But then, he murdered one of his tutors. Instead, he searched for people of great talent to work with, regardless of their social class.Sejong was, unfortunately, not a man of great health. Sweet justice.In a very Game of Thrones-esque series of moves, Taejo placed and removed several men on the throne before ultimately claiming it himself. He also believed in strengthening the countrys political parties and military power.It wasnt only Hyojong who was inspired by the Europeans and the Qing political structure, but his elder brother. The royal families of Korea often drew on dragon myths to increase public support. During all of this, he also divided the kingdom into eight provinces: Hamgyeong (), Pyeongan (), Hwanghae (), Gyeonggi (), Gangwon (), Chungcheong (), Gyeongsan (), and Jeolla ().All of these reforms made the king realize that he needed to tear down the power of Buddhism in favor of Confucianism as the state ideology. Kim eventually came back to power but was removed from government, and finally executed by the queens brothers, Yun Wonro () and Yun Wonhyeong (). List of Dynasty (1981 TV series) characters - Wikipedia Interestingly, hes only ever been portrayed once in television or film, in one of my favorite Korean dramas called Moonlight Drawn by Clouds. That being said, these empty pages led a creative film director to fill in the gaps. Lasting over five hundred years, it continues to play a part in Korean culture today; and the time period is often portrayed in dramas, movies, and plays. [adopt this profile] This page has been accessed 6,166 times. Studying Korean history provides an excellent example of the human condition including how power and greed can corrupt. His scientific sponsorships include many useful items that we know today such as the rain gauge, the sundial, the water clock, celestial globes, armillary spheres, and maps of the cosmos. He ordered for the construction of the Suwon Fortress as a filial monument (which is now a lovely UNESCO heritage trail that takes a few hours to walk I highly recommend it! The Joseon dynasty (1392-1897) was the last dynasty in the Korean peninsula. They were built between 1408 and 1966, and are spread out over 18 different locations. Interestingly enough, Daewongun had personally selected Queen Min (aka Empress Myeongseong ) to be Gojongs bride a decision he would find would later come back to bit him in the booty. Kim Il-son and other followers of Kim Jong-jik were accused of treason and Yeongsangun went and cut the head off of Kim Jong-jiks already dead body. Kings of Joseon had sovereign power as rulers. As Sejongs health began to fail him, Munjong stepped in to take over state affairs despite keeping his father on the throne. He made something happen. It was said that he was never as violent towards Lady Hyegyeong as other women, but he once threw a Go board at her face so hard that she had to stay hidden from court to hide the bruises.The beginning of the end began when Sado killed his secondary consort, Park Bing-ae (/ ), in a fit of rage. Not only was the capital destroyed, but the economy (which had just started to recuperate from Yeonsangun) was in such disarray that it would take centuries to recover. Hyeonjong also encouraged the development of astronomy and printing, following in his fathers footsteps. All About Korea's Imperial Family The rest of Injos story doesnt get much better from here.Many of you might recognize Injo from the film The Fortress (). The series, created by Richard and Esther Shapiro and produced by Aaron Spelling, revolves around the Carringtons, a wealthy family residing in Denver, Colorado. Dates: 4 June 1575 7 August 1641Reign: 17 March 1608 13 April 1623You probably noticed already by his name, but Gwanghaegun never received a temple name. While she was pregnant, Seongjong refrained from sexual intercourse with her (as per Joseon etiquette rules). Let the wild streak begin. List of Joseon people - Wikipedia Seonjo, tired and defeated, abdicated the throne to Crown Prince Gwanghaegun, and died shortly thereafter. This was the first time the kingdom was made known to many Europeans. 3 Historical Travel Destinations for Chuseok, A Korean Tragedy Untold: The May 1991 Struggle, Itaewons Complex History and Whats to Come, A Guide to the Bunwon Royal Porcelain Museum (). Thanks to Seongjongs great efforts and careful considerations with the guidance of his advisors, this code helped the court govern fairly (or at least try to) for many centuries to come.Seongjong was a big fan of Confucianism and led many reforms under this state belief. He left her on the floor to die of her injuries. Founding He also renovated the storage hall of the Tripitaka Koreana at Haeinsa () and had fifty copies printed for distribution. For farmers in particular, he reinstated a Goryeo loan system that lent out the governments surplus grain to be paid back with nominal interest. Jungjong is famous for appointing Jang Geum () as one of his personal doctors a woman. However, it wasnt until 1886 that the final surviving form of slavery was officially abolished.Although Sunjo reigned for a whopping 35 years, little seemed to come from his rule. Years.The first King of Joseon was only on the throne for six years! Jungjongs history as king is yet another rollercoaster ride, but there are some very important details to come out of his story.Jungjong spent much of his early years as king righting the wrongs of his half-brother. We can see this in his ordered attacks on the Jurchens at the northern front.One of the first decisions in court that Sejo made was to strengthen the power of the king by limiting the power of the Prime Minister. Ill fix it accordingly. 