Editing History of Korea (section)

===Proto–Three Kingdoms===
{{Main|Proto–Three Kingdoms of Korea}}

[[File:History of Korea-001.png|thumb|Proto–Three Kingdoms, c. AD 1]]
[[File:평양 석암리 금제교구.jpg|thumb|Gold buckle of the [[Proto–Three Kingdoms period]]]]

The Proto-Three Kingdoms period, sometimes called the Several States Period (열국시대,列國時代),<ref>{{in lang|ko}} [https://archive.today/20120708123533/http://100.naver.com/100.nhn?docid=120316 Proto-Three Kingdoms period] at [[Doosan Encyclopedia]]</ref> is the time before the rise of the [[Three Kingdoms of Korea]], which included [[Goguryeo]], [[Silla]], and [[Baekje]], and occurred after the fall of [[Gojoseon]]. This time period consisted of numerous states that sprang up from the former territories of Gojoseon. Among these states, the largest and most influential were [[Eastern Buyeo]] and [[Buyeo|Northern Buyeo]].

====Northern states====
{{Main|Buyeo|Okjeo|Eastern Ye}}

After the fall of [[Gojoseon]], [[Buyeo]] arose in today's North Korea and southern [[Manchuria]], from about the 2nd century BC to 494 AD. Its remnants were absorbed by [[Goguryeo]] in 494, and both Goguryeo and [[Baekje]], two of the [[Three Kingdoms of Korea]], considered themselves its successor.{{sfn|Lee|Park|Yoon|2005|pp= 109–116}}

Although records are sparse and contradictory, it is thought that in 86 BC, [[Eastern Buyeo|Dongbuyeo]] (Eastern Buyeo) branched out, after which the original Buyeo is sometimes referred to as [[Buyeo|Bukbuyeo]] (Northern Buyeo). [[Holbon|Jolbon Buyeo]] was the predecessor to [[Goguryeo]], and in 538, Baekje renamed itself ''Nambuyeo'' (Southern Buyeo).<ref>{{in lang|ko}} [http://100.nate.com/dicsearch/pentry.html?s=K&i=254242&v=43 Buyeo] {{webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20120701173656/http://100.nate.com/dicsearch/pentry.html?s=K&i=254242&v=43 |date=2012-07-01 }} [[Encyclopedia of Korean Culture]]</ref>

[[Okjeo]] was a tribal-state that was located in the northern [[Korea|Korean Peninsula]], and was established after the fall of Gojoseon. Okjeo had been a part of [[Gojoseon]] before its fall. It never became a fully developed kingdom due to the intervention of its neighboring kingdoms. Okjeo became a tributary of Goguryeo, and was eventually annexed into Goguryeo by [[Gwanggaeto the Great]] in the 5th century.{{sfn|Lee|Park|Yoon|2005|pp= 128–130}}

[[Eastern Ye|Dongye]] (Eastern Ye) was another small kingdom that was situated in the northern [[Korea|Korean Peninsula]]. Dongye bordered [[Okjeo]], and the two kingdoms faced the same fate of becoming tributaries of the growing empire of [[Goguryeo]]. Dongye was also a former part of [[Gojoseon]] before its fall.{{sfn|Lee|Park|Yoon|2005|pp= 130–131}}

====Southern states====
{{Main|Samhan|Mahan confederacy|Jinhan confederacy|Byeonhan confederacy}}

Sam-han ({{Korean|hangul=삼한|hanja=三韓|labels=no}}) refers to the three confederacies of [[Mahan confederacy|Mahan]], [[Jinhan confederacy|Jinhan]], and [[Byeonhan confederacy|Byeonhan]]. The Samhan were located in the southern region of the [[Korea|Korean Peninsula]].<ref>{{in lang|ko}} [https://archive.today/20120707011814/http://100.naver.com/100.nhn?docid=86824 Samhan] at [[Doosan Encyclopedia]]</ref> The Samhan countries were strictly governed by law, with religion playing an important role. Mahan was the largest, consisting of 54 states, and assumed political, economic, and cultural dominance. Byeonhan and Jinhan both consisted of 12 states, bringing a total of 78 states within the Samhan. The Samhan were eventually conquered by [[Baekje]], [[Silla]], and [[Gaya confederacy|Gaya]] in the 4th century.{{sfn|Lee|Park|Yoon|2005|pp= 135–141}}