HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Cheoljong of Joseon (25 July 1831 – 16 January 1864) was the 25th king of the
Joseon 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 re ...
, reigning from 1849 to 1864. After
Heonjong of Joseon Heonjong of Joseon (8 September 1827 – 25 July 1849) was the 24th king of the Joseon Dynasty of Korea. He was the grandson of King Sunjo of Joseon, Sunjo. His father was Crown Prince Hyomyeong (posthumously named Munjo of Joseon), who died at t ...
died without male heir in 1849,
Queen Sunwon Queen Sunwon (순원왕후; 8 June 1789 – 21 September 1857), of the Andong Kim clan was the queen consort and wife of Sunjo of Joseon. She was known as Queen Dowager Myeonggyeong (명경왕대비) after her husband's death in 1834. She served ...
chose Cheoljong, aged 19, to be the next king, as the heir to late
Sunjo of Joseon Sunjo of Joseon (29 July 1790 – 13 December 1834, reigned 1800–1834) was the 23rd king of the Korean Joseon Dynasty. Sunjo was the 2nd son of King Jeongjo with Royal Noble Consort Su, one of King Jeongjo's concubines. Biography He w ...
. Cheoljong was a great-great-grandson of
Yeongjo of Joseon Yeongjo of Joseon (31 October 1694 – 22 April 1776), personal name Yi Geum (Korean language, Korean: 이금, Hanja: 李昑), was the 21st monarch of the Joseon, Joseon dynasty of Korea. He was the second son of Sukjong of Joseon, King Sukjong ...
. Before ascending the throne, he lived in poverty; even after becoming the king, he had little political influence, and political power was held mainly by 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 ...
, the family of Queen Sunwon. The monopoly of the Andong Kim clan's power caused nationwide corruption, resulting in a mass series of peasant revolts in southern Joseon in 1862. He died in 1864 without an heir, and was succeeded by a distant relative, Gojong.


Biography


Early life

Cheoljong was born Yi Won-beom (이원범), the 3rd and youngest son of Yi Gwang (
Jeongye Daewongun Jeongye Daewongun (Hangul: 전계대원군; Hanja: 全溪大院君; 21 March 1785 – 2 November 1841; ) was a member of the Korean Joseon dynasty as the biological father of King Cheoljong of Joseon. His personal name was Yi Gwang (hangul: 이 ...
), a great-grandson of King
Yeongjo of Joseon Yeongjo of Joseon (31 October 1694 – 22 April 1776), personal name Yi Geum (Korean language, Korean: 이금, Hanja: 李昑), was the 21st monarch of the Joseon, Joseon dynasty of Korea. He was the second son of Sukjong of Joseon, King Sukjong ...
. His mother was a
concubine Concubinage is an interpersonal and sexual relationship between a man and a woman in which the couple does not want, or cannot enter into a full marriage. Concubinage and marriage are often regarded as similar but mutually exclusive. Concubi ...
, and she was a daughter of Yeom Seong-hwa (염성화), a commoner, descended from the Yongdam Yeom clan (용담 염씨).
Prince Euneon Prince Euneon (Korean: 은언군, Hanja: 恩彦君) (29 May 1754 – 30 June 1801), personal name Yi In (Korean: 이인, Hanja: 李䄄), was a royal prince of the Joseon Dynasty. He was the grandfather of the 25th King of Joseon, King Cheoljong. ...
, was Cheoljong's grandfather and a younger half-brother of
Jeongjo of Joseon Jeongjo of Joseon (28 October 1752 – 18 August 1800), personal name Yi San (Korean: 이산; Hanja: 李祘), sometimes called Jeongjo the Great (Korean: 정조대왕; Hanja: 正祖大王), was the 22nd monarch of the Joseon dynasty of Korea. ...
; in 1786, accused of treason, he and his family was exiled to
Ganghwa Island Ganghwa Island (Hangul ; Hanja ), also known by its native name Ganghwado, is a South Korean island in the estuary of the Han River. It is in the Yellow Sea, off Korea's west coast. The island is separated from Gimpo (on the South Korean mainla ...
