Sukjong of Joseon

Infobox Korean name
hangul=숙종
hanja=肅宗
rr=Sukjong
mr=Sukchong
hangulborn=이순
hanjaborn=李焞
rrborn=I Sun
mrborn=I Sun

Sukjong (1661-1720) was the 19th king of the Joseon Dynasty of Korea from 1674-1720.

History

King Sukjong was born August 15, 1661 to King Hyeonjong and Queen Myeongseong in Gyeongdeok Palace. His given name was "Yi Sun". He became the Crown Prince in 1667 at age 7, and in 1674, at age 14, he became the 19th ruler of the Joseon Dynasty.

King Sukjong was a brilliant politician, but his reign was not all peaceful. He finalized an ongoing political argument between the "West Faction" headed by Song Si-yeol and the "South Faction" headed by Kim Suk-ju, (who was Queen Myeongseong's cousin) which began during the reign of Sukjong's father, King Hyeonjong. (see Royal Funeral Dispute).

In 1712, Sukjong's government worked with the Qing Dynasty in China to define the national borders between the two countries at the Yalu and Tumen Rivers.

King Sukjong had three Queens and three concubines, three sons and six daughters (see family tree below). He died after 46 years of reign in 1720 at age 60. He was buried in Myeongnyeung in Gyeonggi province, Goyang City inside Western Five Royal Graves.

King Sukjong's Family

ukjong's Consorts

Queen Ingyeong (1661-1680)

Daughter of Kim Man-gi [Entitled as "Internal Prince Gwangseong" (광성부원군)] and Lady Han [Entitled as "Seowon, Princess Consort to the Internal Prince" (서원부부인)] . She was married at age 10 and titled Crown Princess Consort to then Crown Prince (King Sukjong). In 1674 she became the Queen. She had three daughters, all of whom died at birth. In October 1680, at age 20, she showed signs of Pox and died 8 days later in Gyeongdeok Palace. She was buried in Ik-rueng in Gyeonggi province. She has sired 3 daughters, all of whom died in childbirth.

She was given the posthumous title "Queen Ingyeong, "Gwangryeol Hyojang Myeonghyeon Seonmok Hyeseong Sunui" (광렬효장명현선목혜성순의인경왕후 光烈孝莊明顯宣穆惠聖純懿仁敬王后).

Queen Inhyeon (1667-1701)

Daughter of Min Yu-jung [Entitled as "Internal Prince Yeoyang" (여양부원군)] and Lady Song [Entitled as "Eunseong, Princess Consort to the Internal Prince" (은성부부인)] , she became King Sukjong's second queen by marriage in 1681. She is perhaps one of the best known queens of the Joseon dynasty. Her life was portrayed in many Korean historical dramas. When "So-eui" (third highest title for king's concubines) Lady Jang (her given name was Ok-jeong) produced a son (later Gyeongjong) in 1688, it created a bloody dispute called Gi-Sa Hwanguk. During this time, the king wanted to give his eldest son the title of Crown Prince and wanted to promote Lady Jang from "So-ei") to "Hee-bin" (the highest title for the king's concubines). This action was opposed by the "No-ron" party (headed by Song Si-yeol, and of which the queen's father was a member); and was backed by the "So-ron" party (of which Jang Hee-Jae, Lady Jang's older brother, was a member). King Sukjong became angry at the opposition, and many were killed including Song Si-yeol. Many including Queen In-hyeon and her family were forced into exile. Lady Jang became the queen. Later in 1694 the King, feeling remorse at his temperamental actions, gave in to a movement for Queen Inhyeon's reinstatement led by So-ron party (Gapseol Sahwa). She was brought back to the palace and re-named queen. (Lady Jang was demoted to "hee-bin"). In 1701, at age 35 she became ill and died of an unknown disease. It has been said that Lady Jang brought a Shamanist priestess into the palace and prayed for the Queen's death. When this was discovered by the king she was executed for her actions. One of the queen's lady's maids wrote a book called "In-Hyeon Wanghu Jeon" ("Queen In-Hyeon's Biography") which still exists today. She is buried in Myeong-reung in Kyeonggi Province, and the King was later buried near her in the same area. She has no issue to Sukjong.

She is given the posthumous title "Queen Inhyeon, "Hyogyeong Sukseong Jangsun Wonhwa Uiyeol Jeongmok" (효경숙성장순원화의열정목인현왕후 孝敬淑聖莊純元化懿烈貞穆仁顯王后).

Queen Inwon (1687-1757)

Daughter of Kim Joo-shin [Entitled as "Internal Prince Gyeongeun" (경은부원군)] and Lady Jo [Entitled as "Garim, Princess Consort to the Internal Prince" (가림부부인)] , she married and became the third queen of King Sukjong at age of 15, in 1702, after Queen In-hyeon's death in 1701. She survived Pox in 1711. She became Dowager Queen (Wangdaebi) after her husband's death in 1720, and Daewangdaebi in 1724 after Kyeongjong (stepson by Lady Jang (hee-bin) died and Yeongjo (her other stepson by Lady Choe (Suk-bin) whom she favored became King. She had no children and died in 1757 at age of 70, and was buried near King Sukjong and Queen In-hyeon in Kyeonggi Province. She has no issue to Sukjong.

