Grand Prince Yangnyeong
Grand Prince Yangnyeong (Hangul: 양녕대군, Hanja: 讓寧大君, 1394–1462) was a former Crown Prince of the Joseon Dynasty of Korea. He was the first son and fourth child of King Taejong and his wife, Queen Wongyeong. Yangnyeong was the elder brother of Sejong the Great, and an ancestor of Syngman Rhee, an independence activist and the first President of South Korea.
| Yi Je 이제 | |
|---|---|
| Crown Prince of Joseon | |
| Tenure | 1403 – 1417[1] |
| Predecessor | Crown Prince Yi Bang-won |
| Successor | Crown Prince Yi Do |
| Born | 1394 Hanseong, Kingdom of Joseon |
| Died | September 7, 1462 (aged 67–68) |
| Burial | |
| Wife | Princess Consort Suseong of the Gwangsan Kim clan |
| Clan | Jeonju Yi clan |
| Dynasty | House of Yi |
| Father | Taejong of Joseon |
| Mother | Queen Wongyeong of the Yeoheung Min clan |
| Religion | Neo-confucianism |
| Korean name | |
| Hangul | 양녕대군 |
|---|---|
| Hanja | 讓寧大君 |
| Revised Romanization | Yangnyeong Daegun |
| McCune–Reischauer | Yangnyŏng Taegun |
| Birth name | |
| Hangul | 이제 |
| Hanja | 李禔 |
| Revised Romanization | Yi Je |
| McCune–Reischauer | Yi Che |
| Courtesy name | |
| Hangul | 후백 |
| Hanja | 厚伯 |
| Revised Romanization | Hubaek |
| McCune–Reischauer | Hupaek |
| Posthumous name | |
| Hangul | 강정 |
| Hanja | 剛靖 |
| Revised Romanization | Gangjeong |
| McCune–Reischauer | Kangjŏng |
Biography
He was born as Yi Je (Hangul: 이제, Hanja: 李禔) in 1394. Originally his father appointed him as the Crown Prince but he eventually executed Queen Wongyeong's brothers and in the 18th year of his reign replaced prince Yangnyeong with his third son prince Chungnyeong as his successor.[2] Known for his literature and calligraphy skills, the former Crown Prince viewed himself as lacking in the requisite skills for kingship and believed that Sejong was destined to become king.
Considering it his duty to make Sejong king, he purposely acted extremely rude in court. On May 1415, he caused a scandal when he had an affair with Chogungjang, the kisaeng of his uncle and former king, Jeongjong. Yangnyeong was unaware that Chogungjang was his uncle's woman.[3] On 15 February 1417, Yangnyeong secretly brought in Eori, the concubine of Gwak Seon, into the palace. She later became pregnant with the crown prince's child. Due to Yangnyeong's behavior, King Taejong dethroned Crown Prince Yangnyeong from the role of the crown prince on 3 June 1418.[4] Grand Prince Hyoryeong, Yangnyeong's second brother, had similar feelings about Chungyeong being king, and so he became a monk in a Buddhist temple. It is possible that King Taejong’s willingness to execute troublesome family members helped to encourage his first two sons to step aside, allowing King Taejong's third and favorite son to become King Sejong. This plot ultimately brought Sejong to the throne. Later, Yangnyeong became a wandering traveler and lived in the mountains.[5]
After Sejong had taken the throne, the relationship between the brothers became strong, and Sejong often invited Yangnyeong to the palace.
