Gongyang of Goryeo (9 March 1345 – 17 May 1394) was the 34th and final ruler of the
Goryeo Dynasty
Goryeo (; ) was a Korean kingdom founded in 918, during a time of national division called the Later Three Kingdoms period, that unified and ruled the Korean Peninsula until 1392. Goryeo achieved what has been called a "true national unificat ...
of
Korea
Korea ( ko, 한국, or , ) is a peninsular region in East Asia. Since 1945, it has been divided at or near the 38th parallel, with North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) comprising its northern half and South Korea (Republi ...
. He was the descendant of
Duke Yangyang
Wang Seo, known by his title of Marquess Deokyang and later Duke Yangyang, was a Goryeo Royal Prince as the second son of King Sinjong and Queen Seonjeong, also the only younger brother of King Huijong. Through his third son, he would eventuall ...
, brother of
King Huijong. He was deposed by
Yi Seong-gye, who then established the new
Joseon Dynasty
Joseon (; ; Middle Korean: 됴ᇢ〯션〮 Dyǒw syéon or 됴ᇢ〯션〯 Dyǒw syěon), officially the Great Joseon (; ), was the last dynastic kingdom of Korea, lasting just over 500 years. It was founded by Yi Seong-gye in July 1392 and ...
.
Biography
Background and early life
He was born as the second and youngest son of
Wang Gyun, 6th-generation descendant of
King Sinjong from his youngest son,
Duke Yangyang
Wang Seo, known by his title of Marquess Deokyang and later Duke Yangyang, was a Goryeo Royal Prince as the second son of King Sinjong and Queen Seonjeong, also the only younger brother of King Huijong. Through his third son, he would eventuall ...
. His mother was
Princess Boknyeong
Princess Bongnyeong, better known as Lady Wang, the Grand Consort () was a Goryeo royal family member as the great-granddaughter of King Chungnyeol who became the wife of Prince Jeongwon and mother of King Gongyang.
Biography Relative
*Father: ...
, a great-granddaughter of
King Chungnyeol
Chungnyeol of Goryeo (3 April 1236 – 30 July 1308) was the 25th ruler of the medieval Korean kingdom of Goryeo from 1274 to 1308. He was the son of Wonjong, his predecessor on the throne. Chungnyeol was king during the Mongol Invasions of Jap ...
. He had an older brother,
Wang U, Prince Jeongyang. Due to this, the future King had the Goryeo royal family's bloods from both of paternal and maternal line.
At a young age, he was honoured as Prince Jeongchang (정창군, 定昌君) and then married the daughter of No Chaek, Internal Prince Changseong from the
Gyoha No clan
The Gyoha No clan () is a Korean clan. Its bon-gwan is Paju, Gyeonggi Province. According to census research in 2015, the number of Gyoha No clan members was 61,747. The clan's founder is , the 2nd son of , who hailed from T'ang China. No O was di ...
. His niece,
Lady Kang, married
Yi Seong-gye as his second wife.
Reign
Although he did everything to prove that he had no political ambitions, Yi Seong-gye's faction used him as a bloodless propaganda tool. In 1389, Yi's supporters forced
King Chang from the throne and enthroned King Gongyang in his stead. This faction went on to oversee the events of King Gongyang's brief reign, including the assassinations of
King U and
King Chang. After the murder of
Jeong Mong-ju, the last major supporter of the Goryeo kings, King Gongyang was deposed in 1392 by Yi Seong-gye, his son (
Yi Bang-won
Taejong of Joseon (13 June 1367 – 8 June 1422), personal name Yi Bang-won ( Korean: 이방원; Hanja: 李芳遠), was the third ruler of the Joseon dynasty of Korea and the father of King Sejong the Great. Before ascending to the throne, ...
),
Jeong Do-jeon and others, which brought the Goryeo dynasty to an end.
Life after deposition
The former king was exiled at first to
Wonju
Wonju () is the most populous city in Gangwon Province, South Korea. The city is located approximately east of Seoul. Wonju was the site of three crucial battles during the Korean War.
Geography
Wonju sits at the southwestern corner of Gangw ...
and given title of Prince Gongyang (공양군, 恭讓君), but was then moved to
Samcheok
Samcheok () is a city in Gangwon-do, South Korea.
