Cheoljong of Joseon
![]() | Full dates used here are a mix of Gregorian and Joseon lunar calendar. Joseon lunar adaptations, as checked using,[1] are tagged as 舊 (old style). Gregorian adaptations, when asserted in a reliable source, are tagged by AD. Using Western-style name of the months should imply Gregorian calendar, but this is not (yet) the case here. |
Cheoljong of Joseon 朝鮮哲宗 조선 철종 | |
---|---|
![]() Portrait of King Cheoljong (Treasure #1492) Painted in 1861,[2] this is the only surviving royal portrait depicting King Cheoljong's physical appearance, as well as Joseon Era royal military attire; partly damaged during the Second Fire of Yongdusan, Busan during the early hours of 26 December 1954[3] | |
King of Joseon | |
Reign | 1849–1864 |
Predecessor | Heonjong of Joseon |
Successor | Gojong of Joseon |
Born | Hyanggyo-dong Neighborhood, Gyeonghaeng-bang District, Hanseong, Kingdom of Joseon | 25 July 1831
Died | 16 January 1864 Daejojeon Hall,[4][5] Changdeokgung Palace, Kingdom of Joseon | (aged 32)
Burial | |
Spouse | Queen Cheorin |
Issue | Yi Yung-jun Princess Yeonghye 4 unnamed son and 5 unnamed daughter |
Father | Grand Internal Prince Jeongye |
Mother | Grand Internal Princess Consort Yongseong |
Cheoljong of Joseon | |
Hangul | |
---|---|
Hanja | |
Revised Romanization | Cheoljong |
McCune–Reischauer | Ch'ŏlchong |
Pen name | |
Hangul | |
Hanja | |
Revised Romanization | Daeyongjae |
McCune–Reischauer | Taeyongchae |
Birth name | |
Hangul | |
Hanja | |
Revised Romanization | Yi Wonbeom |
McCune–Reischauer | Yi Wŏnpŏm |
Courtesy name | |
Hangul | |
Hanja | |
Revised Romanization | Doseung |
McCune–Reischauer | Tosŭng |
Naming taboo | |
Hangul | |
Hanja | |
Revised Romanization | Yi Byeon |
McCune–Reischauer | Yi Pyŏn |
Cheoljong of Joseon (25 July 1831 – 16 January 1864) was the 25th king of the Joseon Dynasty. He was a second cousin once removed to the heirless Heonjong of Joseon, as well as a great-great-grandson of Yeongjo of Joseon.[7] He ascended the throne at the age of 19.[8]
Biography[]
Early life[]
He was born as the 3rd and youngest son of Yi Gwang, Prince Jeongye (who died on December 14, 1841), and his 1st concubine, Lady Yeom of the Yongdam Yeom clan, on Ganghwa Island.[9] His name was originally Yi Won-beom (이원범), but upon ascending the throne his name was legally changed to Yi Byeon (이변) (or Yi Seong).[10]
In 1841, during the reign of Heonjong, a conspiracy by members of the Noron faction (Min Jin-yong, Lee Won-deok, Park Sun-su and others) to enthrone Yi Won-gyeong, Cheoljong's oldest half-brother and Yi Gwang's only legitimate child, was exposed and led to Yi Won-gyeong's execution. The family, guilty by association, was again exiled to Ganghwa Island.
Background[]
At the beginning of the 19th century, the Andong Kim clan, who had provided the state with several Queens, had seized power almost everywhere in Joseon. 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.
The only aim of the Andong Kim clan was the preservation of their influence. Their fierce campaign to dominate the Royal House had led to a situation in which almost all the members of the Royal Family fled from the capital.
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.
Reign[]
Cheoljong ascended to the throne in 1849 at the age of 19 after King Heonjong died without an heir. As a distant relative of the recently deceased King as well as a descendant of King Yeongjo, Cheoljong was selected for adoption by the Senior Grand Royal Queen Dowager Sunwon (King Sunjo's widow), to allow him to ascend to the throne. The future Cheoljong was found on Ganghwa Island where his family had been in exile since the Catholic Persecution of 1801.
