Queen Gongye

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources:  –  ·  ·  · scholar · JSTOR (February 2017) (Learn how and when to remove this template message)

Queen Gongye of the Jangheung Im clan (Korean: 공예왕후 임씨; Hanja: 恭睿王后 任氏; 2 October 1109 – 2 December 1183^[3]) or formally called as Queen Mother Gongye (Korean: 공예태후; Hanja: 恭睿太后) and Grand Queen Mother Gongye (Korean: 공예왕태후; Hanja: 恭睿王太后) was a Korean Queen Consort as the 3rd wife of King Injong of Goryeo, also his favourite and beloved wife. She was the mother of the three sons who became Goryeo kings, Uijong, Myeongjong and Sinjong.^[4]

Biography[]

Early life[]

The future Queen Gongye was born into the Jangheung Im clan on 7 September 1109 in Dangdong village, Okdang-ri, Gwansan-eup, Jangheung-gun, Jeollanam-do as the eldest child and daughter of Im Won-hu (임원후), son of Im-Ui (임의) and Lady, of the Buyeong Yi clan (부인 부평 이씨), daughter of Yi-Wi (이위).^[4] As the oldest, Lady Im had 1 younger sister who became the mother of the future Queen Consort Choi and 5 younger brothers. Lady Choi was Im's maternal niece and later daughter-in-law.

Youth life[]

When Im was 15 years old in 1123, she promised to married with Gim In-gyu (김인규)'s son, Gim Ji-hyo (김지효) from the Gyeongju Gim clan.^[5] However, when Gim arrived in her house, she suddenly fell ill and was on the verge of death. Knowing this, her father, Im Won-hu, canceled the marriage between two and instead go to a fortune teller.^[5] That fortune teller then said that a girl was destined to become a queen.

Eventually, this rumor was heard into Yi Ja-gyeom, the Goryeo's leader at this time. Feared if Im Won-hu's daughter becoming the new queen that meant Yi's powerful clan will downfall, so Yi arranged the marriage of his 3rd and 4th daughter to married and become King Injong's queen consorts. Im Won-hu then honoured as Gaeseong Ambassador. Later, in 1126, when Yi Ja-gyeom's rebellion turned into failure and his two daughters were got its impact with expelled from their throne and left the palace, also their "noble" families got collapsed.

Marriage and Palace life[]

In the same year too, there were held the Queen's selection (왕비 간택) and Lady Im was the chosen one and entered the palace not long after that. She and Injong then formally married on 20 June 1206 at her 18 years old and become the new Queen Consort of Goryeo. One year later, on 11 April 1127, she gave birth into their eldest son, Prince Wang Hyeon. Later, on 10 May 1129, Injong gave her Singyeong Mansion (선경부, 善慶府) in Hudeok Hall (후덕전, 厚德殿), one of the royal hall in "Yeondeok Palace" (연덕궁, 延德宮) as her palace, those made her honoured as Princess Yeondeok (연덕궁주, 延德宮主).^[6]

In the next year, she gave birth into their second, third, fourth son, Prince Wang Gyeong and Prince Wang Ho, also Prince Chung-Hui. In 1144, she bore Injong a son again, Prince Wang Tak. They also had 4 daughters. It was said that Injong loves her so much and elevated her birth place from "Jangheung-bu" (장흥부, 長興府) to "Jijangheung-busa" (지장흥부사, 知長興府事).

Children's succession to the throne[]

After Injong's death on 10 April 1146, their eldest son, Wang Hyeon, ascended the throne as King Uijong, she then became the Queen Mother and lived in Hudeok Hall (후덕전, 厚德殿). Uijong also builted the Seongyeong Mansion (선경부, 善慶府).^[6] However, Uijong was said to be often drunk, further angering the warriors. Knowing that her eldest son like that, the Queen Mother was skeptical of his qualifications, choose to favored her 2nd son, and wanted to replaced Uijong with him. Since this, she and Uijong had a bad relationship and those made her 2nd son got rebellion incident that occurred in 1151.