. Prince Euneon was killed during the
Catholic Persecution of 1801 The Catholic Persecution of 1801, also known as the Sinyu Persecution (신유박해), was a mass persecution of Korean Catholics ordered by Queen Jeongsun during King Sunjo of Joseon's reign. The government began to suppress Catholicism in the be ...
, as his wife and daughter-in-law became
Catholic The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
, which was illegal in Joseon by the time; his children remained in confinement on the island until King Sunjo decided to pardon them in 1822. One of Prince Euneon's sons, Yi Gwang, was in his thirties, thus married a daughter of Choi Su-chang and had a son, Yi Won-gyeong (이원경); he had another two sons, respectively born to different concubines. The family eventually returned to the capital,
Hanseong Seoul (; ; ), officially known as the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea.Before 1972, Seoul was the ''de jure'' capital of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea) as stated iArticle 103 of ...
. When Cheoljong was young, he had little education. At the age of four, he studied the ''
Thousand Character Classic The ''Thousand Character Classic'' (), also known as the ''Thousand Character Text'', is a Chinese poem that has been used as a primer for teaching Chinese characters to children from the sixth century onward. It contains exactly one thousand c ...
''; later, he also read some beginning volumes of the '' Comprehensive Mirror in Aid of Governance'' and ''
Elementary Learning Elementary may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Music * ''Elementary'' (Cindy Morgan album), 2001 * ''Elementary'' (The End album), 2007 * ''Elementary'', a Melvin "Wah-Wah Watson" Ragin album, 1977 Other uses in arts, entertainment, an ...
'', but he couldn't remember much content from them, and he stopped studying in following years. In 1836, Nam Eung-jung (남응중) attempted to enthrone one of the grandsons of Prince Euneon; the plot was exposed and he was executed. During the death of
Queen Hyohyeon Queen Hyohyeon (27 April 1828 – 18 October 1843) (Hangul: 효현왕후 김씨, Hanja: 孝顯王后 金氏) of the Andong Kim clan, was the wife and the queen consort of King Heonjong of Joseon, the 24th monarch of the Joseon Dynasty. She was p ...
(consort of King Heonjong) in 1844, a conspiracy by Min Jin-yong (민진용) to enthrone Yi Won-gyeong, Cheoljong's oldest half-brother, was exposed and led to Yi Won-gyeong's execution. Yi Won-gyeong's family, guilty by association, was again exiled to Ganghwa Island.


Accession

King Heonjong died in 1849, and he had no issue; thus, the lineage of
Jeongjo Jeongjo of Joseon (28 October 1752 – 18 August 1800), personal name Yi San (Korean language, Korean: 이산; Hanja: 李祘), sometimes called Jeongjo the Great (Korean language, Korean: 정조대왕; Hanja: 正祖大王), was the 22nd monarc ...
died out. Some officials suggested that a distant royalty, Yi Ha-jeon (이하전), could succeed the throne. But he was eight years old, as well as a descendant of
Deokheung Daewongun Deokheung Daewongun (Hangul: 덕흥대원군, Hanja: 德興大院君; 2 April 1530 – 14 June 1559; ), known before as Prince Deokheung (Hangul: 덕흥군, Hanja: 德興君) before becoming ''Daewongun'', personal name Yi Cho (Hangul: 이초, H ...
and an 11th cousin once removed to Heonjong. However, the grandmother of the late king,
Queen Sunwon Queen Sunwon (순원왕후; 8 June 1789 – 21 September 1857), of the Andong Kim clan was the queen consort and wife of Sunjo of Joseon. She was known as Queen Dowager Myeonggyeong (명경왕대비) after her husband's death in 1834. She served ...
( King Sunjo's widow), preferred to choose the next king herself, from closer relatives. She selected Yi Won-Beom, one of few living descendants of King
Yeongjo Yeongjo of Joseon (31 October 1694 – 22 April 1776), personal name Yi Geum (Korean: 이금, Hanja: 李昑), was the 21st monarch of the Joseon dynasty of Korea. He was the second son of King Sukjong, by his concubine Royal Noble Consort Suk ...
and a second cousin once removed to Heonjong. She decided to adopt him as the heir and she sent officials to ask his family to return from Ganghwa Island. Yi Won-Beom lived in the countryside as a poor peasant. When he and his family saw the royal messenger coming, they were horrified. The Queen sent the ''
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 ...
