Rethinking the Late Koryŏ in an International Context

In the mid-fourteenth century, the Mongol empire collapsed. People and polities across east Eurasia reconsidered their alliances. For the kingdom of Koryŏ, the collapse of the Yuan dynasty and the rise of the Ming dynasty represented both danger and opportunity. Examining how the Koryŏ court navigated these challenges, this essay argues that Koryŏ's diplomatic recognition of the Yuan and Ming courts was just as important as was their recognition of Koryŏ.