History
Ancient age & Three Kingdom
* It was called "Siljikguk or Siljikgokguk"
* 102 under the rule of Silla ( Pasa 23rd)
* 468 under the rule of Goguryeo ( Jangsu 56th)
* 505 The name changed ...
where he got assassinated in 1394 alongside his son,
Crown Prince Wang Seok in Gungchon Village. In 1416,
King Taejong
Taejong of Joseon (13 June 1367 – 8 June 1422), personal name Yi Bang-won ( Korean: 이방원; Hanja: 李芳遠), was the third ruler of the Joseon dynasty of Korea and the father of King Sejong the Great. Before ascending to the throne, ...
honoured Goryeo's last king as King Gongyang (공양왕, 恭讓王) and sent an envoy to check out his tomb.
Family
Parents
*Father:
Wang Gyun, Internal Prince Jeongwon (정원부원군 왕균)
**Grandfather: Wang Yu, Marquess Sunhwa (순화후 왕유; d.1360)
**Grandmother: Consort Myeongye of the Mahan State, of the Shin clan (마한국명예비 신씨)
*Mother:
Grand Consort Wang of Samhan State (삼한국대비 왕씨)
**Grandfather:
Wang Hun, Grand Prince Yeondeok (연덕부원대군 왕훈 )
**Grandmother: Consort Ahn, of the Jo clan (안의비 조씨)
Consorts and their respective issue(s):
*
Royal Consort Sun of the Gyoha No clan (순비 노씨; d. 1394)
**
Crown Prince Wang Seok (세자 왕석; d. 1394)
**
Princess Suknyeong (숙녕궁주)
**
Princess Jeongsin
Princess Jeongsin (Hangul: 정신궁주 ''or'' 정신공주, Hanja: 貞信宮主 ''or'' 貞信公主; d. 1421) was a Goryeo Royal Princess as the second daughter of King Gongyang and Royal Consort Sun.
Life
In 17 April 1390, she honoured as Prin ...
(정신궁주)
**
Princess Gyeonghwa (경화궁주)
**Prince Wang (왕자 왕씨; d. 1394?)
[There were debated about this unnamed son:
**According to '']Goryeosa
The ''Goryeosa'' (), or ''History of Goryeo'', is the main surviving historical record of Korea's Goryeo dynasty. It was composed nearly a century after the fall of Goryeo, during the reign of King Sejong, undergoing repeated revisions betwee ...
'' Biographies vol. 91, it was recorded that King Gongyang just had 1 son, Wang Seok.
*But, based on '' Taejo Sillok'' vol. 5, it was said that King Gongyang had 2 sons whom they two were killed in 1394 under King Taejo's command.
**Prince Wang An (왕자 왕안;d.1416)
Ancestry
In popular culture
*Portrayed by Kim Jin-hae in the 1983
KBS TV series ''
Foundation of the Kingdom''.
*Portrayed by Kim Woong-chul in the 1983
MBC TV series ''
The King of Chudong Palace''.
*Portrayed by Kim Young-sun in the 1996–1998 KBS TV series ''
Tears of the Dragon''.
*Portrayed by Kim Byung-choon in the 2012–2013
SBS TV series ''
The Great Seer''.
*Portrayed by Nam Sung-jin in the 2014 KBS TV series ''
Jeong Do-jeon''.
*Portrayed by Lee Do-yup in the 2015–2016 SBS TV series ''
Six Flying Dragons''.
*Portrayed by Park Hyung-joon in the 2021
KBS1
The Korean Broadcasting System (KBS) () is the national broadcaster of South Korea. Founded in February 1927, it is one of the leading South Korean television and radio broadcasters.
KBS operates seven radio networks, ten television channels, ...
TV series ''
The King of Tears, Lee Bang-won
''The King of Tears, Lee Bang-won'' () is a South Korean television series starring Joo Sang-wook in the title role. With this series, KBS is reviving the historical drama series after 5 years, as the last KBS historical series '' Jang Yeong-s ...
''.
See also
*
List of monarchs of Korea
*
Goryeo
Goryeo (; ) was a Korean kingdom founded in 918, during a time of national division called the Later Three Kingdoms period, that unified and ruled the Korean Peninsula until 1392. Goryeo achieved what has been called a "true national unifica ...
References
*
{{Authority control
1345 births
1394 deaths
Executed Korean people
14th-century Korean monarchs
People executed by hanging
Korean Buddhist monarchs