Crown Prince Uigyeong (; 12 October 1438 – 29 September 1457), personal name Yi Jang () and formerly called as Prince Dowon () was a Crown prince of the Korean Joseon Dynasty. He was the oldest son of Sejo of Joseon and Queen Jeonghui, also the older brother of Yejong of Joseon. He was the spouse of Queen Insu and the biological father of Seongjong of Joseon.

Biography

He was the eldest grandson of King Sejong the Great, eldest son of seventh King Sejo of Joseon and father of ninth King Seongjong of Joseon. He was titled as Prince Dowon until his father's accession to the throne. In 1450, he married with Han Do-san (later Crown Princess Consort Su), the daughter of Han Hwak, a diplomat and politician who became Left or Second State Councillor during the Sejo era.

Uigyeong and Su had their first son, Grand Prince Wolsan, born on 14 January 1455, had their first daughterPrincess Myeongsuk born in 1456, and, unknowingly, had their last son and child on 28 August 1457, Grand Prince Jalsan (later Seongjong of Joseon).

Just about a month later on 29 September 1457, the crown Prince died from unknown causes, but some say he was cursed by the late Queen Hyeondeok. Due to the fact her son, the former king, Prince Nosan was executed by the crown prince’s father (the latter’s uncle), Sejo of Joseon.

After his death, his wife and children were granted and allowed to stay within the palace by Sejo’s orders. But the former crown princess did not want to impose her stay and thus bringing her father-in-law to build Gyeongun Palace (now known as Deoksu Palace) for them to stay nearby the main palace. 

Her brother-in-law, Grand Prince Haeyang, became the new Crown Prince and soon became king of Joseon in 1468. He later died in 1469 and which finally left the throne to her youngest son, Seongjong of Joseon instead of her eldest, Grand Prince Wolsan. But because her son was made the adoptive son of his uncle, Yejong of Joseon, and her third cousin, Queen Ansun, prior to his accession, it wasn’t until 1474 that Lady Han had to be granted the Mother-of-the-King title, becoming Queen Dowager Insu (인수대비). Which made her status senior than that of Queen Dowager Inhye despite the former Queen being the wife of the former King and the legal mother of the current monarch.

In 1470, Uigyeong was posthumously honored as “King Deokjong” (덕종) when his son, Seongjong accessed the throne, while his wife was honored as "Queen Insu" (인수왕비) but with an unspecified status. 

The tomb of Uigyeong is located at Gyeongneung Royal Tomb, Goyang. This is a very simple one, since he was only a Crown Prince at his death in 1457. On the other hand, the 1504 tomb of his spouse was built in full regalia, and placed at the left of his tomb, since Insu was then the deceased Grand Queen Dowager, with the posthumous name Queen Sohye (소혜왕후).

Family
Father: King Sejo of Joseon (16 November 1417 – 2 October 1468) (세조 조선)
Grandfather: King Sejong of Joseon (15 May 1397 – 30 March 1450) (세종 조선)
Grandmother: Queen Soheon of the Cheongsong Sim clan (20 October 1395 – 28 April 1446) (소헌왕후 심씨)
Mother: Queen Jeonghui of the Papyeong Yun clan (23 December 1418 – 15 May 1483) (정희왕후 윤씨)
Grandfather: Yun Beon (1384 - 1448) (윤번)
Grandmother: Lady Lee of the Incheon Lee clan (1383 - 1456) (인천 이씨)
Consort and their respective issue(s):
Han Do-san, Queen Sohye of the Cheongju Han clan (16 October 1437 – 21 May 1504) (소혜왕후 한씨)
Yi Jeong, Grand Prince Wolsan (14 January 1455 – 31 January 1489) (이정 월산대군)
Yi Gyeong-geun, Princess Myeongsuk (1456 – 23 November 1482) (명숙공주)
Yi Hyeol, Grand Prince Jalsan (28 August 1457 – 29 January 1495) (이혈 잘산군)
Consort Gwi-in of the Andong Kwon clan (? - 8 June 1494) (귀인 권씨) — No issue.
Consort Gwi-in of the Papyeong Yun clan (귀인 윤씨) — No issue.
Consort Suk-ui of the Geochang Shin clan (? - 16 June 1476) (숙의 신씨) — No issue.

Popular culture
 Portrayed by Baek Sung-hyun in the 2011 JTBC TV series Insu, The Queen Mother.
 Portrayed by Kwon Hyun-sang in the 2011 KBS2 TV series The Princess' Man.

Sources

References

External links 
 Crown Prince Uigyeong @NATE 

House of Yi
1438 births
1457 deaths
15th-century Korean monarchs
Korean princes
15th-century Korean calligraphers
People from Seoul
Heirs apparent who never acceded
Crown princes