Taejong of Joseon

Taejong of Joseon (16 May 1367 – 10 May 1422), personal name Yi Bang-won (Korean: 이방원; Hanja: 李芳遠), was the third ruler of the Joseon dynasty of Korea and the father of Sejong the Great. He was the fifth son of King Taejo, the founder of the dynasty. Before ascending to the throne, he was known as Prince Jeongan (Korean: 정안군; Hanja: 靖安君).
Biography
Early life and founding of Joseon
Born in 1367 as the fifth son of Yi Seong-gye and his first wife Lady Han, Yi Bang-won qualified as an official in 1382. He studied under Confucian scholars such as Won Cheon-seok. During his early years, he assisted his father in gathering the support of the commoners and of many influential figures in the government; Yi Bang-won also helped in the founding of Joseon by assassinating powerful officials who remained loyal to Goryeo, most prominently Jeong Mong-ju.
Strifes of Princes
After contributing heavily to the overthrowing of the previous dynasty and the establishment of Joseon, he expected to be appointed as successor to the throne. However, his father and Chief State Councillor Jeong Do-jeon favored Taejo's eighth son and Yi Bang-won's youngest half-brother (second son of Queen Sindeok), Yi Bang-seok. This conflict arose chiefly because Jeong Do-jeon, as the principal architect of the ideological, institutional and legal foundations of the new dynasty, saw Joseon as a kingdom led by its ministers by virtue of the king's appointment. In contrast, Yi Bang-won sought direct rule through an absolute monarchy. These differences ultimately contributed to an environment of deep political tension.
In 1398, following the sudden death of Queen Sindeok, Yi Bang-won led a coup d'état while King Taejo was still in mourning for his second wife. This event led to the deaths of Jeong Do-jeon and his supporters, as well as the deaths of the late Queen Sindeok's two sons, including the crown prince. The incident became known as the 'First Strife of Princes' (제1차 왕자의 난). Aghast at the fact that his sons were willing to kill each other for the crown, and psychologically exhausted by the death of his second wife, Taejo abdicated; his eldest surviving son, Yi Bang-gwa (posthumously King Jeongjong), immediately became the new ruler.
Yi Bang-won quickly emerged as the real force behind the throne and was soon in conflict with his disgruntled elder brother, Yi Bang-gan, who also yearned for power. In 1400, General Park Bo, who found the rewards for his deeds during the First Strife of Princes lacking, allied with Yi Bang-gan and rebelled in what came to be known as the 'Second Strife of Princes' (제2차 왕자의 난). Yi Bang-won successfully defeated his brother's forces, then executed Park Bo and sent Yi Bang-gan into exile. King Jeongjong, now fearful of his formidable younger brother, named Yi Bang-won his successor and abdicated in the same year. At long last, Yi Bang-won (posthumously King Taejong), assumed the throne of Joseon and became the dynasty's third monarch.
Reign
Consolidation of royal power
One of Taejong's first acts as king was to abolish the privilege to maintain private armies which was enjoyed by the aristocracy and the upper echelons of the government. His revoking of the right to keep independent forces effectively severed the upper class' ability to muster large-scale revolts, and drastically increased the number of soldiers employed by the national army.
Taejong's next act was to revise the existing legislation concerning land taxation. With the discovery of previously hidden land, national wealth increased twofold.
In addition, Taejong created a strong central government. In 1400, before taking the throne, he had played a key role in eradicating the Dopyeong Assembly, a branch of the old administration that had monopolized the executive power during the waning years of Goryeo, in favor of the Privy Council; during Taejong's reign, the Privy Council was replaced by the State Council. Taejong also issued a decree according to which all decisions passed by the State Council could only come into effect with the approval of the king. This ended the custom of court ministers making decisions through debate and negotiations among themselves, and thus brought the royal authority to new heights.
Shortly thereafter, Taejong installed a new department known as the Sinmun Office, to hear cases in which aggrieved subjects felt that they had been exploited or treated unjustly by officials or aristocrats. He also placed a big drum in front of the palace, so the common people could beat it to request an audience with the king when they experienced important problems.
Reforms and policies
Depite being the one responsible for Jeong Mong-ju's assassination, Taejong posthumously honored him as Chief State Councillor, leading to a great irony — Jeong Do-jeon, whose policies governed Joseon for five centuries, was vilified throughout the dynasty, while Jeong Mong-ju was revered in spite of his opposition to its founding.
Taejong promoted Confucianism as the state ideology, thus demoting Buddhism, which consequently never recovered the glory and great power it had enjoyed during the Goryeo period. He closed many Buddhist temples; their vast possessions were seized and added to the national treasury.
