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Cheoljong of Joseon

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Cheoljong
철종
哲宗
King of Joseon
Reign1849–1863
PredecessorHeonjong
SuccessorGojong
Born1831
Died1863 (aged 31–32)
SpouseQueen Cheonin, the daughter of Kim Mun-geun
Park Gwi-in, concubine
Jo Gwi-in, concubine
Lee Gwi-in, concubine
Bang Suk-ui, concubine
Beom Suk-ui, concubine
Palace Lady Lee, concubine
Palace Lady Kim, concubine
Palace Lady Park, concubine
Issuea son
two daughters
Princess Yeonghye, Marquise Park Yeong-hyo
FatherJeongye, Prince of the Great Court
MotherYeom Yongseong

Template:Contains Korean text

Cheoljong of Joseon
Hangul
Hanja
Revised RomanizationCheoljong
McCune–ReischauerCh'ŏljong

King Cheoljong (25 July 1831 – 13 December 1863, r. 1849–1863) was the 25th king of the Korean Joseon Dynasty. He was a distant relative of King Yeongjo.[1]

Background

At the beginning of the 19th century, the Andong Kim clan, who had provided the Joseon state with several queens, had seized power almost everywhere in Korea. The social stagnation that resulted was a breeding ground for unrest. Corruption and embezzlement from the treasury and its inevitable exploitation were taken to extreme levels, and reached staggering proportions. One rebellion after another was accompanied by natural disasters. Indeed it was one of the most gloomy periods in the country’s history.[2]

The only aim of the Andong Kim clan was the preservation of their influence. Their fierce campaign truly to dominate the royal house had led to a situation in which almost all of the representatives of the royal family fled from Seoul. When the royal family produced intelligent and appropriate candidates for the accession, they were either accused of treason and executed or sent into exile, so when Heonjong died, leaving no son, no acceptable candidate could be found to succeed to the throne.[2]

Life

Cheoljong ascended to the throne in 1849 at the age of 19 after King Heonjong died without an heir. As a distant relative of King Yeongjo, the 21st king of Joseon, Cheoljong was selected for adoption by the Dowager Queen at the time and to allow him to ascend to the throne. The future Cheoljong was found on Ganghwa Island where his family had fled to hide from oppression.

When the envoys (dispatched in order to seek for the future king) arrived on Ganghwa Island, they found the remaining clan of the Yi's barely surviving in wretched poverty.[3] In 1849, at the age of 18, Yi Byeon/Seong[4] (the future Cheoljong), the 3rd son of Prince Jeon-gye (great-grandson of King Yeongjo), was proclaimed King, amidst obvious degradation and poverty. Though from the start of the Joseon Dynasty Korean kings had given top priority to the education of their sons, Cheoljong could not even read a single word on the notice delivering congratulations to him on his elevation to the royal throne.[2]

For the Andong Kims, Cheoljong was an excellent choice. His illiteracy made him manipulable and vulnerable to their control. Proof of this was that even though Cheoljong ruled the country for 13 years, until his very last days he had not yet learned how to move with dignity or how to wear royal clothes, so that in even the most luxurious of robes he still looked like a fisherman.[2]

As part of the Andong Kim's manipulation of Cheoljong, in 1851, the clan married Cheoljong to Kim Mun-geun, daughter of a member of the clan, known posthumously as Queen Cheol-in.[2]

Death

He died without a male heir at the age of 32 in December 1863, by suspected foul play by the Andong Kim clan, the same clan that had made him king. Despite having five sons and six daughters, only one child, a daughter, lived past infancy.

