seized the cities of Wansanju and Mujinju, taking over the old territory of Baekje and winning the support of the people in the area who were hostile to Silla. Gyeon Hwon declared himself the king of Hubaekje ("later Baekje") and established his capital at Wansanju in 900. He established government, made diplomatic ties with China, and continuously pursued the expansion of his kingdom amidst much conflict with Gung Ye of Hugoguryeo. Reign After crowning himself as ruler of Hubaekje, Gyeon Hwon sent his army to present-day Hapcheon, southwest of the Silla capital Gyeongju, but the campaign failed and the army retreated. Then in 910, when Wang Geon, the general of the rival kingdom of Hugoguryeo, attacked and captured the city of Naju, the very city in which Gyeon Hwon had started his rebellion, he made an attempt to retake the city from Wang but failed. In 918, Gung Ye, who had been maintaining his rule by acts of terror, was dethroned and murdered by his own army commanders. General and chief minister Wang Geon was crowned as their new ruler, marking the beginning point of Goryeo. Gyeon Hwon sent another major expedition to Hapcheon in 920 and finally succeeded in taking over the region, forcing King Gyeongmyeong into an alliance with Goryeo. Then he invaded the present-day Andong area, but his troops were defeated by local Silla guards. Gyeon Hwon was forced to make peace with Goryeo after the battle, through a hostage exchange of royal family members. However, when his nephew Jin Ho died, he killed the Goryeo hostage Wang Shin, cousin of Wang Geon, and resumed war against Goryeo. In 927, Gyeon Hwon led his army himself and directly attacked the Silla capital of Gyeongju. King Gyeongae was unprepared for this attack, and he chose suicide over capture by the invading army of Hubaekje. Gyeon Hwon then established Kim Bu (who became King Gyeongsun) as the next Silla king. On his way back, he was met by the forces led by Wang Geon, and easily defeated the Goryeo army, killing many of Wang's notable generals and warriors, with Wang barely escaping through the daring self-sacrifice of his general Shin Sung-gyeom and Kim Nak. One year later he took over the city of Jinju from Silla. Decline and fall Hubaekje and Goryeo were in constant state of hostilities without one being completely dominant over the other. However, in 930,