Grand Prince Yangnyŏng

Biography

He was born as Yi Che () in 1394. Originally his father appointed him as crown prince but he eventually executed Queen Wongyeong's brothers and in the 18th year of his reign replaced Prince Yangnyŏng with his third son Prince Chungnyeong as heir apparent. Known for his literature and calligraphy skills, the former crown prince lacked in the requisite skills for kingship and acted extremely rude in court. On May 1415, he caused a scandal when he had an affair with Chogungjang, the kisaeng of his uncle and former king, Jeongjong. Yangnyŏng was unaware that Chogungjang was his uncle's woman. On 15 February 1417, Yangnyŏng secretly brought in Eori, the concubine of Gwak Seon, into the palace. Angered, Taejong banished Yangnyŏng from the royal palace to the residence of Yangnyŏng's father-in-law, Kim Han-ro. However, Kim Han-ro arranged a rendezvous between Yangnyŏng and Eori, and Eori bore the crown prince's child. For a while, Taejong did not fault Yangnyŏng for his libertine proclivities but instead held his father-in-law, Kim Han-ro, accountable for Crown Prince Yangnyŏng's improprieties.

The final event that sealed Yangnyŏng's fate was a letter he wrote to Taejong, accusing Taejong of hypocrisy. Yangnyŏng criticized his father for punishing him over his affair with Eori, while Taejong himself maintained ten concubines, in direct violation of the Confucian virtue of highest importance: filial piety. Due to Yangnyŏng's continued lack of remorse, Taejong deposed Yangnyŏng as crown prince on 3 June 1418. Sorrowful, Taejong asked two officials who had been sent to inform Yangnyŏng of his deposition about Yangnyŏng's reaction. They reported back to Taejong that Yangnyŏng neither cried nor showed signs of sadness. Yangnyŏng was banished from the palace and relocated to Gwangju. Taejong initially considered to create two sons of Yangnyŏng his new heir, but finally chose his own third son Grand Prince Chungnyeong, the later Sejong.

After Sejong became king, the relationship between the brothers strengthened, with Sejong often inviting Yangnyŏng to the palace. During Sejo's reign, Yangnyŏng enjoyed the status of the eldest royal family member, and Sejo often invited Yangnyŏng to the palace for court revelries.

Yangnyŏng died in 1462, the eighth year of Sejo's reign, at the age of 68.

The tomb of Prince Yangnyŏng reopened in 2018 to the public after 18 years of closure.

Family

• Father: King Taejong of Joseon (; 13 June 1367 – 30 May 1422)
  • Grandfather: King Taejo of Joseon (; 27 October 1335 – 18 June 1408)
  • Grandmother: Queen Shinui of the Anbyeon Han clan (; 1337 – 21 October 1391)
• Mother: Queen Wongyeong of the Yeoheung Min clan (; 29 July 1365 – 18 August 1420)
• Consorts and their respective issue:

1. Princess Consort Suseong of the Gwangsan Kim clan () (1395 - 1456)
2. Princess Jaeryeong () or Princess Jeonui (; 1405 – 1444)
3. Princess Yangcheon (; 1412 – 5 April 1502)
4. Yi Gae, Prince Sunseong (; 1414 – 2 September 1462)
5. Yi Po, Prince Hamyang (; 1416 – 21 June 1475)
6. Yi Hye, Prince Seosan (; 1422 – 10 April 1451)
7. Princess Yeongpyeong () (1424 - ?)
8. Princess Yi of the Jeonju Yi clan () (1426 - ?)
9. Princess Yi of the Jeonju Yi clan () (1432 - ?)
10. Kisaeng Bong Ji-ryeon ()
11. Unknown concubine (1400 - ?)
12. Yi Sim () (1409 - ?)
13. Lady Yi (1420 - ?)
14. Yi Sun () (1445 - 1509)
15. Lady Yi (1445 - ?)
16. Lady Yi (1447 - ?)
17. Lady Yi (1449 - ?)
18. Yi Sun () (1445 - 1509)
19. Yi Gwang-seok () (1449 - ?)
20. Yi Gwang-geun () (1451 - ?)
21. Kisaeng Eori () (1398 - ?)
22. Princess Yi Ae-jung () (1414 - ?)
23. Kisaeng Cho Gung-jang () (1385 - ?)
24. Kisaeng Jeonghyang ()
25. Kisaeng Chil Jeom-saeng ()
26. Unknown concubine (1410 - ?)
27. Yi Gyeom () (1434 - ?)
28. Yi Heun () (1438 - ?)
29. Yi Seong () (1439 - ?)
30. Lady Yi (1440 - ?)
31. Unknown slave (1435 - ?)
32. Lady Yi
33. Princess Yi Gu-ji () (1457 - ?)
34. Unknown concubine (1437 - ?)
35. Lady Yi (1454 - ?)
36. Lady Yi (1456 - ?)
37. Lady Yi (1458 - 1509)
38. Princess Yi Geon-yi () (1460 - ?)
39. Lady Yi (1465 - ?)

Popular culture

• Portrayed by Song Ki-yoon in the 1983 MBC TV series The King of Chudong Palace.
• Portrayed by Lee Min-woo in the 1996–1998 KBS1 TV series Tears of the Dragon.
• Portrayed by Park Sang-min, Jung Chan-woo and Lee In in the 2008 KBS2 TV series King Sejong the Great.
• Portrayed by Park Woong in the 2011 JTBC TV series Insu, The Queen Mother.
• Portrayed by Baek Do-bin in the 2012 film I Am the King.
• Portrayed by Lee Byung-wook in the 2016 KBS1 TV series Jang Yeong-sil.
• Portrayed by Lee Tae-ri, Kim Joon-ui and Kim In-woo in the 2021-2022 KBS1 TV series The King of Tears, Lee Bang-won.

Notes

References

References

• Kim Haboush, JaHyun and Martina Deuchler (1999). Culture and the State in Late Chosŏn Korea. Cambridge: Harvard University Press. ; OCLC 40926015
• Lee, Peter H. (1993). Sourcebook of Korean Civilization, Vol. 1. New York: Columbia University Press. ; ; ; OCLC 26353271
• Lee Bae-yong (2008). Women in Korean History. Seoul: Ewha Womans University Press.

References

1. In lunar calendar
2. In lunar calendar, the Grand Prince died on 7 September 1462
3. (2008). "Women in Korean History 한국 역사 속의 여성들". Ewha Womans University Press.
4. (13 June 2019). "[이기환의 흔적의 역사] 태종이 밝힌 양녕대군 폐세자 이유, "대체 너 땜에 몇명이 죽었냐"".
5. "Crown Prince Is Ordered To Reside With Father-In-Law". National Institute of Korean History.
6. "Crown Prince Is Ordered To Return To Hangyeong". National Institute of Korean History.
7. "Crown Prince Sends Letter to King Via Chamberlain Park Ji-saeng". National Institute of Korean History.
8. (December 22, 2006). "King Taejong as a statesman: From power to authority". Korea Journal.
9. "Mun Gwi and Choi Han Return And Report About Yangnyŏng". National Institute of Korean History.
10. "Death of Grand Prince Yangnyeong Yi Je". National Institute of Korean History.
11. "Tomb of Grand Prince Yangnyeong to reopen to public in 18 years".