Yangnyeong lived as a wanderer and died in 1462, almost living for 68 years.[6]
The tomb of Prince Yangneong was reopened in 2018 to the public after 18 years of closure.[7]
Family
- Father: King Taejong of Joseon (조선 태종) (13 June 1367 - 30 May 1422)
- Grandfather: King Taejo of Joseon (조선 태조) (27 October 1335 - 18 June 1408)
- Grandmother: Queen Shinui of the Anbyeon Han clan (신의왕후 한씨) (1337 - 21 October 1391)
- Mother: Queen Wongyeong of the Yeoheung Min clan (원경왕후 민씨) (29 July 1365 - 18 August 1420)
- Grandfather: Min Je (민제, 閔霽) (1339 - 1408)
- Grandmother: Lady Song of the Yeosan Song clan (여산 송씨, 礪山 宋氏) (1342 - 1424)
- Consorts and their respective issue:
- Princess Consort Suseong of the Gwangsan Kim clan (수성군부인 김씨)[8][9][10]
- Princess Jaeryeong (재령군주) or Princess Jeonui (전의현주) (1409 - 1444)[11]
- Yi Gae, Prince Sunseong (이개 순성군) (? - 2 September 1462)[12][13]
- Princess Yangcheon (영천군주) (1412 - 5 April 1442)[14]
- Yi Po, Prince Hamyang (이포 함양군) (1417 - 21 June 1475)[15]
- Yi Hye, Prince Seosan (이혜 서산군) (? - 10 April 1451)[16]
- Princess Yi of the Jeonju Yi clan (현주 이씨)[17]
- Princess Yeongpyeong (영평현주)[18]
- Princess Yi of the Jeonju Yi clan (현주 이씨)[19]
- Kisaeng Bong Ji-ryeon (기생 봉지련)[20]
- Unknown concubine
- Yi Gyeom (이겸)
- Yi Heun (이흔)[21]
- Yi Seong (이성)
- Yi Sun (이순)
- Yi Sim (이심)
- Yi Gwang-seok (이광석)
- Yi Gwang-geun (이광근)
- Kisaeng Eori (기생 어리)
- Princess Yi of the Jeonju Yi clan (현주 이씨)[22]
- Kisaeng Chogungjang (초궁장)[23][24]
- Kisaeng Jeonghyang (기생 정향)
- Kisaeng Chil Jeom-saeng (기생 칠점생)
- Unknown concubine
- Unknown slave
- Lady Yi[32][33]
- Princess Yi Gu-ji (현주 이구지)[34][35]
- Unknown concubine
Popular culture
- Portrayed by Song Ki-yoon in the 1983 MBC TV series The King of Chudong Palace.
- Portrayed by Lee Min-woo in the 1996-1998 KBS1 TV series Tears of the Dragon.
- Portrayed by Park Sang-min, Jung Chan-woo and Lee In in the 2008 KBS2 TV series King Sejong the Great.
- Portrayed by Park Woong in the 2011 JTBC TV series Insu, The Queen Mother.
- Portrayed by Baek Do-bin in the 2012 film I Am the King.
- Portrayed by Lee Byung-wook in the 2016 KBS1 TV series Jang Yeong-sil.
- Portrayed by Lee Tae-ri, Kim Joon-ui and Kim In-woo in the 2021-2022 KBS1 TV series The King of Tears, Lee Bang-won.
Trivia
Today, his descendants form one of the biggest branches of the House of Yi. In addition, it is believed that the plaque on the Namdaemun Gate was personally written by him.[39]
He was an ancestor of Syngman Rhee, an independence activist and the first South Korean president.
References
- ^ In lunar calendar, 6 August 1404 - 3 June 1418
- ^ Yi, Pae-Yong (2008). Women in Korean History 한국 역사 속의 여성들. ISBN 9788973007721.
- ^ "[이기환의 흔적의 역사] 태종이 밝힌 양녕대군 폐세자 이유, "대체 너 땜에 몇명이 죽었냐"". Kyunghyang Shinmun (in Korean). 13 June 2019. Retrieved 28 October 2021.
- ^ Park, Hong-Kyu (December 22, 2006). "King Taejong as a statesman: From power to authority". Korea Journal. 46 (4). Retrieved 28 October 2021.
- ^ Naver Encyclopedia, "양녕대군 [讓寧大君, 1394~1462]", Naver"
- ^ Naver Encyclopedia, "양녕대군 [讓寧大君, 1394~1462]", Naver"
- ^ "Tomb of Grand Prince Yangnyeong to reopen to public in 18 years". www.donga.com. Retrieved 2019-11-24.
