Apries vs Jungcheon of Goguryeo

Apries became pharaoh of the 26th Dynasty, succeeding his father Psamtik II. He inherited a stable kingdom and pursued an aggressive foreign policy in the Levant and against Babylon.

Apries sent an army to support King Zedekiah of Judah against the Babylonian siege of Jerusalem. The Egyptian force temporarily lifted the siege, but the Babylonians under Nebuchadnezzar II returned and destroyed Jerusalem in 587 BC.

Apries is mentioned in the Hebrew Bible (Jeremiah 44:30) as 'Hophra, king of Egypt,' whom God would deliver into the hands of his enemies. This reference reflects his role in the geopolitics of the Levant.

Apries sent an expedition to support the Libyan city of Cyrene against Greek colonists, but his forces were decisively defeated. This military failure led to unrest among the Egyptian army.

After the defeat at Cyrene, the Egyptian army rebelled and proclaimed the general Amasis as pharaoh. Apries fled to Babylon, but later returned with a Babylonian force and was killed in battle at Memphis.

Jungcheon ascended the throne following the devastating Wei invasion of Goguryeo in 244. He focused on rebuilding the state structure, restoring the capital, and consolidating royal authority to prevent future collapses.

Jungcheon implemented administrative reforms to strengthen central control over the aristocracy and local clans. He reorganized the bureaucracy and tax system to stabilize the kingdom after the war.

Jungcheon fortified Goguryeo's borders and rebuilt its military to deter further Wei incursions. He established defensive alliances with neighboring tribes, ensuring a period of relative peace.