# Silla surrenders to Goryeo (935)

URL: https://allhistories.com/south-korea/timeline/935-silla-surrenders-to-goryeo
Location: Gyeongju, Silla
Themes: Politics

In late 935 King Gyeongsun, the last ruler of Silla, formally submitted to Goryeo. After consulting his court, he traveled with his officials to the Goryeo capital at Gaegyeong (Kaesong) and surrendered his kingdom to Wang Geon. According to tradition, the crown prince opposed the decision and withdrew to Mount Geumgang, where he lived out his life in hardship. Silla by then controlled only a small area around Gyeongju. Gyeongsun had been placed on the throne by Gyeon Hwon in 927 but had since aligned himself with Goryeo, which treated him generously. Wang Geon gave Gyeongsun high rank and made him the governor of the former Silla capital, which was renamed Gyeongju. He married one of Gyeongsun's relatives, and Silla aristocrats were absorbed into the Goryeo ruling class. The peaceful surrender ended a kingdom that by tradition had lasted nearly a thousand years and eased the incorporation of its elite into Goryeo.

## Why it matters
Silla's surrender ended the kingdom and gave Goryeo the legitimacy of its heritage.

Ruler at the Time: [Gyeongsun of Silla](https://allhistories.com/south-korea/rulers/gyeongsun-of-silla)

## Sources
- [Wikipedia — Gyeongsun of Silla](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gyeongsun_of_Silla)
- [Wikipedia — Taejo of Goryeo](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taejo_of_Goryeo)
- [Wikipedia — Unified Silla](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unified_Silla)