- ^ Was firstly given the title of Crown Princess Consort Suk (숙빈, 淑嬪) when she married. When her husband was deposed, she given the title of Grand Lady Samhanguk (국대부인, 三韓國大夫人). In the 14th year of reign of Sejong, the king changed her given title to Princess Consort Suseong (수성부부인 광산 김씨, 隨城府夫人 光山 金氏)
- ^ Was Crown Princess of Joseon from 1407 to 1418
- ^ Eldest daughter of Kim Han-ro (김한로, 金漢老) (1358 - ?) and Lady Jeon (전씨)
- ^ Married Yi Ja (이자, 李孜) and had a son, Yi Jeung-seok (이증석, 李曾碩) (1427 - ?). His grandson, Yi Bo (이보, 李人+甫)’s daughter married Yun Won-Gae (윤원개, 尹元凱) (the older brother of Queen Munjeong)
- ^ Married Lady Shin (신씨, 申氏) (? - 27 November 1453) and had no issue.
- ^ With a concubine from Yangmin, he had a son Yi Sa-jong (이사종, 李嗣宗)
- ^ Married Yi Ja (지돈녕 이자)
- ^ Married Princess Consort Taein of the Yi clan (태인군부인 이씨, 泰仁郡夫人 李氏)
- ^ Married Princess Consort Yangcheon of the Ansan Kim clan (양천군부인 안산 김씨, 陽川郡夫人 安山 金氏) (? - 5 June 1464), and had 2 sons: Yi Shin, Prince Hakrim (학림군 이신, 鶴林君 李頤) and Yi Bin, Prince Chwiseong (취성군 이빈, 鷲城君 李頻)
- ^ Married Yi Beon (이번, 李蕃)
- ^ Married Kim Cheol-gyun (김철균, 金哲勻)
- ^ Married Park Su-jong (박수종)
- ^ She was a courtesan who fell in love with Grand Prince Yangnyeong 4 years after his marriage.
- ^ Became the 15 great-grandfather of Rhee Seung-man
- ^ Married Yi Jong-gyeong (이종경, 李宗慶)
- ^ Lady Chogungjang was also the lover of King Jeongjong, the uncle of Grand Prince Yangnyeong
- ^ A kisaeng from Hwangju who comforted Jeongjong after his abdication, and was involved in the eventual stripping of Prince Yangnyeong's title as "Crown Prince" [Taejong Sillok].
- ^ Married Kim Am (김암, 金巖)
- ^ Married Kim Seung-gan (김승간, 金承幹)
- ^ Married Kim Oh (김오, 金澳)
- ^ Married Kim Won (김원, 金瑗)
- ^ Was the first wife of Han Chi-yeong (한치형, 韓致亨) (1434 - 30 October 1502)
- ^ Han later became Chief State Councilor (영의정, in April 11, 1500) & the Internal Prince Cheongseong (청성부원군)
- ^ Han is the nephew of Han Hwak and a cousin of Queen Insu
- ^ Married Gwon Chi-jung (권치중, 權致中)
- ^ Their granddaughter, Royal Consort Suk-ui of the Gwon clan (숙의 권씨), became a concubine for King Yeonsangun
- ^ Married Gwon Deok-yeong (권덕영, 權德榮) and had 2 sons
- ^ With a slave, she had a daughter
- ^ Married Yu Seok-beon (유석번, 兪碩蕃)
- ^ Married Kim Ui (김의, 金儀)
- ^ Married Im Jung (임중, 林重)
- ^ Naver Encyclopedia, "양녕대군 [讓寧大君, 1394~1462]", Naver"
External links
- Prince Yangnyeong:Korean historical person information 2012-06-15 at the Wayback Machine (in Korean)
- 왕위 버리고 자유 택하다 오마이뉴스 2006.09.15
- Prince Yangnyeong:Navercast (in Korean)
- Prince Yangnyeong (in Korean)
References
- Kim Haboush, JaHyun and Martina Deuchler (1999). Culture and the State in Late Chosŏn Korea. Cambridge: Harvard University Press. ISBN 9780674179820; OCLC 40926015
- Lee, Peter H. (1993). Sourcebook of Korean Civilization, Vol. 1. New York: Columbia University Press. ISBN 9780231079129; ISBN 9780231079143; ISBN 9780231104449; OCLC 26353271
- Lee Bae-yong (2008). Women in Korean History. Seoul: Ewha Womans University Press. ISBN 9788973007721