Queen Seondeok: Star of Silla

Born: c. 610

Died: February 647

Country: Korea

Culture: Kingdom of Silla

Standard portrait of Queen Seondeok enshrined in Sungmojeon Hall of Buinsa Temple, Daegu (via Namu Wiki)

Before becoming queen, Seondeok was known as Princess Deokman, one of three daughters of King Jinpyeon of the Silla Kingdom in Korea. She would become the first-ever queen of Silla, one of the three main kingdoms in ancient Korea, and to this day she is recognized as one of the greatest monarchs in Korean history. 

When it was time for Silla's king to declare an heir, he did not have any sons to take the throne. The king was going to name Yongsu, Deokman’s brother-in-law, as heir, but when Princess Deokman heard of his plan, she pleaded with her father. Deokman argued that she had just as much right to the throne as Yongsu, and begged for a chance to prove herself worthy. Though women could hold many positions of power in the Silla Kingdom, a woman had never ruled in her own right. Nevertheless, the king gave her a chance to prove herself. 

And prove herself she did. She had a sharp mind and a serious interest in the natural world. One famous story displays her quick thinking. According to legend, a Chinese emperor named Taizong sent the Silla court a sample of poppy seeds and a painting of poppy flowers. The court was buzzing, but Deokman was unimpressed. She planted the seeds and predicted that when the flowers bloomed, they would be completely odorless—she was right. Marveling, the court asked Deokman how she knew. She answered that the painting did not have any bees or butterflies around the flowers, and thus the flower probably would not emit a smell.

Astronomy chart and observations recorded in a 14th century star map, the Cheonsang Yeolcha Bunyajido

Another story reveals the princess’s interest in science. She was fascinated by astronomy and had taught herself much about it. Deokman was excited when a Chinese astronomer was visiting the Silla court. She tried to engage the man in a discussion about astronomy, but he rejected her. Undeterred, Deokman predicted the duration and course of the next eclipse. Instead of impressing the man, this enraged him, and he yelled at her father that “astronomy is not for women!” 

He wasn’t the first man to tell Deokman she couldn’t do something, and he certainly wasn’t the last. But Deokman proved them all wrong. The king declared Deokman as his successor, and she ascended to the throne in 632 when she was about twenty-two years old. She changed her name, becoming Queen Seondeok of the Kingdom of Silla. 

She immediately set out to improve the lives of her subjects. She sent royal inspectors to improve the care of widows, orphans, and the elderly. The next year she commissioned the building of a new astronomical observatory, which would be used to predict the seasons and help farmers increase their crops. She also reduced taxes on the poor and middle class, and announced that the poorest citizens would not pay tax for a year. She built temples and schools throughout the kingdom, encouraging education and literacy. 

These policies quickly endeared her to her subjects, and they came to sincerely support her as queen. She also proved herself skilled in diplomacy, establishing a strong alliance with China and encouraging peace between the prominent families in Korea’s three kingdoms, which would later lead to the unification of Korea as a single country.

The observatory that Queen Seondeok commissioned is known as Cheomseongdae, which translates to “star-gazing tower.” It still stands in Gyeongju, South Korea and is the oldest observatory in Asia.

The 7th-century Cheomseongdae Observatory constructed on the orders of Queen Seondeok stll stands in Gyeongju, South Korea.