'' (Prime Minister) Jeong Won-yong (정원용) to present the order of the Queen Dowager and persuaded them to move to the Capital. According to the legend, as they were about to across Han River, there were flocks of sheep kneeling down as if they were waiting for a monarch. The future king regarded this as a good omen. When they were about to enter the capital, they were warmly welcomed by the citizens with deafening cheer. When Yi Won-beom arrived in the palace, he was first made "Prince Deokwan" (덕완군), and descendants of Prince Euneon were again regarded as royalty. During their lifetime, Cheoljong's parents had no royal titles, so they were respectively honored as
Jeongye Daewongun Jeongye Daewongun (Hangul: 전계대원군; Hanja: 全溪大院君; 21 March 1785 – 2 November 1841; ) was a member of the Korean Joseon dynasty as the biological father of King Cheoljong of Joseon. His personal name was Yi Gwang (hangul: 이 ...
and
Yongseong Budaebuin Grand Internal Princess Consort Yongseong (Hangul: 용성부대부인 염씨, Hanja: 龍城府大夫人 廉氏; 20 July 1793 – March 1834), or Grand Internal Princess Consort Yeongwon (), of the Yongdam Yeom clan, was a member of Joseon dynasty ...
. Some other relatives of Cheoljong also received titles, including Prince Hoepyeong (his eldest half-brother), Prince Yeongpyeong (his second half-brother), Prince Punggye (his 4th uncle and half-brother of Jeongye Daewongun) as well as Prince Ikpyeong, the son of Prince Punggye; Han Gak-sin (한각신), an uncle of Cheoljong and the son-in-law of Prince Euneon, was appointed to be the officer-in-charge of Ikreung, the royal tomb of
Queen Ingyeong Queen Ingyeong (인경왕후 김씨; 25 October 1661 − 16 December 1680), of the Gwangsan Kim clan, was a posthumous name bestowed to the wife and first queen consort of Yi Sun, King Sukjong, the 19th Joseon monarch. She was queen consort of Jo ...
in
Gyeonggi Province Gyeonggi-do (, ) is the most populous province in South Korea. Its name, ''Gyeonggi'', means "京 (the capital) and 畿 (the surrounding area)". Thus, ''Gyeonggi-do'' can be translated as "Seoul and the surrounding areas of Seoul". Seoul, the na ...
. On July 28, 1849, Cheoljong ascended the throne in
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 ...
, and Queen Sunwon served as
regent A regent (from Latin : ruling, governing) is a person appointed to govern a state '' pro tempore'' (Latin: 'for the time being') because the monarch is a minor, absent, incapacitated or unable to discharge the powers and duties of the monarchy ...
for two years. In following years, Cheoljong resumed his studies. As a monarch, he at first changed his name from "Won-Beom" to "Yeop" (엽). But officials found out the name was too close in pronunciation to that of a
Kangxi Emperor The Kangxi Emperor (4 May 1654– 20 December 1722), also known by his temple name Emperor Shengzu of Qing, born Xuanye, was the third emperor of the Qing dynasty, and the second Qing emperor to rule over China proper, reigning from 1661 to 1 ...
of the
Qing dynasty The Qing dynasty ( ), officially the Great Qing,, was a Manchu-led imperial dynasty of China and the last orthodox dynasty in Chinese history. It emerged from the Later Jin dynasty founded by the Jianzhou Jurchens, a Tungusic-speak ...
in China. To respect the
naming taboo A naming taboo is a cultural taboo against speaking or writing the given names of exalted persons, notably in China and within the Chinese cultural sphere. It was enforced by several laws throughout Imperial China, but its cultural and possibly r ...
tradition, he was renamed again to Byeon (변). Cheoljong married the daughter of Kim Mun-geun (a third cousin of Queen Sunwon) in 1851, and she was later known as
Queen Cheorin Queen Cheorin (27 April 1837 – 12 June 1878), of the Andong Kim clan, was queen consort of Joseon by marriage to Cheoljong of Joseon, King Cheoljong. She was known as Queen Dowager Myeongsun (명순대비) after the death of her husband and du ...
