During this time, the northern Korean kingdom of Goguryeo, under the control of Yeon Gaesomun, took aggressive stances against Silla and the Tang. Silla responded by eventually allying closely with Tang China, threatening Baekje in the middle. According to the Samguk Sagi, Uija was the eldest son of King Mu. According to a legend in the Samguk Yusa, Mu was a Baekje peasant who married Princess Seonhwa of Silla, but this is not considered orthodox history. Uija was made crown prince in January 632 and became king upon his father's death in 641.
Reign
Although friendly with Tang China at first, Uija soon allied with Goguryeo to attack Silla. In 642, he led a campaign against Silla and conquered some 40 castles. He also sent a force of 10,000 to take Silla's Daeya Fortress and kill Kim Chunchu's daughter and son-in-law. The next year, with Goguryeo, Baekje attacked Silla again and tried to block its diplomatic route to Tang China. When Silla-Tang forces attacked Goguryeo in 645, he attacked Silla and took seven castles. Baekje and Goguryeo hit Silla's northern border in 655. Soon upon becoming king, Uija undertook political reform to control the powers of the aristocracy. However, his reign was plagued by the internal power struggle among the nobles and corruption and decadence within the court. As the court fell into disarray, the Silla-Tang alliance, repeatedly frustrated by Goguryeo's Yeon Gaesomun, changed strategy and decided to attack Goguryeo's ally Baekje first.
Fall of Baekje
In 660, Baekje's navy was defeated by Tang's navy, and Silla's army led by Kim Yu-sin defeated Baekje's army led by Gye Baek. Sabi, Baekje's capital, was surrounded by the Silla-Tang allied forces. Uija and the crown prince escaped to Ungjin, but surrendered when Sabi fell. He was taken to Tang along with his sons Buyeo Hyo and Buyeo Yung, 88 retainers, and 12,807 Baekje peasants. Another of his sons, Buyeo Pung, later attempted to restore his father's kingdom. In 2000, his remains were retrieved from China and buried in a new tomb in Neungsan-ri, Buyeo-gun, Chungcheongnam-do, South Korea, near what was Baekje's final capital, Sabi. Uija was his personal name; he did not receive a posthumous name.
Family
Father: Mu of Baekje
Mother: Lady Sataek – daughter of Minister Sataek Jeokdeok, later became the Empress Dowager Munjeong during her son's reign.
* Half brother: Buyeo Gyogi – banished to Japan in 642 along with 40 noblemen and his mother and sister.
*Queen: Eun'go – the wife of Uija is mentioned only in the Japanese Nihon Shoki which claims she was a big reason for Baekje's downfall.
** Buyeo Yung – first son, appointed crown prince in 644. He changed his surname to Seo and is known as the progenitor of Buyeo Seo Clan. He was exiled to China with his father and brothers and died in Luoyang, China. Called Fuyu Ryū in Japan.
** Buyeo Tae – second son, exiled to China with father.
** Buyeo Hyo – exiled to China with father.
** Buyeo Yeon – exiled to China with father
** Buyeo Seon'gwang – sent as hostage to Japan in 643 with older brother Pung but he stayed in Japan and was called "Zenkō" and became ancestor of the Kudara no Konikishi clan.
** Buyeo Pung – sent as hostage to Japan in 643 with younger brother where they called him Fuyu Hōshō but returned to recover Baekje. Declared king by Gwisil Boksin under the name King Pungjang but was soon captured and exiled to Southern China.
*** Buyeo Sa – son of Buyeo Pung who escaped to Japan but was assassinated by Silla agents but is the ancestor of several Japanese clans. He was called Teika-Ō in Japan.
** Buyeo Yong – led the Baekje revolutionary army along with his brother Pung but was defeated and exiled.
** Buyeo Chung'seung – took part in the revival movement, fate unknown.
** Buyeo Chungji – took part in the revival movement, fate unknown.
Popular culture
Portrayed by Moon Hoe-won in 2006-2007 SBSTV seriesYeon Gaesomun.
