Sejo of Joseon
朝鮮世祖
조선 세조
King Emeritus of Joseon
Tenure1 – 2 October 1468
PredecessorDanjong of Joseon
SuccessorJungjong of Joseon
King of Joseon
Reign3 August 1455 – 1 October 1468
CoronationGeunjeongjeon Hall, Gyeongbok Palace, Hanseong, Kingdom of Joseon
PredecessorDanjong of Joseon
SuccessorYejong of Joseon
Chief State Councillor
In office19 November 1453 – 3 August 1455
PredecessorHwangbo In
SuccessorJeong In-ji
MonarchDanjong of Joseon
BornYi Yu (이유, 李瑈)
7 November 1417
Grand Prince Chungnyeong's private residence, Hanseong, Kingdom of Joseon
Died23 September 1468(1468-09-23) (aged 50)
Jeongjeon, Sugang Palace, Hanseong, Kingdom of Joseon
Burial
Gwangneung Tombs, Namyangju, Gyeonggi Province, South Korea
Spouse(s)
​
(m. 1428⁠–⁠1468)​
IssueYejong of Joseon
Posthumous name
  • Joseon dynasty: King Jideok Yunggong Seongsin Myeongye Heumsuk Inhyo the Great
    • 지덕융공성신명예흠숙인효대왕
    • 至德隆功聖神明睿欽肅仁孝大王
  • Ming dynasty: Hyejang (혜장, 惠莊)
Temple name
Sejo (세조, 世祖)
ClanJeonju Yi clan
DynastyHouse of Yi
FatherSejong of Joseon
MotherQueen Soheon
ReligionKorean Confucianism (Neo-Confucianism) → Korean Buddhism
Signature
Korean name
Hangul
Hanja
Revised RomanizationSejo
McCune–ReischauerSecho
Birth name
Hangul
Hanja
Revised RomanizationI Yu
McCune–ReischauerYi Yu
Courtesy name
Hangul
Hanja
Revised RomanizationSuji
McCune–ReischauerSuchi

Sejo of Joseon (7 November 1417 – 23 September 1468), personal name Yi Yu (Korean: 이유; Hanja: 李瑈), sometimes known as Grand Prince Suyang (Korean: 수양대군; Hanja: 首陽大君), was the seventh ruler of the Joseon dynasty of Korea. He was the second son of Sejong the Great and the uncle of King Danjong, against whom he led a coup d'état in 1453.

Biography

Early life

Born in 1417 as the fourth child and second son of Grand Prince Chungnyeong (future King Sejong) by his primary wife, Lady Shim of the Cheongsong Shim clan (future Queen Soheon), he showed great ability at archery, horse riding and martial arts, and was also a brilliant military commander, though he never went to the battlefront himself. In 1428, he received the title Grand Prince Suyang by which he is better known.

Rise to power

Following the death of King Sejong in 1450, Suyang's ill brother, Yi Hyang (later known as King Munjong), took the throne but died two years later, and the crown passed to his 12-year-old son, Yi Hong-wi (posthumously named King Danjong). The new monarch was too young to rule the nation, and the government was controlled by Chief State Councillor Hwangbo In and General Kim Jong-seo, who was the Left State Councillor. As Kim Jong-seo and his faction used the chance to extend the power of court officials against royal family members, the tension between him and Suyang greatly increased; not only Suyang himself, but his younger brother, Grand Prince Anpyeong, also sought an opportunity to take control of the country.[1]

In order to court the support of the Ming dynasty, Suyang became an ambassador in 1452. He also surrounded himself with trusted allies, including his famous tactician, Han Myeong-hoe, who advised him to take over the government in a coup. In 1453, Suyang killed Kim Jong-seo and his faction, thereby taking the reins of power into his own hands. After the coup, he arrested his own brother, Grand Prince Anpyeong, first sending him into exile, then sentencing him to death.[1]

Reign

Finally, in 1455 Suyang forced the powerless king to abdicate, declaring himself the new ruler of Joseon (today known by the temple name "Sejo").