. Queen Cheorin had their only son in 1858, named Yung-jun, but the infant died less than a year in 1859.


Reign

Following the wedding of Cheoljong in 1851, Queen Sunwon ended her regency. However, the politics was still controlled by Queen Sunwon's family, 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 ...
. Throughout the 14-year reign, Cheoljong became a
puppet monarch A puppet monarch is a majority figurehead who is installed or patronized by an imperial power to provide the appearance of local authority but to allow political and economic control to remain among the dominating nation. A figurehead monarch ...
vulnerable to their control; Queen Cheorin was also from the Andong Kim clan, allowing them to tighten the manipulation, with many Kim family members becoming prominent officials in the government. In 1856, as the national examination was full of bribery and fraud, Cheoljong criticized the situation and ordered to rectify the chaos, but it was in vain. Meanwhile, the nationwide corruption deteriorated in the field of military and agricultural taxes. A rebel started in
Jinju Jinju () is a city in South Gyeongsang Province, South Korea. It was the location of the first (1592) and second (1593) Sieges of Jinju by Japanese forces during the Imjin War. The Republic of Korea Air Force Education and Training Command is ...
of the
Gyeongsang Province Gyeongsang ( ko, 경상도, ''Gyeongsang-do''; ) was one of the eight provinces of Korea during the Joseon dynasty. Gyeongsang was located in the southeast of Korea. The provincial capital was Daegu. The region was the birthplace of the Kingd ...
in 1862, and it was repressed, with 13 people executed and 19 exiled. However, the rebel continued to spread across three southern provinces, as well as Jeju Island. It was discovered the rebel was resulted by corruption mentioned above, so Cheoljong set an office to carry out a financial reorganization, but the reformation turned out to be ineffective. Joseon implemented isolation policy when it comes to foreign countries for centuries, and Cheoljong remained the same. However, during his reign, vessels from Europe, the
United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
and
Russian Empire The Russian Empire was an empire and the final period of the Russian monarchy from 1721 to 1917, ruling across large parts of Eurasia. It succeeded the Tsardom of Russia following the Treaty of Nystad, which ended the Great Northern War. ...
, often appear in the territorial sea, and at least 20 of them were recorded. In 1850, a foreign boat (nationality unknown) appeared in
Uljin County Uljin County (''Uljin-gun''; Korean language, Korean: 울진군) is a Administrative divisions of South Korea, county in North Gyeongsang Province, South Korea. Before 1963, Uljin was in Gangwon Province (South Korea), Gangwon Province. It borders ...
of Gangwon Province, and some Joseon officials were killed by its bombardment before it left. In 1851, a French merchant ship with people from the
Qing dynasty The Qing dynasty ( ), officially the Great Qing,, was a Manchu-led imperial dynasty of China and the last orthodox dynasty in Chinese history. It emerged from the Later Jin dynasty founded by the Jianzhou Jurchens, a Tungusic-speak ...
visited Jeju Island. In 1852, an American
whaler A whaler or whaling ship is a specialized vessel, designed or adapted for whaling: the catching or processing of whales. Terminology The term ''whaler'' is mostly historic. A handful of nations continue with industrial whaling, and one, Japa ...
stopped by
Dongnae District Dongnae District is a '' gu'' in central Busan, South Korea. Administrative divisions It has a population of about 300,000, and an area of 16.7 square kilometers. It was once a separate city, the principal port of southeastern Korea. Numerous ...
in
Gyeongsang Province Gyeongsang ( ko, 경상도, ''Gyeongsang-do''; ) was one of the eight provinces of Korea during the Joseon dynasty. Gyeongsang was located in the southeast of Korea. The provincial capital was Daegu. The region was the birthplace of the Kingd ...
