Gojong of Korea

Gojong was the penultimate Korean monarch who ruled Korea for 43 years, from 1864 to 1907. He ascended to the throne at the age of 12, under the regency of his father Heungseon Daewongun and his mother Queen Sinjeong. He married Min Jayoung, later known as Empress Myeongseong, who became a powerful influence in the royal court. Gojong faced the challenges of foreign encroachments by Japan, China, France, and the United States, and tried to modernize and reform Korea. He declared himself the emperor of the Korean Empire in 1897, after the First Sino-Japanese War and the assassination of his wife by the Japanese. He sought protection from the Western powers, especially Russia, but was forced to abdicate in 1907 by the Japan-Korea Treaty of 1907. He died in 1919, allegedly poisoned by the Japanese. He is also known as the Gwangmu Emperor, and was posthumously honored with various titles and names.