The Relation to Gaya states

Several Gaya states established a regional allied body as a regional unit via the period of coexistence of small states.

Although each state was different in terms of the degree of solidarity and the period of establishment, each regional allied body was developed until just before the entry into ancient state. In the middle of the process of such development Gaya states had temporarily formed a coalition or an alliance according to their situations, but did not keep a continuous allied relation.

Accordingly, it is believed that they basically established a state versus state relation. Although they shared the fact that they all came from Byeonhan, it did not decisively influence their political relations.

So far, the view that Gaya states established a structure like an allied body has been the main tendency in explaining the relations between them. This view is called the allied body theory which is chiefly used to account for their stage of development.

However, this theory has recently been used to explain the political form of Gaya states or of each Gaya state. Such terms as, the early (or late) Gaya allied body, the Daegaya allied body and the regional allied body, all are related to the political form of Gaya.

It seems that the history of Gaya did not stay in the stage of an allied body during its whole period. Alliance is defined as “a collective pledge or their united body needed for the same action of the groups or organizations or individuals which have a common purpose.”

Hence, although the degree of development of a society reaches a clan society or small state (i.e., a tribal or weuplak state), the alliance between them is possible and the establishment of alliance between ancient states is also possible.

That is, an alliance between the polities with different degrees of development is possible. Therefore, these facts should be considered in the issue of allied body, an important part in the study of Gaya history.