In foreign policy, he was a straight hardliner — he attacked the Jurchens at the northern border and the Japanese pirates on the southern coast. Taejong is also remembered for being the initiator behind the Ōei Invasion of Tsushima Island in 1419.
He set up the system of hopae, an early form of identification which consisted of tags recording the bearer's name and residence; those tags were used to control the movements of the population.
In 1403, Taejong ordered 100,000 pieces of metal type and two complete fonts. Predating Gutenberg and Laurens Janszoon by several decades, he accomplished the metal movable type.
He promoted publications, commerce and education, and also gave full independence to the Uigeumbu (roughly equivalent to the Supreme Court).
Later life and death
In 1418, Taejong abdicated in favor of his third legitimate son, Yi Do (posthumously Sejong the Great), but continued to rule with an iron fist and decide on important matters.
Along the years, as a means to strengthen royal authority and subdue corruption, he executed or exiled some of the supporters who helped him ascend to the throne, and executed the four brothers of his wife Queen Wongyeong, as well as Sejong's father-in-law Shim On and his younger brother Shim Jeong, in order to limit the influence of in-laws and powerful clans.
King Taejong died four years after his abdication, on 10 May 1422, in Sugang Palace. He was buried alongside Queen Wongyeong at Heonneung (헌릉), Heoninneung Cluster, in present-day Seocho District, Seoul, South Korea.
Legacy
Taejong remains a controversial figure in Korean history who eliminated many of his rivals (such as Jeong Mong-ju and Jeong Do-jeon) and yet ruled effectively to improve the populace's lives, strengthen national defense, and lay down a solid foundation for his successor's reign.
Family
Father: King Taejo of Joseon (조선 태조) (11 October 1335 – 24 May 1408)
Grandfather: Yi Ja-chun, King Hwanjo of Joseon (조선 환조 이자춘) (1315 – 18 April 1360)
Grandmother: Queen Uihye of the Yeongheung Choe clan (의혜왕후 최씨)
Mother: Queen Sinui of the Cheongju Han clan (신의왕후 한씨) (4 September 1337 – 23 September 1391)
Grandfather: Han Gyeong, Internal Prince Ancheon (안천부원군 한경)
Grandmother: Lady Shin of the Saknyeong Shin clan, Grand Princess Consort of Samhan State (삼한국대부인 삭녕 신씨)
Consorts and their respective issue(s):
Queen Wongyeong of the Yeoheung Min clan (원경왕후 민씨) (11 July 1365 – 10 July 1420)
Princess Jeongsun (정순공주) (1385 – 25 August 1460), first daughter
Princess Gyeongjeong (경정공주) (1387 – 6 June 1455), second daughter
First son
Second son
Third son
Princess Gyeongan (경안공주) (1393 – 22 April 1415), third daughter
Yi Je, Grand Prince Yangnyeong (양녕대군 이제) (1394 – 7 September 1462), first (fourth) son
Yi Bo, Grand Prince Hyoryeong (효령대군 이보) (11 December 1395 – 11 May 1486), second (fifth) son
Yi Do, Grand Prince Chungnyeong (충녕대군 이도) (10 April 1397 – 17 February 1450), third (sixth) son
Princess Jeongseon (정선공주) (1404 – 25 January 1424), fourth (fifth) daughter
Yi Jong, Grand Prince Seongnyeong (성녕대군 이종) (9 July 1405 – 4 February 1418), sixth (eleventh) son
Eleventh (sixteenth) son (1412–1412)
Royal Noble Consort Myeong of the (old) Andong Gim clan (명빈 김씨) (? – 1479)
Royal Noble Consort Ui of the Andong Gwon clan (의빈 권씨) (1384 – ?)
