The House of Wang () was the royal ruling house of the Goryeo dynasty (918-1392) of Korea.
Its founder was Wang Geon, the chancellor of Taebong who overthrew its tyrant king Gung Ye and founded the new dynasty of Goryeo. His descendants ruled as kings for 474 years. From 1170 to 1270, the Goryeo kings were puppets of the Goryeo military regime. In 1270, the royal house was able to break the power of the military dictators and became a vassal of the Mongol Empire. During the Mongol domination of Goryeo, the House of Wang became semi-autonomous vassals of the Mongol Empire and the Yuan dynasty, and engaged in intermarriage with the ruling Borjigin clan. In 1356, King Gongmin was able to restore the independence of Goryeo. However, after the Wihwado Retreat in 1388, Goryeo general Yi Seong-gye was able to seize power. In 1392, Yi ended the rule of the House of Wang, proclaiming himself King of Joseon.
After their fall from power, the House of Wang was persecuted by the new dynasty. From 1392 to 1413, they were subject to an extermination campaign where anyone with the Wang family name was to be apprehended and killed. Due to the extent of persecution, a majority of Wang Geon's descendants in the modern-day Kaesong Wang clan are descendants of his fifteenth son, Prince Hyoeun via Wang Mi (, 1365-?), a survivor of the extermination.
History
Origin
The House of Wang originated from the local regional lords, or hojok (), of the Songak region. The ancestors of Wang Geon were thought to be influential maritime merchants. Jakjegeon, the grandfather of Wang Geon, had influence beyond Songak, reaching as far as Ganghwa Island. Wang Geon's father, Wang Ryung, is thought to be the first likely member of the family to adopt the surname, Wang, mostly likely to facilitate trade with Tang China.
The Wangs claimed ancestry from Dragon King of the West Sea via the wife of Jakjegeon, later posthumously honoured as Queen Wonchang. According to the Pyeonnyeon Tongnok () by Kim Gwan-ui, Jakjegeon was able to marry the daughter of the Dragon King of the West Sea, due to his help in eliminating Mr. Old Fox, the foe of the Dragon King.
Rise to Power
In 896, Songak became part of the rising state of Later Goguryeo, later known as Taebong. King Gung Ye appointed Wang Geon as the castle lord of Songak. Wang would later become the chancellor of Taebong. On July 24, 918, four generals of Taebong persuaded Wang Geon to become the king. After the successful coup, Wang Geon was crowned as the first king of Goryeo on the next day, July 25. He would later unify the Later Three Kingdoms, absorbing Silla and conquering Later Baekje. To ensure his power, Taejo Wang Geon married 29 women from various powerful families, from fellow regional lords, to powerful maritime merchants, and the royals of the fallen Silla kingdom. The House of Wang was originally a amongst other powerful regional families.
Under Taejo's son, King Gwangjong, Goryeo became a centralised society with the strengthening of royal rule. Gwangjong attempted to curb the power of the aristocrats of the powerful regional families. With the help of Chinese scholar, Shuang Ji, he instituted a civil service examination system in 958. He ruthlessly purged opposition to his centralization reforms, liquidating former comrades of his father.
Fall and Extermination
In 1388, with the aftermath of the Wihwado Retreat, Goryeo general Yi Seong-gye was able to seize control of Goryeo. Initially, due to lack of legitimacy, Yi placed a puppet king, King Gongyang, on the throne after dethroning both King U and King Chang. After the assassination of Goryeo loyalist Jeong Mong-ju by Yi's son, Yi Bang-won, there were no more significant opponents of Yi Seong-gye. On August 5, 1392, Yi had gathered enough support to proclaim himself king and end the 474 year rule of the House of the Wang.