Jeongjong of Joseon

Jeongjong of Joseon (1 July 1357 – 26 September 1419), personal name Yi Bang-gwa, later Yi Gyeong, was the second ruler of the Joseon dynasty of Korea. He was the second son of King Taejo, the founder of the dynasty. Before rising to power, he was known as Prince Yeongan.
Biography
Born in 1357 as the second son of Yi Seong-gye (posthumously King Taejo) and his first wife Lady Han, he was a prudent, generous, brave, and able military officer. During the latter days of the declining Goryeo dynasty, Jeongjong followed his father to various battlefronts and fought at his side. When his father took the throne in 1392, he became a prince.
Taejo had two wives — the first one, who gave birth to six sons (including Jeongjong), died before he was crowned; the second wife was Lady Gang, with whom he had two sons. The king favored his youngest son, whose mother was Lady Gang. Chief State Councillor Jeong Do-jeon also backed him as successor, causing much resentment in the other princes.
In 1398, Taejo's fifth son, Yi Bang-won (posthumously King Taejong) led a coup along with many military officers and killed his two younger half-brothers, Jeong Do-jeon, and many of his faction. Yi Bang-won first tried to show that he was not interested in the throne, so he gave a push to Yi Bang-gwa (who was the eldest son by then), to be the next crown prince. King Taejo was upset and abdicated in disgust, and Yi Bang-gwa became Joseon's second ruler. The same year he moved the government back to Gaegyeong, the old Goryeo capital.
In 1400, a conflict broke out between Yi Bang-won and his elder brother, Yi Bang-gan. Yi Bang-won's force attacked and defeated that of his Yi Bang-gan's, who was then sent into exile along with his family. General Park Bo, who persuaded Yi Bang-gan into rebellion, was executed. King Jeongjong, knowing that he was a mere political figurehead for his younger brother, appointed him as crown prince and abdicated months later.
He was an able and wise administrator despite his short reign being marked by bloodshed within the royal family.
Jeongjong died in 1419 and was buried alongside his wife, Queen Jeongan, at Huneung (후릉), in present-day P'anmun District, Kaesŏng, North Hwanghae Province, North Korea.
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:
Queen Jeongan of the Gyeongju Gim clan (정안왕후 김씨) (9 January 1355 – 25 June 1412) — No issue.
Royal Noble Consort Seong of the Chungju Ji clan (성빈 지씨)
Yi Hu-saeng, Prince Deokcheon (덕천군 이후생) (1397 – 10 November 1465), tenth son
Yi Mal-saeng, Prince Dopyeong (도평군 이말생) (9 August 1402 – ?), twelfth son
Royal Consort Sug-ui of the Chungju Ji clan (숙의 지씨)
Yi Won-saeng, Prince Uipyeong (의평군 이원생) (1391 – 4 August 1461), first son
Yi Mu-saeng, Prince Seonseong (선성군 이무생) (26 November 1392 – 7 July 1460), fourth son
Yi Ho-saeng, Prince Imseong (임성군 이호생), eleventh son
Princess Hamyang (함양옹주), eldest daughter
Royal Consort Sug-ui of the Haengju Gi clan (숙의 기씨) (? – 13 June 1457)
Yi Gun-saeng, Prince Sunpyeong (순평군 이군생) (1392 – 21 August 1456), second son
Yi Ui-saeng, Prince Geumpyeong (금평군 이의생) (? – 3 November 1435), third son
Yi Yung-saeng, Prince Jeongseok (정석군 이융생) (1409 – 10 October 1464), fourteenth son
Princess Sukshin (숙신옹주), second daughter
Yi Seon-saeng, Prince Murim (무림군 이선생) (1419 – 19 February 1475), fifteenth son
Princess Sangwon (상원옹주), fifth daughter
Royal Consort Sug-ui of the Nampyeong Mun clan (숙의 문씨)
Yi Gwi-saeng, Prince Jongui (종의군 이귀생) (1393 – 26 April 1451), fifth son
Royal Consort Sug-ui of the Haepyeong Yun clan (숙의 윤씨) (1368–1417)
Yi Deok-saeng, Prince Sudo (수도군 이덕생) (15 February 1393 – 10 July 1449), seventh son
Yi Nok-saeng, Prince Imeon (임언군 이녹생) (1399 – 6 August 1450), eighth son
Yi Bok-saeng, Prince Seokbo (석보군 이복생), ninth son
Yi Bo-saeng, Prince Jangcheon (장천군 이보생) (1418 – 15 March 1465), thirteenth son
Princess Incheon (인천옹주), seventh daughter
Royal Consort Sug-ui of the Pyeongchang Yi clan (숙의 이씨) (? – 1443)
Yi Jong-saeng, Prince Jinnam (진남군 이종생) (1406 – 27 November 1470), sixth son
Royal Princess Gaui of the Yu clan (가의궁주 유씨)
Yi Bul-no (이불노) (1388–1410), unacknowledged son
Cho Gung-jang (초궁장)
Issue by unknown mother(s):
Princess Deokcheon (덕천옹주), third daughter
Princess Goseong (고성옹주), fourth daughter
Princess Jeonsan (전산옹주), sixth daughter
Princess Haman (함안옹주), eighth daughter
Ancestry
In popular culture
Portrayed by Nam Seong-sik in the 1983 KBS TV series Foundation of the Kingdom.
Portrayed by Lee Young-ho in the 1983 MBC TV series The King of Chudong Palace.
Portrayed by Tae Min-young in the 1996–1998 KBS TV series Tears of the Dragon.
Portrayed by No Young-gook in the 2008 KBS TV series The Great King, Sejong.
Portrayed by Oh Hee-joon in the 2012–2013 SBS TV series The Great Seer.
Portrayed by Lee Tae-rim in the 2014 KBS1 TV series Jeong Do-jeon.
Portrayed by Seo Dong-won in the 2015–2016 SBS TV series Six Flying Dragons.
Portrayed by Kim Myung-soo in the 2021 KBS1 TV series The King of Tears, Lee Bang-won.
See also
List of monarchs of Korea
References
Notes
1357 births
1419 deaths
14th-century Korean monarchs
15th-century Korean monarchs
People from Hamhung