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Seon of Balhae

750 – 830

King of Balhae

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About Seon of Balhae

Lived 750 – 830 (aged 79–80).

King Sŏn (; ), also called Tae Insu , was the 10th king of the kingdom of Balhae. He restored national strength, and is remembered today as the last of the great Balhae rulers before its fall.

Background Tae Insu was a 4th-generation descendant of Tae Choyŏng's younger brother. In spite being from the collateral branch, he succeeded to the throne during the years of 817 and 818. He reestablished royal authority, and strengthened the military tremendously.

Reign The territory of Balhae in 830, during the reign of king Seon of Balhae. King Seon concentrated heavily on the empire's territorial expansion, and led campaigns that resulted in the absorption of many northern Malgal tribes including Heishui Mohe. Southwest Little Goguryeo in Liaodong was absorbed into Balhae, and also he ordered southward expansion towards Silla.

During his 12-year reign, he dispatched embassies five times to Japan, which was aimed at establishing diplomatic relations as well as increasing trade between the two kingdoms. Balhae emissaries were treated favorably even though Japan wanted Balhae to restrict the size of the embassies due to the costs associated with hosting them. The trade routes established across the Sea of Japan led to Balhae becoming one of Japan's most important trading partners.

He died in 830 and his grandson Tae Ijin succeeded to the throne.

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Important facts

Born
750, Korea
Birth century
Died
830
Also known as
Dae Insu

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Seon of Balhae's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Seon of Balhae?

King of Balhae

When was Seon of Balhae born?

Seon of Balhae was born in 750 in Korea.

When did Seon of Balhae die?

Seon of Balhae died in 830.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Seon of Balhae

· Wikidata: Q706413

· DBpedia: Sŏn of Balhae

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Seon of Balhae. https://biography.guide/seon-of-balhae/

MLA: "Seon of Balhae." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/seon-of-balhae/.

Chicago: "Seon of Balhae." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/seon-of-balhae/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

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