30,000 soldiers stormed the capital (with Injo fleeing to Ganghwa Island, if you didnt think he was chicken enough already). Very much like a dunce cap, he ordered ministers to wear a sign that read: A mouth is a door that brings in disaster; a tongue is a sword that cuts off a head. Is it bad that I gave him a higher rating because he was into science and Buddhism? Yi was a prominent general but believed he was being treated unfairly as he was sent to the northern borders to fight off the incoming Manchus. Even though Heonjong was on the throne for fifteen years, he died when he was only twenty-one. Dates: 26 July 1357 24 October 1419Reign: 22 October 1398 7 December 1400Even though Taejos years on the throne were pretty brief, he did some stuff. The rising threats from Jurchens, Japanese pirates, and domestic rebellious troops that had been ignored by his uncle were dealt with swiftly. Lets see what made this King so respected.Sukjong took his place as ruler of Joseon at the age of 14. Topics of satire and political criticism were hot, and the famous tale of Chunhyang () was widely read in favor of the storys commentary on the snobbery of the government officials.And here comes the controversy. Perceptions of slavery and the mistreatment of the common class continued to change until 1801, when 66,000 slave records were burned under the mission of Sunjo. Lets get into the tangled web of Seonjos life story, in what is essentially a temple-rubbing headache of a tale.Considering Myeongjong had no male heir, Seonjo was relatively unknown in the political sphere. One of his greatest accomplishments is his close work with the Qing to define borders between the two kingdoms.If youre familiar with Sukjong, theres a very high chance youve heard of Queen Inhyeon (). The storyline is essentially this: King Gwanghaegun finds someone to pose as him following a series of assassination threats. He also was responsible for initiating battles with his powerful neighbors. After the discovery, he beat two of his fathers concubines (Jeong Gwi-in and Eom ) to death. Since weve already talked about his inventions, I guess its no surprise that he improved various weapon systems like the military cannon. Yeongjos son, Crown Prince Sado (), suffered from many mental illnesses following the deaths of Yeongjos first wife and grandmother. According to legend, it was founded by Dangun in 2333 BC. He was actually his half-brother, and Im pleased to say that he had his head tied on a bit tighter. Born in the illustrious Papyeong Yoon clan, she married Sejo, then Grand Prince Jinpyeong, at the age of 11. Firstly, the arts fascinated and inspired him. This led him to be consciously fair with his interactions, particularly with his officials. Rest in Peace.I forgot something super important! Now that youve seen how wonderful his dad was, lets compare.Things were up with Heonjong before he was even born. A History of Joseon: Korea's Last Dynasty - KORELIMITED The 40 inscribed tombs were used for Joseon Dynasty kings and their consorts. Gang managed to make a truce with Joseon upon the realization that his family had in fact not been murdered, but was labeled a traitor, stripped of his titles, and essentially died of a broken heart.Not really believing Joseon was worth capturing (ouch), the Manchus returned to China to finish their fight against the Ming. That part does make me a bit sad. The strangest thing? It was here that young girls and horses were gathered from the whole of the Korean Peninsula. Royal Joseon Tombs | For UNESCO World Heritage Travellers 245 Japanese were killed and another 110 were taken captive, in comparison to 180 Korean soldiers who died. Dates: 13 June 1367 8 June 1422Reign: 7 December 1400 19 September 1418If you watch Korean historical dramas, youre probably sick of hearing about Taejong by now. 15 Best Historical K-Dramas, Ranked Im not really sure if the same can be said for his son Jeongjong, but Ill let you be the judge.From the start of his rule, Jeongjong didnt really favor Hanseong as the capital city. Despite all this, he was still a Confucian leader and tried to keep modern stylings of hangeul that ran through the public out of the royal court. He then absorbed those soldiers into the official army. He opened up government positions to those who had formerly never had the opportunity