Internal Princess Consort Hanchang of the Hansan Yi clan (hangul: 한창부부인 이씨, hanja: 韓昌府夫人李氏; 1818 — 30 November 1874) was wife of Internal Prince Yeoseong and the mother of

Empress Myeongseong Empress Myeongseong or Empress Myungsung (명성황후 민씨; 17 November 1851 – 8 October 1895In lunar calendar, the Empress was born on 25 September 1851 and died on 20 August 1895), informally known as Empress Min, was the official wife ...

, also the maternal grandmother of

Emperor Sunjong of Korea Sunjong, the Emperor Yunghui (; 25 March 1874 – 24 April 1926), was the second and the last Emperor of Korea, of the Yi dynasty, ruling from 1907 until 1910. Biography Crown Prince of Korea Sunjong was the second son of Emperor Gojong a ...

. She was killed in a bombing assassination in 1874 for political reasons by

Heungseon Daewongun Heungseon Daewongun (흥선대원군, 興宣大院君, 21 December 1820 – 22 February 1898; ), also known as the Daewongun (대원군, 大院君), Guktaegong (국태공, 國太公, "The Great Archduke") or formally Internal King Heungseon Heon ...

. Her death intensified the feud between him and her daughter.

Biography

Lady Hanchang was born into the aristocratic Hansan Yi clan in 1818 as the daughter of Yi Gyu-nyeon, and his wife, Lady Kim of the

Andong Kim clan {{unreferenced, date=December 2014 The Andong Kim clan (Hangul: 안동 김씨, Hanja: 安東金氏) refers to two Korean clans. They were prominent yangban families during Korea's Joseon Dynasty originating from Andong, North Gyeongsang provinc ...

. After her future husband’s first wife, Lady Oh of the

Haeju Oh clan Haeju Oh clan () is a Korean clan. Their Bon-gwan is in Haeju, Hwanghae Province. , the clan has a membership of 422735. Their founder was , who was the governor of Haeju county during the era of Goryeo Goryeo (; ) was a Korean kingdom foun ...

, died in 1833, Lady Yi was arranged to marry Min Chi-rok of the

Yeoheung Min clan The Yeoheung Min clan () is a Korean clan that traces its origin to Yeoju, Gyeonggi Province. The 2015 Korean Census counted 167,124 members of the Yeoheung Min clan. Origin The Yeoheung Min clan's progenitor was Min Ching-do (민칭도, 閔� ...

in 1836 as his second wife. At the time of the marriage, Lady Yi was 18 and Min was 37. It is unknown what year she gave birth to her son and two daughters, but her 3 children all died prematurely. It wasn’t until when Lady Yi was 33 and Min was 52 years old, that they managed to have a child. Lady Yi gave birth to the future Queen Consort on 17 November 1851 (18 October 1851 in lunar calendar). They named their only child, Min Ja-yeong (민자영, 閔玆暎). Her husband died with an illness while he was in

Sado City is a city located on in Niigata Prefecture, Japan. Since 2004, the city has comprised the entire island, although not all of its total area is urbanized. Sado is the sixth largest island of Japan in area following the four main islands and ...

on 17 September 1858. This led to Lady Yi and her daughter to move from Seomark-ri, Geundong-myeon,

Yeoju Yeoju () is a city in Gyeonggi Province, South Korea. Yeoju was a county but was raised to the status of a city in September 2013. Together with the neighboring city of Icheon, it is known as a major center of contemporary South Korean ceramics, ...

to the House of Gamgodang (Hangul: 감고당, Hanja: 感古堂), where her husband’s relatives lived. Lady Yi then raised her daughter for 8 years along with her in-laws, until her daughter was 16 years old, moved to the palace and became queen. When living with her in-laws in Gamgodang, it was decided in 1861 that Min Seung-ho would be her adoptive son as it was believed at the time that only males could continue the family line. When King Gojong’s father,

, was looking for a bride, royal relatives of the Yeoheung Min clan had suggested Min Chi-rok’s and Lady Yi’s daughter, Min Jayeong. Her daughter eventually married King Gojong in 20 March 1866 as his Queen Consort. When her daughter became Queen Consort, Lady Yi was

posthumously Posthumous may refer to: * Posthumous award - an award, prize or medal granted after the recipient's death * Posthumous publication – material published after the author's death * ''Posthumous'' (album), by Warne Marsh, 1987 * ''Posthumous'' (E ...

honored as “Internal Princess Consort Hanchang” (한창부부인), and her husband was also honored as “Min Chi-rok, Internal Prince Yeoseong” and was appointed as

Yeonguijeong ''Yeonguijeong'' () was a title created in 1400, during the Joseon Kingdom and the Korean Empire times (1392–1910) and given to the Chief State Councillor as the highest government position of "Uijeongbu" (State Council). Existing for over 500 ...

after his death. When

Queen Min Empress Myeongseong or Empress Myungsung (명성황후 민씨; 17 November 1851 – 8 October 1895In lunar calendar, the Empress was born on 25 September 1851 and died on 20 August 1895), informally known as Empress Min, was the official wife ...

was expecting in 1871 and 1873, and as per Royal custom for childbirth, Lady Yi was brought into

Gyeongbok Palace Gyeongbokgung (), also known as Gyeongbokgung Palace or Gyeongbok Palace, was the main royal palace of the Joseon dynasty. Built in 1395, it is located in northern Seoul, South Korea. The largest of the '' Five Grand Palaces'' built by the Joseo ...

