silla–Tang War in the 7th century, Silla annexed the southern part of Goguryeo, unifying the central and southern regions of the Korean Peninsula.
Modern Countries Once Part of Unified Silla
At its mapped extent, Unified Silla covered territory in 2 present-day countries. The period shown is when the mapped borders include that country, and the note says how much of it.
States and Provinces
Largest Present-Day Cities in Its Territory
Each opens on the live map inside Unified Silla's borders of that time.
Derived by testing mapped cities against this polity's dated territorial polygons, so the list is indicative and follows the borders in the source dataset.
Unified Silla in Depth
History
In 660, King Munmu ordered his armies to attack Baekje. General Kim Yu-sin, aided by Tang forces, defeated General Gyebaek and conquered Baekje. In 661, he moved on Goguryeo but was repelled. Silla then fought against the Tang dynasty for nearly a decade.
During its heyday, the country contested with Balhae, a Goguryeo–Mohe kingdom, to the north for supremacy in the region. Throughout its existence, Unified Silla was plagued by intrigue and political turmoil in its newly conquered northern territory, caused by the rebel groups and factions in Baekje and Goguryeo, which eventually led to the Later Three Kingdoms period in the late 9th century.
Culture
Unified Silla carried on the maritime prowess of Baekje, which has been likened to the "Phoenicia of medieval East Asia", and during the 8th and 9th centuries dominated the seas of East Asia and the trade between China, Korea and Japan, most notably during the time of Chang Pogo; in addition, Silla people made overseas communities in China on the Shandong Peninsula and the mouth of the Yangtze River.
Unified Silla was a golden age of art and culture, as evidenced by the Hwangnyongsa, Seokguram, and Emille Bell.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Unified Silla (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Unified Silla: Key Facts
| Capital | Gyeongju |
|---|---|
| Founded | 668 CE |
| Dissolved | 892 CE |
Succeeded by
- Silla in the Later Three Kingdoms period
- Later Baekje
- Goryeo
Facts from Wikidata Q715257 (CC0).
Unified Silla Map Over Time
Dated world maps on which Unified Silla appears, with the other states of the time.
Unified Silla Timeline
Key historical inflections from foundation to peak territorial expansion
Expansion to peak recorded area of 149,880 km² in 786 CE.
Unified Silla: Frequently Asked Questions
When did Unified Silla exist?
Unified Silla is dated to 682 CE – 935 CE, in the Early Middle Ages era.
What was the capital of Unified Silla?
The capital of Unified Silla was Seorabeol), Saro, Sara, Seonabeol, Seoyabeol, Seobeol, Wanggyeong.
How large was Unified Silla at its peak?
At its peak in 786 AD Unified Silla covered about 149,880 km².
How did the map of Unified Silla change over time?
Unified Silla appears on 2 dated world maps in the atlas, from 750 CE to 900 CE. Each shows its borders in that year next to the other states of the time.
Other Sovereign Realms
Early Middle Ages • Capital: Constantinople
Classical Antiquity • Capital: Pataliputra, Ujjain
High & Late Middle Ages • Capital: Thanjavur, Gangaikonda Cholapuram
Early Middle Ages • Capital: Chang'an