Family

Monarchs of Korea
Joseon monarchs
Taejo 1392–1398
Jeongjong 1398–1400
Taejong 1400–1418
Sejong 1418–1450
Munjong 1450–1452
Danjong 1452–1455
Sejo 1455–1468
Yejong 1468–1469
Seongjong 1469–1494
Yeonsangun 1494–1506
Jungjong 1506–1544
Injong 1544–1545
Myeongjong 1545–1567
Seonjo 1567–1608
Gwanghaegun 1608–1623
Injo 1623–1649
Hyojong 1649–1659
Hyeonjong 1659–1674
Sukjong 1674–1720
Gyeongjong 1720–1724
Yeongjo 1724–1776
Jeongjo 1776–1800
Sunjo 1800–1834
Heonjong 1834–1849
Cheoljong 1849–1864
Gojong 1864–1897
  • Father: Great Prince Jeongye (전계대원군, 1785–1841)
  • Mother: Princess Consort Yeongseong of the Yeom clan (용성부대부인 염씨)
  • Consorts and their Respective Issue(s):
  1. Queen Cheonin of the Andong Kim clan (철인왕후 김씨, 1837–1878)[5]
    1. No issue
  2. Second Queen from Hong family - name "Hyo-Jeong"
  3. Park Gwi-in (귀인 박씨)
  4. Jo Gwi-in (귀인 조씨)
  5. Lee Gwi-in (귀인 이씨)
    1. A Son [6]
    2. Two Daughters [7]
  6. Bang Suk-ui (숙의 방씨)
  7. Bŏm Suk-ui (숙의 범씨)
    1. Princess Yŏnghye (영혜옹주, 1859 – July 4, 1872). She married Marquis Park Yŏng-hyo and was the grandmother of Lady Park Chan-ju, who later married her fifth cousin Wu, Prince of Korea
  8. Palace Lady Lee (궁인 이씨)
  9. Palace Lady Kim (궁인 김씨)
  10. Palace Lady Park (궁인 박씨)

Hanja name

The King's name in Hanja is 李昪. In Korean, it is Yi Byŏn. However, in most Chinese materials, his name is often misrecognized as 李昇, which is pronounced as Yi Sŏng. This is a very serious yet very popular error, as the character 昪 is a very rare word. 昇, however, is a very common one. Therefore, we need to take care when searching.

Titles

His full posthumous name

  • King Cheoljong Huiyun Jeonggeuk Sudeok Sunseong Heummyung Gwangdo Donwon Changhwa Munhyeon Museong Heonin Yeonghyo the Great of Korea
  • 철종희윤정극수덕순성흠명광도돈원창화문현무성헌인영효대왕
  • 哲宗熙倫正極粹德純聖欽命光道敦元彰化文顯武成獻仁英孝大王

Ancestry

Family of Cheoljong of Joseon
King Yeongjo
Crown Prince Sado
Royal Noble Consort Yeong of the Lee Clan
Prince Euneon
Royal Noble Consort Suk of the Im Clan
Jeongye, Prince of the Great Court
Yi Byeon, King Cheolijong
Yeom Yongseong

References

  1. ^ Neff, Robert (4 January 2013). "Child kings". Korea Times. Retrieved 25 March 2013.
  2. ^ a b c d e http://www.gkn-la.net/history_resources/queen_min_tmsimbirtseva_1996.htm
  3. ^ Since he was found at Ganghwa Island in poverty, he was also known as "The Woodcutter Prince of Ganghwa Island".
  4. ^ Cheoljong of Joseon#Hanja name
  5. ^ Daughter of Kim Mun-geun (김문근) and Lady Min
  6. ^ Born on August 08, 1862.
  7. ^ The first one was born on December 13, 1858
  8. ^ Prince Jeongye was the son of Prince Euneon, who was the son of Prince Sado, who was the son of King Yeongjo)(r. 1724–1776)

Further reading

  • Byeon Tae-seop (변태섭) (1999). 韓國史通論 (Hanguksa tongnon) (Outline of Korean history), 4th ed. ISBN 89-445-9101-6.
  • Cummings, Bruce. (1997). Korea's Place in the Sun: A Modern History. New York. ISBN 0-393-04011-9

See also

Cheoljong of Joseon
Born: 1831 Died: 1863
Regnal titles
Preceded by King of Korea
Joseon
1849–1863
with Queen Sunwon (1849–1852) 		Succeeded by

Template:Persondata

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