Queen Sundeok

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See also: Deposed Princess Yeondeok and Deposed Princess Bokchang
For other uses, see Princess Yeondeok.
Queen Sundeok
순덕왕후
Grand Queen Mother Mungyeong
(문경왕태후, 文敬王太后)
Queen Consort of Goryeo
Tenure1114–1118
Coronation1114
PredecessorQueen Gyeonghwa
SuccessorLady Yeondeok
Born15 April 1094
Kingdom of Goryeo
Died21 September 1118 (aged 24)
Kingdom of Goryeo
Burial
Sureung tomb
Spouse
​
​
(m. 1108⁠–⁠1118)​
IssueInjong of Goryeo
Princess Seungdeok
Princess Heunggyeong
Regnal name
Princess Yeondeok (연덕궁주, 延德宮主; 1108–1114)
Posthumous name
  • Queen Mother Mungyeong
    (문경태후, 文敬太后)
  • Grand Queen Mother Jajeong Mungyeong
    (자정문경왕태후, 慈靖文敬王太后; given in 1140)
HouseIncheon Yi (by birth)
House of Wang (by marriage)
FatherYi Ja-gyeom
MotherLady, of the Haeju Choe clan

Queen Sundeok of the Incheon Yi clan (Hangul: 순덕왕후 이씨, Hanja: 順德王后 李氏; 15 April 1094[1] – 21 September 1118[2]) or Princess Yeondeok (Korean: 연덕궁주; Hanja: 延德宮主) and formally called as Queen Mother Mungyeong (Korean: 문경태후; Hanja: 文敬太后) was the second wife of Yejong of Goryeo and the mother of his successor, Injong of Goryeo[3] which she later honoured as Grand Queen Mother Mungyeong (Korean: 문경왕태후; Hanja: 文敬王太后).

Biography[]

Early life[]

The future Queen Sundeok was born on 15 April 1094 as the second daughter of Yi Ja-gyeom (이자경) and Lady Choe, 2nd daughter of Choe Sa-chu (최사추) from the Haeju Choe clan.[4] Since King Munjong's reign, the "Incheon Yi clan" was already produced many queens, consorts or wives for the Goryeo royal family, so it can said that she was came from a noble family.

Marriage and Palace life[]

She firstly entered the palace in 1108 (3rd year reign of Yejong of Goryeo) at 15 years old and given the royal title as Princess Yeondeok (연덕궁주, 延德宮主) while lived in "Yeondeok Palace" (연덕궁, 延德宮).[5] One year later, she gave birth into their first son, Wang Hae (왕해, 王楷; the future King Injong)[6] and while knowing this, the King sent an envoy to issue a decree and expressed his joy by giving her silverware (은기, 銀器), silk (비단), horses (말), wood (포목, 布木) and grain (곡식) while put up a token (표, 表) to pay their respects on her.[7]

Then, in 1114, she formally became his queen consort. It was said after his first wife passed away, he was very sad and after married Yi, he loved and favored her very much due to her docile, intelligent, wise, soft and gentle character. Her mother, Lady Choe was formally called as "Grand Lady of the Joseon State" (조선국대부인, 朝鮮國大夫人) and her grandmother, Lady Gim was formally called as "Grand Lady of the Tongui State" (통의국대부인, 通儀國大夫人).[8]

According to after entered the palace, she set an example of marital harmony, never made a private request and gave birth to a son for generations to come, also praised for her virtues including that she took care of her husband by advising him to wake up when a rooster crows. While she was bedridden, Yejong was grieved, brought medicine and food himself. However, she died at a young age (only 24) on 21 September 1118 due to her own illness, which Yejong wept many times and heard the admonition from her servants that he was too polite.

Beside Prince Wang Hae, they also had 2 daughters (Princess Seungdeok and Princess Heunggyeong).[9][10]

Later life[]

Yejong personally enshrined and went out to Sinbong Gate (신봉문, 神鳳門) for see her funeral procession in Sureung Tomb (수릉, 綏陵) even though the officials told him not to do that.[11][12]

For in memory of her, the King was said to prepared a private room (혼당, 魂堂) for enshrined her portrait at Anhwa Temple (안화사, 安和寺)[13][14] and always visited it in February and August in the following year, also visited their Wedding Hall several times.[15] While he went again to there for bow down, the officials strongly discouraged him, but he didn't hear them and he said,

"The memorial ceremonies were even held by the Song Dynasty's ruler. I just imitated it! Also, what's going to happen if I go to the wedding hall once?"
"조제의 예식은 송나라 임금도 한 적 있다. 나는 그 일을 본받은 것 뿐이다! 그리고 혼당 한번 간다고 무슨 큰일이 나는가?"

