He was the eldest child of King Muyeol, the former king, and Munmyeong, a daughter of Kim So Hyun, who was a Tsunuka (first-ranked officer), and she was also a younger sister of Kim Yu-shin.
先代の武烈王の長子であり、母は新羅官位制度（1等官）の金舒玄の娘（金庾信の妹）の文明夫人。