to participate in the tests. So, it wasnt all fun and games. Seongjong grew worried that she would try to poison him too (Im sure she was planning it). In 1388, Ming announced their demands for the return of a large portion of northern Goryeo lands. Even after Sejong completed the Hangeul script, people didnt use it regularly for hundreds of years. The shrine is a symbolic structure that conveys the legitimacy of the royal family, where the king visited regularly to participate in the ancestral rites to wish for the safety and security of the people and state. He left behind a damaged country, a broken political system, an exhausted population, and an open doorway for more foreign threats.Monarch Rating: 1.5/5 You really let poop hit the fan, mate. Stretching from 918-1392 AD, the Goryeo Dynasty had plenty of time to cultivate rich societal and cultural traditions, making it a popular setting for historical K-dramas. Design of warm cheerful glowing of brightness and light ray radiance. Because this is so much fun to write about.Things get crazier when the tables are flipped and Seongjong orders HER to be poisoned. Although her son was made the next king and her Queen Regent, reports that she was plagued with nightmares and hallucinations long after Injongs death demonstrate that Injong was a dashing boy who could warm even the coldest of hearts.Monarch Rating: 2.5/5 I find the death of Injong to be a truly sorrowful tale in Korean history. He then pushed his grandmother, Grand Queen Insu, during a fight that killed her. Not all is bad, though. When Seongjong finally took the throne, his reign was marked as highly progressive in terms of the countrys economy.Upon assuming the throne, Seongjong immediately began to revise theGyeonggukdaejeon (, a legal code of Joseon). Ha-seon, the man chosen to play the part, becomes genuinely concerned for the people and leads the country with a tight grip for 15 days. Yes, he might have been a wee bit pathetic at times (more than a wee bit), but I also cant believe for a second that any of us can fathom the insane amount of pressure he obtained. Gojong signed a Treaty of Amity and Trade with the United States in 1882, hoping to gain protection from Japan, China, and Russia. From this point on, Ryu basically ran around accusing people he didnt like of treason.Yejong did do one interesting thing. He didnt have an heir, so you could essentially argue that he did nothing at all.Monarch Rating: 0/5 Cue spit take. Korea's only remaining heir to the Joseon dynasty throne, His Imperial Highness King . The Joseon dynasty ruled Korea for 519 years. Ive read the memoirs of Lady Hyegyeong as well as other material. Fearful for his life, Injo fled to the Gongju () as the capital city was left to fall to ruins. He did so with the help of many Neo-Confucian liberal officials. I have been guilty for not reading anything besides work documents for the past couple of months so you can imagine how badly I needed this read. After Yeonsangun was captured, he was demoted to Prince (seems a bit nice, tbh) and sent into exile on Ganghwa Island (). Furthermore, he continued his fathers work to try and limit the power struggle of the political parties. Naturally, all seven older sons were furious. By the time Jungong realized the importance of the military, many of the countrys resources had already been depleted.It makes me sad to say it, but Jungjong never really got the chance to shine. He ordered many Buddhist temples to be closed, redistributed their land, and seized their treasures. Leave a comment below and let me know if you disagree with any of my ratings, or just let me know who your favorite Joseon king was! Im holding my breath right now you dont even understand.After Seongjong was long dead and gone, the letter was received by her heartbroken son and the rest was history.At the start of his reign, Yeongsangun wasnt actually so bad. Political division and subversion plighted the kingdom for its first three monarchs. Nam I was appointed as Minister of War. It was the following year that Korea was officially annexed, making the country a part of Japan that would last until the end of World War II (1910-1945).During all of this, Sunjong continued to be King (not Emperor that belonged to Japan) on paper. However, due to years ravaged by war and internal conflicts, as well as external marriages, the Goryeo court was losing its influence.Taejo continued to rise in the military during the 1370s-80s. You might realize that this was when the Japanese Invasions of Korea (, 1592-98) and the foundation of the Qing Dynasty led to mass devastation in Joseon. With the boosting of the economy, the mercantile class practically exploded. Kims followers took their revenge by executing one of the Kings concubines, Lady Park. King Former / sangwang (, ) was a living king who voluntarily abdicated for the current king to reign. Royal Ranks in Joseon Dynasty - the talking cupboard There are so many reasons to appreciate Sejong, that I disrespect his