After his younger brother Grand Prince Geumsung, and six scholars, including Seong Sam-mun, Park Paeng-nyeon and Yi Gae, plotted to remove him from power in an attempt to put his nephew back on the throne, Suyang demoted the former king from "King Emeritus" (Sangwang; 상왕, 上王) to "Prince Nosan" (Nosan Gun; 노산군, 魯山君) and later ordered him to commit suicide by poison.

Despite having snatched the throne from his young nephew and killing many people in the process, Sejo proved himself one of the ablest rulers and administrators in Korean history. First, he continued King Taejong's legacy of strengthening the monarchy by weakening the power of the State Council and bringing the officials directly under the king's control. He also further developed the administrative system, which had also been introduced by Taejong, enabling the government to determine exact population numbers and to mobilize troops effectively (this caused Yi Si-ae's Rebellion, which he suppressed). Just like Taejong, Sejo was a hardliner concerning foreign policy and attacked the Jurchens on the northern front in 1460 (오랑캐, 兀良哈) and 1467 (호리개, 胡里改). He also revised the land ordinance to improve the national economy and encouraged the publication of history, economy, agriculture, and religion books.

Sejo himself compiled a number of books based on his interests. One of them is Seokbosangjeol, a biography of Gautama Buddha.[2] The others are Worinseokbo (월인석보, 月印釋譜) and Yeokdaebyeongyo (역대병요, 歷代兵要).

Most importantly, he compiled the Grand Code for State Administration, which became the cornerstone of dynastic administration and provided the first form of written constitutional law in Korea.

Death

Sejo died in 1468, and the throne passed to his sickly second son, Yi Hwang (Yejong of Joseon). His tomb is known as Gwangneung (광릉) and is located in Namyangju, Gyeonggi Province, South Korea.

Family

Consorts and their respective issue(s):

  1. Queen Jeonghui of the Papyeong Yun clan (정희왕후 윤씨) (8 December 1418 – 6 May 1483)[3][4]
    1. Yi Jang, Crown Prince Uigyeong (의경세자 이장) (1438 – 2 September 1457), first son[5]
    2. Princess Uiryeong (의령공주), first daughter[6][7][8][9] — Disputed.
    3. Princess Uisuk (의숙공주) (1442 – 3 December 1477), second daughter[8][10]
    4. Yi Hwang, Grand Prince Haeyang (해양대군 이황) (14 January 1450 – 31 December 1469), third son
  2. Royal Noble Consort Geun of the Seonsan Park clan (근빈 박씨) (1425 – ?[11])[12][13]
    1. Yi Seo, Prince Deokwon (덕원군 이서) (6 March 1449 – 22 July 1498), second son[14][15][16][17]
    2. Yi Seong, Prince Changwon (창원군 이성) (1458 – 1484), fourth son[18][19]
  3. Deposed Royal Consort So-yong of the Park clan (폐소용 박씨) (? – 3 October 1465)[20][21][22]
    1. Prince Yi Ah-ji (왕자 이아지) (1459 – 1563), fifth son
  4. Royal Consort Suk-won of the Goryeong Shin clan (숙원 신씨)