She was given the posthumous title "Queen Inwon, "Hyesun Jagyeong Heonryeol Gwangseon Hyeonik Kangseong Jeongdeok Suchang Yeongbok Yunghwa Hwijeong Jeongwoon Jeongui Jangmok" (혜순자경헌렬광선현익강성정덕수창영복융화휘정정운정의장목인원왕후 惠順慈敬獻烈光宣顯翼康聖貞德壽昌永福隆化徽精正運定懿章穆仁元王后).

Lady Jang Ok-jeong (hee-bin status) (1659-1701)

Her given name was Ok-jeong. She is only known to be a niece of a tradesman Jang Hyeon and no records of who her father was. However, there are rumors that her father was Cho Sa-seok who is Queen Jang-ryeol's brother because Ok-jeong's mother was his well known mistress.

Ok-jeong became Queen Jang-ryeol (King Injo's second queen)'s lady's maid at recommendation of Dongpyunggun (King Sukjong's cousin). Then in 1686, King Sukjong discovered her after a visit with his step grandmother (Dowager Queen Jang-ryeol) and made her his concubine and gave her the title of sook-won (4th class). In 1688 she was promoted to "so-ui" (3rd class) and in 1689 she gave birth to a son (later Kyeongjong) and was became "hee-bin" (1st class). When Queen In-hyeon was forced into exile in May 1688, she became the queen back by So-ron party and her son was titled the Crown Prince (see Queen In-Hyun) and created a bloody event.

Later in 1694, Lady Jang was demoted back to hee-bin, when Queen In-Hyun was reinstated. In 1701, Queen In-Hyun died of an unknown disease and she was discovered by King Sukjong in her chambers with her brother Jang Hui-jae and a Shamanism Priestess praying for Queen In-hyeon's death and her reinstatement. Lady Jang, her brother, and anyone involved was arrested and sentenced to death by poisoning. She was 43, and had two children: the future Gyeongjong and Princess Seongsu.

After this King Sukjong made a law prohibiting concubines from being allowed to become Queens in the future. Lady Jang left many folk stories behind including her greed over power, and a story involving right before her death with her son then the Crown Prince (future Kyeongjong).

Lady Choe (Suk-bin)

There are no records of her life before she became King Sukjong's concubine. She was a water maid in the palace. One night, she was praying in her chamber for Queen In-hyeon's wellness when King Sukjong, who was crossing outside after a trip outside of the palace, heard her and, moved by her kindness, (the king was having his regret at that time) made her his concubine. She became sook-bin after the birth of a son (the future Yeongjo) in 1694 and Princess Yeongsu.

She was given the posthumous title "Lady Hwagyeong, Royal Noble Consort Sook of the Choi clan" (화경숙빈최씨 和瓊淑嬪崔氏).

Lady Park (Myeong-bin)

No known records only a fact the she was a daughter of nobility ("yangban"). She had one son, Prince Yeonryeong.

List of Sukjong's family

*Father: King Hyeonjong (현종)
*Mother: Queen Myeongseong of the Kim clan (명성왕후 김씨)
*Consorts:
# Queen Ingyeong of the Kim clan (인경왕후 김씨, 1661-1680)
# Queen Inhyeon of the Yeoheung Min clan (인현왕후 민씨, 1667-1701)
# Queen Inwon of the Kim clan (인원왕후 김씨, 1687-1757)
# Royal Noble Consort Hee of the Jang clan (희빈 장씨)
# Royal Noble Consort Sook of the Choi clan (숙빈 최씨)
# Royal Noble Consort Myeong of the Park clan (명빈 박씨)
# Royal Noble Consort Yeong of the Kim clan (영빈 김씨)
# Kim "Gwi-in" (귀인 김씨)
# Yu "So-ui" (소의 유씨)
*Issue:
# Royal Prince Successor (왕세자), Only Son of Royal Noble Consort Hee of the Jang clan.
# Prince Yeoning (연잉군), Only Son of Royal Noble Consort Sook of the Choi clan.
# Prince Yeonryeong (연령군, 1699-1719), Only Son of Royal Noble Consort Yeong of the Kim clan.
# Princess Seongsu (성수옹주), Only Daughter of Royal Noble Consort Hee of the Jang clan.
# Princess Yeongsu (영수옹주), Only Daughter of Royal Noble Consort Sook of the Choi clan.

His full posthumous name

* King Sukjong Hyeoneui Gwangyun Yeseong Yeongryeol Yumo Yeongun Hongin Jundeok Baecheon Habdo Gyehyu Dokgyung Jeongjung Hyeopgeuk Sineui Daehun Jangmun heonmu Gyungmyung Wonhyo the Great of Korea
* 숙종현의광윤예성영렬유모영운홍인준덕배천합도계휴독경정중협극신의대훈장문헌무경명원효대왕
* 肅宗顯義光倫睿聖英烈裕謨永運洪仁峻德配天合道啓休篤慶正中協極神毅大勳章文憲武敬明原孝大王

References

ee also

* History of Korea
* List of monarchs of Korea
* Joseon Dynasty
* Sukjong of Goryeo
* Empress Myeongseong - Inhyeon's descendant through Myeongseong's father Min Chi-rok