Cheoljong of Joseon

Cheoljong
철종
哲宗
King of Joseon
Reign 1849–1863
Predecessor Heonjong
Successor Gojong
Born 1831
Died 1863 (aged 31–32)
Spouse Queen 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
Issue a son
two daughters
Princess Yeonghye, Marquise Park Yeong-hyo
Father Jeongye, Prince of the Great Court
Mother Yeom Yongseong
Cheoljong of Joseon
Hangul 철종
Hanja 哲宗
Revised Romanization Cheoljong
McCune–Reischauer Ch'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 Cheorin.[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

  1. Queen Cheorin 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 Hangul, 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 common error, as the character 昪 is a rare word. 昇, however, is a common one.

Titles

His full posthumous name

Ancestry

See also

References

  1. ↑ Neff, Robert (4 January 2013). "Child kings". Korea Times. Retrieved 25 March 2013.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2006-02-17. Retrieved 2007-02-19.
  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

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