Princess Jeonghye (정혜옹주) (? – 6 October 1424), fifth (sixth) daughter
Royal Noble Consort Hyo of the Cheongpung Gim clan (효빈 김씨) (? – 26 February 1454)
Yi Bi, Prince Gyeongnyeong (경녕군 이비) (13 December 1402 – 9 September 1458), fourth (ninth) son
Royal Noble Consort Shin of the Yeongwol Shin clan (신빈 신씨) (1377 – 2 February 1435)
Yi In, Prince Hamnyeong (함녕군 이인) (26 December 1402 – 30 September 1467), fifth (tenth) son
Yi Jeong, Prince Onnyeong (온녕군 이정) (1407 – 12 May 1454), seventh (twelfth) son
Princess Jeongshin (정신옹주) (? – 26 September 1452), sixth (seventh) daughter
Princess Jeongjeong (정정옹주) (1410 – 28 February 1456), seventh (eighth) daughter
Princess Sukjeong (숙정옹주), eighth (ninth) daughter
Princess Suknyeong (숙녕옹주), tenth (twelfth) daughter
Princess Soshin (소신옹주) (? – 16 June 1437), eleventh (thirteenth) daughter
Princess Sosuk (소숙옹주) (? – 12 November 1456), thirteenth (fifteenth) daughter
Princess Sukgyeong (숙경옹주) (1420–1494), sixteenth (eighteenth) daughter
Royal Noble Consort Seon of the Sunheung Ahn clan (선빈 안씨) (? – 17 June 1468)
Yi Ji, Prince Hyeryeong (혜령군 이지) (1407 – 25 June 1440), eighth (thirteenth) son
Yi Chi, Prince Iknyeong (익녕군 이치) (1422 – 10 July 1464), thirteenth (eighteenth) son
Princess Gyeongshin (경신옹주), twelfth (fourteenth) daughter
Princess Sukan (숙안옹주) (? – 12 May 1464), fourteenth (sixteenth) daughter
Royal Noble Consort So of the Jangyeon No clan (소빈 노씨) (? – 23 October 1479)
Princess Sukhye (숙혜옹주) (1413 – 19 July 1464), ninth (eleventh) daughter
Royal Noble Consort Jeong of the Go clan (정빈 고씨) (? – 13 July 1426)
Yi Nong, Prince Geunnyeong (근녕군 이농) (1411 – 15 November 1461), ninth (fourteenth) son
Royal Consort Suk-ui of the Choe clan (숙의 최씨)
Yi Ta, Prince Huiryeong (희령군 이타) (1412 – 7 July 1465), tenth (fifteenth) son
Royal Consort Suk-ui of the Yi clan (숙의 이씨)
Yi Gan, Prince Hunyeong (후령군 이간) (1419 – 6 October 1450), twelfth (seventeenth) son
Royal Princess Sukgong of the Cheongdo Gim clan (숙공궁주 김씨)
Royal Princess Uijeong of the Hanyang Jo clan (의정궁주 조씨) (? – 1454)
Royal Princess Hyesun of the Goseong Yi clan (혜순궁주 이씨) (? – 5 March 1438)
Royal Princess Shinsun of the Seongju Yi clan (신순궁주 이씨) (1390 – ?)
Princess Deoksuk of the Yi clan (덕숙옹주 이씨)
Princess Hyeseon of the Hong clan (혜선옹주 홍씨)
Princess Sunhye of the Andong Jang clan (순혜옹주 장씨) (? – 26 July 1423)
Princess Seogyeong (서경옹주)
Concubine Gim (후궁 김씨)
Princess Sukgeun (숙근옹주) (? – 1 August 1450), fifteenth (seventeenth) daughter
Lady Yi (이씨)
Princess Suksun (숙순옹주) (1421–), seventeenth (nineteenth) daughter
Issue by unknown mother(s):
Fourth daughter (1400–1402)
Seventh son (1400–1401)
Eighth son (1402–1404)
Tenth daughter (1412–1414)
Ancestry
In popular culture
Im Hyuk-joo in the 1983 KBS1 TV series Foundation of the Kingdom.
Lee Jung-gil in the 1983 MBC TV series The King of Chudong Palace.
Yoo Dong-geun in the 1996–1998 KBS1 TV series Tears of the Dragon.
Kim Yeong-cheol in the 2008 KBS TV series The Great King, Sejong and the 2016 KBS1 TV series Jang Yeong-sil.
Baek Yoon-sik in the 2011 SBS TV series Deep Rooted Tree.
Choi Tae-joon in the 2012–2013 SBS TV series The Great Seer.
Park Yeong-gyu in the 2012 film I Am the King.
Ahn Jae-mo in the 2014 KBS1 TV series Jeong Do-jeon.
Ahn Nae-sang in the 2015 JTBC TV series More Than a Maid.
Jang Hyuk in the 2015 film Empire of Lust and the 2019 JTBC TV series My Country: The New Age.
Nam Da-reum and Yoo Ah-in in the 2015–2016 SBS TV series Six Flying Dragons.
Kam Woo-sung in the 2021 SBS TV series Joseon Exorcist.
Joo Sang-wook in the 2021–2022 KBS1 TV series The King of Tears, Lee Bang-won.
See also
List of monarchs of Korea
Cheonsang Yeolcha Bunyajido
Chen Yanxiang (Chinese merchant from Java who was hosted by Taejong during his reign)
References
Notes
1367 births
1422 deaths
15th-century Korean monarchs
Korean Buddhist monarchs
People from Hamhung
Leaders who took power by coup