Chang Handeok

Chang Handeok (Zhenian: 장한덕) was a Zhenian and maritime explorer who completed seven voyages throughout the Hanmaric Ocean under the Shindanese flag, making way for the East Tarsic colonization of Veharia and adjoining mid-Hanmaric Islands. His expeditions throughout the Hanmaric Ocean was a major turning point in both Shindanese and Veharian history, being the first East Tarsic contact with Veharia after the first human migrations in prehistoric times.

Said to be a descendant of the famed Chang Munmu, Chang Handeok was born on 973 in present-day Jin-Nampo under famed naval commander Chang Moonbok, who had served as a commodore in the Royal Shindanese Navy. Influenced by his family, he was accustomed to the sea at an early age and sailed widely throughout the West Hanmaric, as far north as modern-day Jinmun and as far east as modern-day Sakaro. He joined the Royal Shindanese Navy as a seaman at the age of 15, although he was promoted to an officer by the age of 22. After several attempts to convince the Shindanese royal court to expand the kingdom's influence beyond the Golden Arch, Chang was granted a fleet of seven ships in 996, tasked with establishing trade routes east via the Hanmaric Ocean and clarifying the existence of the legendary Geumgangju east of the Hanmaric. Chang's fleet departed Gwangseong on May 1, 997 and made landfall on modern-day Kapuku on July 16. Returning to Shindan with trade agreements in Kapuku as well as several indigenous commodities into Tarsis, the fruition of his voyages sparked great interest within Shindan. Although not having discovered Veharia on the voyage, Chang's first voyage around the Kapukuan Islands and subsequent trade networks with native kingdoms proved to be an adequate impetus for future voyages, with anticipation that the newly-formed trade network could be extended much further.

Over the course of his life, Chang led six additional voyages to the east, continuing expeditions throughout the Hanmaric Islands in his second and third voyages while landing on the Shinhae Archipelago on the fourth in 1010. His fourth voyage involved further expeditions around the Shinhae Archipelago and eventually northern Veharia, landing on modern-day Kilalurak in 1018 and the Daeyang Islands in 1020. His fifth voyage in 1027 saw the first-ever landing of East Tarsics in Veharia, as his fleet arrived at modern-day Shinlim, thus marking the end of the pre-Handeok era within the continent. During the fifth voyage, he established a colony in what is now Aman, claiming Veharian land under the Shindanese flag for the first time. He was granted the title of Grand Admiral by King Munjong in 1030, although he was stripped of the title in 1038 amid strained relationships with King Injo and its appointed governors to the Geumgangju Commandery. In 1038, Chang used the entirety of his remaining wealth to finance his seventh and final voyage to Veharia, permanently settling in the continent. He remained an influential figure within the Commandery until his death in 1042. Chang's expeditions marked the beginning of interactions between not only Shindan and modern-day Shinlim but also East Tarsis and Veharia altogether, bringing about an era of expeditions, conquest and colonialism across the Hanmaric.

Public perception towards Chang is generally more favorable, with Chang himself generally seen as an explorer that irreversibly linked East Tarsis and Veharia politically, economically, culturally and demographically.

Early life
Chang Handeok was born as Chang Hyeongseok on February 14, 973, in Jin-Nampo, Shindan. His father was Chang Moonbok, a famed Shindanese admiral who were in charge of the Shindanese Southern Seas Fleet stationed at Jin-Nampo. His mother was Yang Hyeseon. Chang had two brothers, Chang Jindeok and Ikdeok, and one sister, Chang Moklan. He is said to have been one of the direct descendants of Chang Munmu during the Eastern Zhen, with the lineage of his family being able to traced back to Chang Munmu's second son.

Fourth voyage (1010-1021)
His discovery of the Daeyang Islands as well as claims to the Hanmaric Islands he had made under the Shindanese flag resulted in him being appointed the Lord Protector of the Geumgangju Commandery in 1021, given the highest authority over the affairs of all Shindanese possessions east of the Haedong Islands.

Fifth voyage (1027-1031)
Chang's fifth voyage is seen as the historically most significant, with the voyage including his landing on mainland Veharia. Chang departed Gwangseong on October 17, 1027, with a combined fleet of 47 ships carrying over 5,000 men and supplies to establish permanent colonies, as it had been the case with previous expeditions.

As in the past four voyages, the fleet stopped at the Haedong Islands to resupply, from which the fleet departed on November 15. Following a slightly northern course compared to previous voyages, fleet landed on western Kapuku on January 2, 1028, from which the fleet was divided into two - one led by Admiral Chang, and the other led by his lieutenant Yang Haseok.

Admiral Chang's fleet landed on modern-day western Aman on April 15, 1028.

Seventh voyage (1038-1039)
Following the stripping of his title as Shindan's Grand Admiral in 1038, Chang was no longer able to be sponsored directly by the Shindanese Kingdom. Thus, Chang's seventh and final voyage, with the objective of claiming further assets along the western coasts of Veharia and Chang himself relocating to Veharia altogether, was entirely funded by his own wealth, formed through his selling of all assets in mainland Shindan aside from his family shrine in Jin-Nampo. Accompanied by all of his three sons but Chang Gung, he left Jin-Nampo on September 28, 1038, leading a fleet of twelve ships, including his flagship Geumgang. The fleet contained all movables that had been under his name, while it was manned by members of the Chang family and its servants, as well as most of Admiral Chang's subordinates in the Shindanese Navy that had volunteered to partake in the voyage.

The fleet arrived at Aman on January 17, 1039, welcomed by thousands of Shindanese colonialists who showed up on the harbor, despite Kim Wonjin, then-Governor of the Geumgangju Commandery, refusing to show up.

Later life and death


Following the end of his seventh and final voyage along western Veharia, Chang announced his retirement from the Royal Shindanese Navy altogether in late 1039, despite opposition from his subordinates. Upon his retirement, he promised to hand over all ships, servants and maritime assets registered under his name back to the colonial government, in exchange for being granted ownership to Yeongsandae hill, located around 1.2 kilometers inland from Aman's harbor. After consolidating ownership of the hill, he constructed the Muigak mansion at its top - completed in 1040, the Muigak mansion became Chang's residence until his death.

Although having retired from the Royal Shindanese Navy, Chang remained influential in the affairs of the new colony. While his influence was mostly restricted to Aman and surrounding Shindanese possessions, he spearheaded the construction of schools and Zhenian Wuist temples throughout Aman, while overseeing the construction of roads,, and fortifications around the city against potential Nawkaw invasions.

On June 29, 1042, Chang Handeok died in the Muigak mansion at Aman, aged 65.

Legacy
In assessing the history between the continents of Tarsis and Veharia, Chang's voyages is considered to be one of the most important events, having been the fundamentals of many of the changes Veharia underwent under Tarsic influences. His voyages serve as demarcation points in Veharian history, with the history of human habitation before his arrival in Veharia being referred to as the 'Pre-Handeok era'.