While also said that he did what he wanted to do.

In 1120, after finished mourn her, Yejong summoned the Crown Prince, his father-in-law and land governor to comforted and gave him goods.[16]

After her husband's death in 1146, their only son, Wang Hae ascended the throne and married her younger sisters,[17] which made two of them become her sisters and daughter in-laws at the same time. Their brothers were all occupied one place at the time of Injong's reign. However, after their father was deposed from his position and got exiled, those two Lady Yi were deposed from their position too.[18]

Posthumous name[]

After her death, she was posthumously honoured as Queen Sundeok (순덕왕후, 順德王后) and Grand Queen Mother Mungyeong (문경왕태후, 文敬王太后) after her only son ascended the throne in 1122.

In her father's record on Goryeosa, she was called as an "Empress consort" (황후, 皇后).

Benefits for Incheon Yi clan[]

Queen Sundeok, a woman born into the highest aristocratic family at that time, was chosen and became the Queen consort and Mother of the nation, gave birth into a son who later ascended the throne and received many love from her husband, which can be said that she lived with a faithful life to the virtues demanded of her time. But, their marriage greatly enhanced the authority of Yi Ja-gyeom and the King's favor towards her also became the source of interest and power for Yi who later tried to rebels.

References[]

  1. ^ 《고려사》권14〈세가〉권14 - 예종 10년 3월 - 왕비의 생일이라 곡연을 베풀다
  2. ^ In Lunar calendar, she was born on 28th days 3rd months 1094 and was died on 5th days 9th months 1118《순덕왕후애책문(順德王后哀冊文)》
  3. ^ "고려 제16대 예종 가계도". Naver (in Korean). Retrieved September 9, 2021.
  4. ^ "이자겸의 딸들". Naver (in Korean). Retrieved September 9, 2021.
  5. ^ 韓國女性關係資料集: 中世篇(中) [Collection of Korean Women's Relations: Middle Ages (Part 2)] (in Korean). Ewha Womans University Press: Ewha Womans University Women's Research Institute. 1985. p. 29. ISBN 9788973000432.
  6. ^ "고려시대 史料 Database". Goryeosa (in Korean). Retrieved September 9, 2021.
  7. ^ 국역 "고려사".: 열전. 20-28 Volume 9 [National "History of Goryeo".: Biographies. 20-28 Volume 9] (in Korean). University of Michigan: National culture. 2006. p. 192. ISBN 9788982080951.
  8. ^ Kim Ki-duk (1995). "국대부인(國大夫人)". Encykorea (in Korean). Retrieved July 3, 2021.
  9. ^ "고려시대 史料 Database". Goryeosa (in Korean). Retrieved September 9, 2021.
  10. ^ "고려시대 史料 Database". Goryeosa (in Korean). Retrieved September 9, 2021.
  11. ^ 京畿道史資料集: 고려 편 III-IV Volume 3 [Gyeonggi Province History Data Collection: Goryeo letter III-IV Volume 3] (in Korean). University of Michigan: Gyeonggi Province. 1998. p. 336.
  12. ^ Yi, Kwangsu (1962). Yi Kwang-su chŏnjip, Volume 19 (in Korean). University of Wisconsin - Madison. p. 235.
  13. ^ [1][2] "왕이 초제를 지내고 순덕왕후 진당을 찾다" (The King visited Queen Sundeok's shrine after Celebrating a Festival) on Goryeosa (in Korean).
  14. ^ "문경태후의 기일에 왕이 분향하다". Goryeosa (in Korean). Retrieved November 10, 2021.
  15. ^ [3][4][5] "왕이 순덕왕후 혼당에 가다" (The King went to his Wedding Hall with Queen Sundeok) on Goryeosa (in Korean).
  16. ^ "순덕왕후의 상이 끝나자 잔치를 베풀다". Goryeosa (in Korean). Retrieved November 10, 2021.
  17. ^ "이자겸의 딸들". Naver (in Korean). Retrieved September 9, 2021.
  18. ^ "예종 후비 문경태후 이씨". Goryeosa (in Korean). Retrieved September 9, 2021.

External links[]

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