For protected her beloved son, the Queen Mother persuaded Uijong to safe his younger brother, but Uijong expressed his disappointment from the past. Then, he go out from the palace on her socks and looked up to the sky, swearing an oath to plead her injustice. Suddenly, thunder and lightning struck from heaven and it was said that Uijong repented of his mistake. But in the autumn 1170, after constant discriminations, the rage of the military officials burst and started a military revolt, murdering the civil officials, deposing Uijong, and appointing a new king in his place (Wang Ho as King Myeongjong).

Although she intended that their second son should succeed in the throne, he was assassinated because Jeong Jung-bu (정중부) feared that he might become a threat to him in the future. Jeong then choose the weak Wang Ho, due to the true rulers were the military leaders at this time. During Myeongjong's reign, the Queen Mother was ill and the King then called his younger brother, to take care of her. However, as the beloved one, Chunghui then died in 1182, she then thought herself that she had been angry by the gods, those made Chunghui had been killed, so she couldn't withstand the shock and became ill for some days.^[7]

Later life, death, and funeral[]

While Wang Tak, Duke Pyeongnyang was suffered from hemorrhoids and couldn't greet his mother for a long time, so she thought again that this son had suffered the same anger as his older brother, Chunghui. One year later, Wang Tak finally healed from his illness and go to greeted and comforted her by Myeongjong's order.^[8] Exactly on 2 December 1183, the Queen Mother died in her 74 years old due to her hard illness and then received her Posthumous name and was buried in Sulleung Tomb (순릉, 純陵).^[9]

Then, in 1184, the Jin Dynasty under Emperor Shizong of Jin, pay some tributes to Goryeo for express their condolences.^[10]

Family[]

• Father: Im Won-hu (임원후, 1089–1156)
  • Grandfather: Im-Ui (임의)
    • Uncle: Im Won-jun (임원준)
• Mother: Grand Lady of Jinhan State of the Bupyeong Yi clan (진한국대부인 부평 이씨, d. 1138)
  • Grandfather: Yi-Wi (이위)
    • Younger sister: Lady Im (부인 임씨)
    • Younger brother: Im Geuk-chung (임극충)
    • Younger brother: Im Geuk-jeong (임극정)
    • Younger brother: Im-Bu (임부)
    • Younger brother: Im-Yu (임유)
    • Younger brother: Im-Hang (임항)
• Husband: King Injong of Goryeo (29 October 1109 – 10 April 1146) (고려 인종)
  • Son: King Uijong of Goryeo (23 May 1127 – 7 November 1173) (고려 의종)
    • Daughter-in-law: Queen Janggyeong (장경왕후)
    • Daughter-in-law: Queen Jangseon (장선왕후)
  • Son: Wang Gyeong, Prince Daeryeong (1130–?) (왕경 대령후)
  • Son: King Myeongjong of Goryeo (8 November 1131 – 3 December 1202) (고려 명종)
    • Daughter-in-law: Queen Uijeong (의정왕후)
  • Son: Prince Wongyeong (?–1183) (원경국사)
  • Son: King Sinjong of Goryeo (11 August 1144 – 15 February 1204) (고려 신종)
    • Daughter-in-law: Queen Seonjeong (?–1222) (선정왕후)
  • Daughter: Princess Seunggyeong (?–1158) (승경궁주)
    • Son-in-law: Wang Yeong, Prince Gonghwa (1126 – 10 October 1186) (왕영 공화백)
  • Daughter: Princess Deoknyeong (? – 13 August 1192) (덕녕궁주)
    • Son-in-law: Wang Gam, Prince Gangyang (왕감 강양공)
  • Daughter: Princess Changrak (? – 27 January 1216) (창락궁주)
    • Son-in-law: Wang Seong, Prince Shinan (?–1178) (왕성 신안후)
  • Daughter: Princess Yeonghwa (1141–1208) (영화궁주)
    • Son-in-law: Wang Gong, Prince Soseong (왕공 소성후)

In popular culture[]

• Portrayed by Kim Yoon-kyung in the 2003–2004 KBS TV Series Age of Warriors.

References[]

External links[]

• Queen Gongye on Encykorea (in Korean).
• Queen Gongye on Doosan Encyclopedia (in Korean).

This Korean history-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by .

• v
• t