’s Gyotae Hall to help ease her daughter’s delivery. With both pregnancies bringing a loss, Lady Yi was once again brought to the palace. This time to

Changdeok Palace Changdeokgung (Hangul: 창덕궁, Hanja: 昌德宮; literally, "The Palace of Prospering Virtue"), also known as Changdeokgung Palace or Changdeok Palace, is set within a large park in Jongno District, Seoul, South Korea. It is one of the "Five G ...

’s Daejo Hall where she able to see the birth of her only grandson, Crown Prince Yi Cheok, on 25 March 1874. She later died from a political bombing assassination on 30 November 1874 along with her adoptive son, Min Seung-ho.

Isabella Bird Isabella Lucy Bird, married name Bishop (15 October 1831 – 7 October 1904), was a nineteenth-century British explorer, writer, photographer, and naturalist. With Fanny Jane Butler she founded the John Bishop Memorial Hospital in Srinagar ...

, a British explorer and writer, wrote about the assassination in her 1898 book ''Korea and Her Neighbours'': After her death, her daughter and her father-in-law were constantly against one another in politics. The Empress had a few life attempts from then on, but it wasn’t until the early morning on 8 October 1895 that she died from an assassination at the age of 43.

Family

* Father ** Yi Gyu-nyeon (이규년, 李圭年) * Mother ** Lady Kim of the

(안동 김씨, 安東金氏) * Husband ** Min Chi-rok (민치록, 閔致祿) (1799 – 17 September 1858) *** Father-in-law - Min Gi-hyeon (민기현, 閔耆顯) (1751 – 1 August 1811); was appointed to Kaeseong Ministry *** Mother-in-law - Lady Jeong of the Yeonil Jeong clan (본관: 연일 정씨, 延日鄭氏) (1773 - 9 March 1838); Min Gi-hyeon’s third wife * Children ** Unnamed son ** Unnamed daughter ** Unnamed daughter ** Adoptive son - Min Seung-ho (민승호, 閔升鎬) (1830 - 30 November 1874) *** Adoptive daughter-in-law - Lady Kim of the Gwangsan Kim clan (본관: 광산 김씨, 光山金氏) (? - ? 23 April); Min Seung-ho's first wife **** Unnamed adoptive grandson (? - 1874) **** Adoptive grandson - Min Yeong-ik (민영익, 閔泳翊) (1860-1914);Older brother of

Empress Sunmyeong Empress Sunmyeonghyo or literally known as Sunmyeong, the Filial Piety Empress (Hangul: 순명효황후, Hanja: 純明孝皇后; 20 November 1872 – 5 November 1904), of the Yeoheung Min clan, was the first wife and Crown Princess Consort of ...

eldest son of Min Tae-ho (1834-1884) *** Adoptive daughter-in-law - Lady Kim of the Yeonan Kim clan (본관: 연안 김씨, 延安金氏) (? - ? 11 February); Min Seung-ho’s second wife *** Adoptive daughter-in-law - Lady Yi of the Deoksu Yi clan (본관: 덕수 이씨, 德水李氏) (? - ? 1 July); Min Seung-ho’s third wife ** Daughter -

of the

(명성황후 민씨) (17 November 1851 - 8 October 1895) *** Son-in-law -

Emperor Gojong of Korea Gojong (; 8 September 1852 – 21 January 1919) was the monarch of Korea from 1864 to 1907. He reigned as the last King of Joseon from 1864 to 1897, and as the first Emperor of Korea from 1897 until his forced abdication in 1907. He is known ...

(고종 광무제) (9 September 1852 - 21 January 1919) **** Unnamed grandson (4 November 1871 - 8 November 1871) **** Unnamed granddaughter (13 February 1873 - 28 September 1873) **** Grandson -

(25 March 1874 – 24 April 1926) **** Unnamed grandson (5 April 1875 - 18 April 1875) **** Unnamed grandson (18 February 1878 - 5 June 1878)

In Popular Culture

* Portrayed by Ahn Yeong-ju in the 1995-1996

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, a ...

TV series ''Dazzling Dawn'' *Portrayed by

Sunwoo Eun-sook Sunwoo Eun-sook (born December 24, 1959) is a South Korean actress. Sunwoo made her acting debut in 1978, and rose to fame in the 1980s. Personal life Sunwoo married actor Lee Young-ha Lee Young-ha (born January 17, 1950) is a South Korea ...

in the 2001-2002

KBS2 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, a ...

TV series ''Empress Myeongseong''

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hanchang 1818 births 1874 deaths 19th-century Korean women 19th-century Korean people