Tae Kŭmch'wi

Tae Kŭmch'wi, also known as T'ae Kŭmch'wi, was a Goryeo military official during the Mongol invasions of Korea. A descendant of Balhae crown prince Tae Kwanghyŏn, Tae Kŭmch'wi was given the fief of Yeongsun and became the intermediary ancestor of the Yeongsun Tae clan.

Biography

On September 1, 1253, lieutenant Tae Kŭmch'wi took 30 men of the Ubong Special Unit and defeated a Mongol force between Kŭmgyo and Hŭngŭi. By 1260, he had reached the rank of subcolonel.On January 25, 1260, Tae defeated another Mongol force near Kaesong, rescuing prisoners that had been taken captive by the Mongols. Due to his achievements, Tae Kŭmch'wi was given Yeongsun as a fief. Yeongsun was originally a village called Imha, but it was upgraded to the status of county and renamed to Yeongsun in recognition of Tae's achievements.