When the envoys (dispatched in order to seek for the future King) arrived on Ganghwa Island, they found the exiled remnants of the Royal Clan barely surviving in wretched poverty, and in the midst of that degradation, 19-year old Yi Won-beom was proclaimed King.
Though from the start of the Joseon Dynasty the 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 throne.
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.
As part of the Andong Kim's manipulation of Cheoljong, in 1851, the clan married Cheoljong to Kim Mun-geun's daughter, known posthumously as Queen Cheorin.
Death[]
Cheoljong died at the age of 32 on January 16, 1864, by suspected foul play of the Andong Kim clan, the same clan which made him King, without any surviving male heirs.
Once again, it became necessary to search far back in the Jeonju Yi clan lineage to find a candidate for the throne.
Family[]
- Great-Grandfather
- Crown Prince Sado (장조의황제; 莊祖懿皇帝) (13 February 1735 - 12 July 1762)
- Great-Grandmother
- Royal Noble Consort Suk of the Buan Im clan (숙빈 임씨; 肅嬪 林氏) (? - 1773)
- Grandfather
- Yi In, Prince Euneon (은언군 이인) (29 May 1754 - 30 June 1801)
- Grandmother
- Princess Consort Jeonsan of the Jeonju Yi clan (전산군부인 이씨, 全山郡夫人 李氏) (19 December 1764 - 4 June 1819)
- Father
- Biological: Yi Gwang, Grand Internal Prince Jeongye (전계대원군 이광) (29 April 1785 – 14 December 1841)[11]
- Legal adoptive: King Sunjo (순조대왕) (29 July 1790 – 13 December 1834)
- Mother
- Biological: Grand Internal Princess Consort Yongseong of the Yongdam Yeom clan (용성부대부인 염씨) (20 July 1793 – March 1834)[11][12]
- Maternal Grandfather: Yeom Seong-hwa (염성화, 廉成化)
- Maternal Grandmother: Lady Ji of the Sangju Ji clan (상주 지씨, 尙州 池氏)
- Legal adoptive: Queen Sunwon of the Andong Kim clan (순원왕후 김씨) (8 June 1789 – 21 September 1857)
- Biological: Grand Internal Princess Consort Yongseong of the Yongdam Yeom clan (용성부대부인 염씨) (20 July 1793 – March 1834)[11][12]
- Brothers
- Older half-brother: Yi Won-gyeong, Prince Hoepyeong (회평군) (11 September 1827 - 6 September 1844)
- Older half-brother: Yi Gyeong-eung, Prince Yeongpyeong (영평군) (20 July 1828 - 1 February 1902)
- Consorts and their respective Issue(s):
- Queen Cheorin of the Andong Kim clan (철인왕후 김씨) (27 April 1837 – 12 June 1878)
- Yi Yung-jun (이융준),[13] 2nd son (22 November 1858[14] – 25 May 1859)[15]
- Royal Consort Park of the Junior First Rank (귀인 박씨) (1827 – 9 May 1889[16])
- Unnamed 1st son (3 August 1854[17] – 1854)
- Royal Consort Jo of the Junior First Rank (귀인 조씨) (1842 – 1865)
- Royal Consort Bang of the Junior Second Rank (숙의 방씨) (? – 1878[20])
- Unnamed 1st daughter (1851 – 1853)
- Unnamed 2nd daughter (1853)
- Royal Consort Beom of the Junior Second Rank (숙의 범씨) (1838 – 23 January 1884[21])[22]
- Princess Yeonghye (영혜옹주), 4th daughter (1858 – 7 August 1872[23])[24]
- Royal Consort Kim of the Junior Second Rank (숙의 김씨) (1833 – ?)
- Unnamed 3rd daughter (5 August 1856[25] – ?)