Ancestry

See also

Notes

  1. 1 2 "세조". terms.naver.com (in Korean). Retrieved 4 February 2022.
  2. ↑ "Life History and Sermon of Buddha Abstracted from Buddhist Scriptures". World Digital Library. 1447. Retrieved 24 May 2013.
  3. ↑ Daughter of Yun Beon, Internal Prince Papyeong & Duke Jeongjeong (파평부원군 정정공 윤번); and Lady Yi of the Incheon Yi clan (인천 이씨), also known as Grand Internal Princess Consort Heungnyeong (흥녕부대부인).
  4. ↑ Married Grand Prince Suyang in 1428.
  5. ↑ Known as Prince Dowon (Dowon Gun; 도원군) before his father took the throne.
  6. ↑ She is only mentioned in an unofficial history (야사, 野史) called Geumgye Pildam (금계필담, 錦溪筆談) written in 1873 by Seo Yu-yeong (서유영). The sole reference at her existence in an official document is a passage from the Annals of the Joseon dynasty, where Grand Prince Suyang (as Sejo was still known at the time) is recorded as having "one son and two daughters" [Sejong Sillok, year 28].
  7. ↑ Her personal name was Yi Se-hui (이세희, 李世熺).
  8. 1 2 As a legitimate daughter of the king, her title properly translates to "Royal Princess" (Gongju; 공주, 公主).
  9. ↑ Married Kim Cha-dong (김차동), a great-grandson of Kim Jong-seo. They had no issue.
  10. ↑ Married Jeong Hyeon-jo (정현조), created Prince Haseong (하성군); son of Jeong In-ji, Duke Munseong (문성공 정인지), and later Chief State Councillor.
  11. ↑ Died after 1504 during King Yeonsangun’s reign
  12. ↑ Formerly known Suk-won (숙의) then as Gwi-in (first junior rank concubine; 귀인, 貴人) or by the title "Lady Jasu" (Jasugung; literally "Palace of Motherly Kindness and Long Life"; 자수궁, 慈壽宮), she was elevated to Bin (first senior rank concubine; 귀인, 貴人) and "Lady Changsu" (Changsugung; literally "Palace of Propriety and Long Life"; 창수궁, 昌壽宮) in 1483.
  13. ↑ Elder sister of Park Paeng-nyeon (박팽년), later one of the six martyred ministers.
  14. ↑ With his first wife, Lady Kim of the Gyeongju Kim clan (경주 김씨), also known as Princess Consort Imcheon (임천군부인) (1447 – 1481), he had 2 sons: Yi Jeok, Prince Yeonseong (연성군 이적) (1464 – 1525), and Yi Hwal, Prince Deokjin (덕진군 이활).
  15. ↑ With his second wife, Lady Yun of the Haman Yun clan (함안 윤씨), also known as Princess Consort Bongsan (봉산군부인) (? – 12 August 1450), he had 3 sons.
  16. ↑ With his third wife, Lady Yang of the Cheongju Yang clan (청주 양씨), also known as Princess Consort Anseong (안성군부인) (1451 – 1504), he had 2 sons: Yi Gam (이감) (1478 – 1534) and Yi Shim (이심) (1489 – 1521).
  17. ↑ With his fourth wife, Lady Seong of the Changnyeong Seong clan (창녕 성씨), also known as Princess Consort Changnyeong (창녕군부인) (1453 – 1515), he had 3 sons: Prince Songseon (숭선군) (1488 – 1544), an unnamed son, and Prince Cheongbu (청부군) (1494 – 1545).
  18. ↑ His three wives were Lady No of Gyoha No clan (교하 노씨), also known as Princess Consort Deokyang (덕양군부인); Lady Jeong of the Gwangju Jeong clan (광주 정씨), also known as Princess Consort Gwangseong (광성군부인); and Lady Han of the Cheongju Han clan (청주 한씨).
  19. ↑ As his marriages failed to produce any children, he adopted Yi Hwal, Prince Deokjin (덕진군 이활), one of his older brother's sons.
  20. ↑ Her personal name was Park Deok-jung (박덕중, 朴德中).
  21. ↑ Former concubine of the third senior rank (So-yong; 소용, 昭容).
  22. ↑ After giving birth, King Sejo did not pay much attention to her. Leading her to fall in love with one King Sejo’s eunuchs, Song Jung (송중), who reported this to the king. The latter himself demoted her to palace maid (내인) but she tried to sent a love letter to Prince Gwiseong (the nephew of King Sejo) through another two eunuchs, Choi Ho (최호) and Kim Jung (김중). When the Prince reported the letter, officials declared that Lady Park be executed for her actions. Thus she was executed by hanging in the 11th year of Sejo’s reign. Yi Jeong-taek, a medicine doctor, states that Lady Park might have experienced postpartum depression after birth.
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