efforts by writing about them in a measly quick guide. You have rated the kings which is fun and interesting. Although the original language had 28 letters, weve got it easy, because now we only use 24. To do so, he personally taught intellectuals and bureaucrats composition. Most notable was the construction of Gyujangjak (), a royal library dedicated to improving the cultural and political stance of Joseon. Excellent article though. The first thing he supposedly said as King, sitting on his throne and looking down at all his slimy officials, was that he was the son of Jangjo who was murdered by the former King. Turns out he didnt really have any when he was an adult either because his grandma refused to give up her power.Grandma Sunwon wasnt messing around. All rights reserved. If a young man seemed particularly promising, he granted them a reading vacation, which was essentially paid leave for uninterrupted studying. Ive never seen that show. Gyeongjong was able to produce small guns and reform land measurement systems during his reign. ).Even though all of these changes greatly affected the fabric of Joseon, I find them to be somewhat boring. He also helped his father with the creation of Hangeul. If were going to talk about some stimulating changes that Taejong was responsible for, look no further. He believed that the grievances of slaves had reached the heavens and that the abolishment of slavery was necessary to maintain harmony. Thankfully, Myeongjong was able to recognize her strength and follow in her footsteps rather than those of his uncle, Yun Won-Hyung.After the death of the Queen, Myeongjong stepped into power. If you thought some of the previous stuff was juicy, buckle in for a crazy ride (although nobody can ever be juicier than Yeonsangeun and not in a good way).Firstly, Yeonjo had a long rule. The Japanese were able to push the representatives out of the conference, but they were able to meet up with journalists to spread the word about Japans plans to dominate Asia. Recently, Im into reading articles and watching dramas based on Joseon Dynasty. The Most Regal Korean Actors As Emperors, Kings, And Princes In K People were scared of the dude, to say the least.Despite his rocky reputation, Taejong reigned for eighteen years. I believe there is an error on Gojongs reign time-line. How Did the Korean Royal Family End? As far as I know, none have been published in English. Yeah. Most of the pressure to leave came from his younger brother, Bang-won, who is our next target.Monarch Rating: 0.5/5 Im just going to give him half a point for the trouble he went through with his brothers. Upon the realization that the loss of his kingdom was a very real possibility, Seonjo sent many commanders to the countrys borders. The loss of Hyojong saw familiar outbreaks against the political factions (yes, those old guys), and Hyeonjongs reign was sadly tainted by political turmoil. Sukjong and Inhyeon are buried near one another now and there are countless songs, dramas, films, and books written about their love (can we call it love?) Jongmyo is . Women, Lives and Thoughts Google Arts & Culture His second son, Grand Prince Yeongan, was made King. The yangban (, aristocracy) and officials were granted the right to farm, disrupting the peasant land ownership. Gojong immediately set about improving domestic politics, particularly strengthening relations with China in an effort to push back Japan. And as Korean historian Jihoon Suk pointed out to me, Yejong had a child at the age of 11!11!Monarch rating: 0.5/5 You probably shouldnt side with people who go around murdering everyone they dont like.Can we just pause for a moment and talk about how ridiculous it is that Yejong was played by Lee Sun-kyun () in a film when the actor was 42 years old? Despite being a generous and good leader, the power struggles among the officials weakened the court far too much.That being said.There is one legacy that will make Jungjong go down as a memorable figure in Korean history. Theres a lot to be said about Daewongun (), but its key to note that he was strongly in favor of isolationism. Out of my sympathy for their difficulties, I have created a set of 28 letters. October 19, 2018. The filial son. Shall I add an extra half-point? His son King Taejong, the third monarch of Joseon, tried to get him to return, but Taejo never truly forgive his children for the terrible mess theyd made. Glad you enjoyed the article. Monarch ruling: -90000/5 He wasnt even given a posthumous title. You were, unfortunately, correct. Im not sure I blame him.Monarch Rating: 3.5/5 So do we like Taejo or not? It did, however, set Jeonjo up as a sentimental ruler.That sentiment trickled down to his people. One of the most famous Korean dramas of all time focuses on her, but please note that it isnt historically accurate and we actually have very little information on who Jang Geum was.Monarch Rating: 2.5/5 I cant really give him a higher score than this because he wasnt actually able to meet his goals.