- Court Lady Lee (궁인 이씨)
- Unnamed 5th son (1 October 1862[26] – 1862)
- Unnamed 6th daughter (dates unknown)
- Court Lady Park (궁인 박씨)
- Unnamed 5th daughter (dates unknown)
Titles[]
- Nickname: Woodcutter Prince of Ganghwa Island (강화도령)
Royal titles[]
- 27[27]–28 July 1849: His Excellency, Prince Deokwan of Joseon (덕완군; 德完君)
- 28 July 1849[28] – 16 January 1864: His Majesty, the King of Joseon (조선 국왕; 朝鮮國王)
Posthumous title[]
- Joseon Dynasty
- full formal title: King Cheoljong[29] Huiryun Jeonggeuk Sudeok Sunseong[30] Munhyeon Museong Heon'in Yeonghyo the Great[29] of Joseon (철종희륜정극수덕순성문현무성헌인영효대왕; 哲宗熙倫正極粹德純聖文顯武成獻仁英孝大王)
- short informal title: King Cheoljong the Great (철종대왕; 哲宗大王)
- Qing Dynasty-conferred: King Zhōngjìng (忠敬王; 충경왕; King Chunggyeong)[31]
- Korean Empire
Ancestry[]
showAncestors of Cheoljong of Joseon |
---|
Popular culture[]
- Portrayed by Kim Jung-hyun in the 2020 television series Mr. Queen.
- Portrayed by in the 2020 television series Kingmaker: The Change of Destiny.
See also[]
- List of Rulers of Korea
- Joseon Dynasty
- History of Korea
- List of Korea-related topics
- Jeongye Daewongun
References[]
- ^ https://terms.naver.com/list.nhn?cid=62026&categoryId=62026
- ^ 조선왕조실록 철종실록 13권, 1861년 음력 3월 22일 1번째기사 (Annals of the Joseon Dynasty, Annals of King Cheoljong, vol. 13, 01 May 1861, entry 1) The text "予三十一歲真" inscribed on the upper right side translates to "My portrait at the age of 31", as well as King Cheoljong's Joseon-era title posthumously added.
- ^ At the time of the "Second Fire of Yongdusan", an estimated 3,400 historical artifacts stored for safekeeping due to the Korean War were located by the shanty village of Panjachon Hamlet, Donggwang-dong Neighborhood, Busan: including 46 (later 48) royal portraits formerly enshrined at New Seonwonjeon Hall (신선원전) of Changdeokgung Palace, catalogued in a 1935 inventory (선원전영정수개등록 璿源殿影幀修改謄錄 Seonwonjeon Yeongjeong Sugae Deungnok). The surviving artifacts are currently in the collection of the National Palace Museum of Korea: two severely damaged items (accession numbers 창덕27560 & 창덕27561) are positively identified as King Cheoljong's royal portraits due to his full Joseon-era posthumous title inscribed on the right side; the 1935 inventory lists 4 royal portraits of King Cheoljong, including the surviving 1861 portrait used in this article.
- ^ 조선왕조실록 철종실록 15권, 1864년 음력 12월 8일 8번째기사 (Annals of the Joseon Dynasty, Annals of King Cheoljong, vol. 15, 16 January 1864, entry 8)
- ^ Ibid. 고종실록 1권, 1864년 음력 12월 8일 1번째기사 (Ibid. Annals of King Gojong, vol. 1, 16 January 1864, entry 1)
- ^ Ibid. 1권, 1864년 음력 4월 7일 1번째기사 (Ibid. vol. 1, 12 May 1864, entry 1)
- ^ Neff, Robert (4 January 2013). "Child kings". Korea Times. Retrieved 25 March 2013.
- ^ "철종". terms.naver.com (in Korean). Retrieved 2021-06-05.
- ^ 조선왕조실록 헌종실록 16권, 1849년 음력 6월 6일 14번째기사 (Annals of the Joseon Dynasty, Annals of King Heonjong, vol. 16, 25 July 1849, entry 14)
- ^ Cheoljong of Joseon#Hanja name
- ^ Jump up to: a b 조선왕조실록 철종실록 1권, 1849년 음력 6월 27일 1번째기사 (Annals of the Joseon Dynasty, Annals of King Cheoljong, vol. 1, 15 August 1849) Cheoljong bestowed posthumous honorific titles towards his predeceased parents as well as his father's legal wife (the mother of his elder half-brother Yi Won-gyeong who was implicated in Min Jin-yong's rebellion).
