Yi Seong-gye (1335-1408) began life as an obscure warrior of Koreäs borderlands,
but rose to overthrow the 500-year Goryeo dynasty and become King Taejo, who founded
the 518-year Joseon dynasty, Koreäs final royal lineage and the longest lasting
Confucian dynasty in history. King Taejös momentous life intersected with watershed
East Asian developments: the collapse of the Mongol Empire in Korea, the rise of
Chinäs brilliant Ming dynasty, the pacification of massive Japanese pirating
operations, and the rise of Asiäs most thoroughly realized Confucian society in
Joseon. This biography tells the tale, ending with the tragic descent of King
Taejös own family into fratricide and grief.