- ^ Originally one of Grand Internal Prince Jeon'gye's 2 concubines.
- ^ A childhood name, according to the Journal of the Royal Secretariat, book 2611, 01 March 1859, entry 13
- ^ 조선왕조실록 철종실록 10권, 1858�� 음력 10월 17일 1번째기사 (Annals of the Joseon Dynasty, Annals of King Cheoljong vol. 10, 22 November 1858, entry 1)
- ^ Ibid. 11권, 1859년 음력 4월 23일 1번째기사 (Ibid. vol. 11, 25 May 1859, entry 1)
- ^ Ibid. 고종실록 26권, 1889년 음력 4월 10일 1번째기사 (Ibid. Annals of King Gojong, vol. 26, 09 May 1889, entry 1)
- ^ Ibid. 철종실록 6권, 1854년 음력 7월 10일 1번째기사 (Ibid. Annals of King Cheoljong, vol. 6, 03 August 1854, entry 1) Cheoljong also bestowed upon Lady Park the rank of "Noble Lady" on the same day upon precedent.
- ^ Ibid. 11권, 1859년 음력 10월 13일 1번째기사 (Ibid. vol. 11, 7 November 1859, entry 1) Cheoljong later bestowed on Lady Jo the rank of "Noble Lady" 2 days later.
- ^ Ibid. 13권, 1861년 음력 1월 15일 1번째기사 (Ibid. vol. 13, 24 February 1861, entry 1)
- ^ Ibid. 고종실록 15권, 1878년 음력 11월 14일 2번째기사 (Ibid. Annals of King Gojong, vol. 15, 07 December 1878, entry 2)
- ^ Ibid. 20권, 1883년 음력 12월 26일 1번째기사 (Ibid. vol. 20, 23 January 1884, entry 1)
- ^ Daughter of Beom Won-shik (범원식)
- ^ 조선왕조실록 고종실록 9권, 1872년 음력 7월 4일 1번째기사 (Annals of the Joseon Dynasty, Annals of King Gojong, vol. 9, 07 August 1872, entry 1)
- ^ She married Park Yeong-hyo, sometimes nicknamed "the last royal son-in-law of the Joseon Dynasty"; their granddaughter Park Chan-ju is the wife of Yi U, sometimes nicknamed "the last Prince of Korea".
- ^ According to an entry in the Journal of the Royal Secretariat, book 124, 05 August 1856
- ^ 조선왕조실록 철종실록 14권, 1862년 음력 윤8월 8일 1번째기사 (Annals of the Joseon Dynasty, Annals of King Cheoljong, vol. 14, 01 October 1862, entry 1)
- ^ Ibid. 헌종실록 16권, 1849년 음력 6월 8일 1번째기사 (Ibid. Annals of King Heonjong, vol. 16, 27 July 1849, entry 1)
- ^ Ibid. 철종실록 1권, 1849년 음력 6월 9일 1번째기사 (Ibid. Annals of King Cheoljong, vol. 1, 28 July 1849, entry 1)
- ^ Jump up to: a b Ibid. 고종실록 1권, 1864년 음력 4월 7일 3번째기사 (Ibid. Annals of King Gojong, vol. 1, 12 May 1864, entry 3)
- ^ Ibid. 철종실록 15권, 1863년 을력 6월 1일 6번째기사 (Ibid. Annals of King cheoljong, vol. 15, 16 July 1863, entry 6)
- ^ Purged by Emperor Sunjong upon the posthumous upgrade to "Emperor" status.
- ^ 조선왕조실록 고종실록 3권, 1866년 음력 2월 16일 5번째기사 (Annals of the Joseon Dynasty, Annals of King Gojong, vol. 3, 02 March 1866, entry 5)
- ^ Ibid. 순종실록 2권, 1908년 7월 30일 1번째기사 (Ibid. Annals of Emperor Sunjong, vol. 2, 30 July 1908, entry 1)
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
- House of Yi
- 1831 births
- 1864 deaths
- 19th-century Korean monarchs