; at first, the locals couldn't communicate with Americans, and then they found out there were also some Japanese aboard, who were rescued after a shipwreck. In 1854,
Russian frigate Pallada ''Pallada'' (russian: Паллада) was a sail frigate of the Imperial Russian Navy, most noted for its service as flagship of Vice Admiral Yevfimy Putyatin during his visit to Japan in 1853, which later resulted in the signing of the Treaty ...
entered
Tumen River The Tumen River, also known as the Tuman River or Duman River (), is a long river that serves as part of the boundary between China, North Korea and Russia, rising on the slopes of Mount Paektu and flowing into the Sea of Japan. The river has ...
for prospecting, naming
Wonsan Wŏnsan (), previously known as Wŏnsanjin (), Port Lazarev, and Genzan (), is a port city and naval base located in Kangwŏn Province, North Korea, along the eastern side of the Korean Peninsula, on the Sea of Japan and the provincial capital. ...
as "Port Lazarev"; during the process, it was reported that some local residents were shot as the crowd watching the foreign vessel. In 1855, the French sailed a frigate named ''Virginie'' prospected the east Joseon coast from
Busan Busan (), officially known as is South Korea's most populous city after Seoul, with a population of over 3.4 million inhabitants. Formerly romanized as Pusan, it is the economic, cultural and educational center of southeastern South Korea, w ...
to
Tumen River The Tumen River, also known as the Tuman River or Duman River (), is a long river that serves as part of the boundary between China, North Korea and Russia, rising on the slopes of Mount Paektu and flowing into the Sea of Japan. The river has ...
and named some of the islands; another English boat named ''Sylvia'' also arrived in Busan in the same year. In 1856, there were hundreds of French army not returning to France after the
Crimean War The Crimean War, , was fought from October 1853 to February 1856 between Russia and an ultimately victorious alliance of the Ottoman Empire, France, the United Kingdom and Piedmont-Sardinia. Geopolitical causes of the war included the de ...
; instead, they sacked some coastal cities in
Chungcheong Province Chungcheong (''Chungcheong-do''; ) was one of the Eight Provinces (Korea), eight provinces of Korea during the Joseon Dynasty. Chungcheong was located in the southwest of Korea. The provincial capital was located at Gongju, which had been the ...
and
Hwanghae Province Hwanghae Province (''Hwanghae-do'' ) was one of the Eight Provinces of Korea during the Joseon era. Hwanghae was located in the northwest of Korea. The provincial capital was Haeju. The regional name for the province was Haeseo. History In 139 ...
. In the
Second Opium War The Second Opium War (), also known as the Second Anglo-Sino War, the Second China War, the Arrow War, or the Anglo-French expedition to China, was a colonial war lasting from 1856 to 1860, which pitted the British Empire and the French Emp ...
of 1860,
Beijing } Beijing ( ; ; ), alternatively romanized as Peking ( ), is the capital of the People's Republic of China. It is the center of power and development of the country. Beijing is the world's most populous national capital city, with over 21 ...
, the capital of the
Qing dynasty The Qing dynasty ( ), officially the Great Qing,, was a Manchu-led imperial dynasty of China and the last orthodox dynasty in Chinese history. It emerged from the Later Jin dynasty founded by the Jianzhou Jurchens, a Tungusic-speak ...
was invaded by Anglo-French force, and the
Old Summer Palace The Old Summer Palace, also known as Yuanmingyuan () or Yuanmingyuan Park, originally called the Imperial Gardens (), and sometimes called the Winter Palace, was a complex of palaces and gardens in present-day Haidian District, Beijing, China. I ...
was sacked and burnt down. Beijing was close to Joseon, and as the news spread, it caused disturbance in Joseon. Some nobles and officials fled from Hanseong, and people often wore Christian crosses so as to protect themselves from foreigners. To get to know further news from China, Cheoljong sent several envoys to visit
Xianfeng Emperor The Xianfeng Emperor (17 July 1831 – 22 August 1861), or by temple name Emperor Wenzong of Qing (), given name Yizhu (), was the eighth Emperor of the Qing dynasty, and the seventh Qing emperor to rule over China proper, reigned from 1850 t ...
, who fled to
Chengde Mountain Resort Chengde Mountain Resort in Chengde (; Manchu: ''Halhūn be jailara gurung''), is a large complex of imperial palaces and gardens situated in the Shuangqiao District of Chengde in northeastern Hebei province, northern China, about 225 km northea ...
by the time. After the battle, European countries gained several privileges in China; as Joseon was in the
tributary system of China The tributary system of China (), or Cefeng system () was a network of loose international relations focused on China which facilitated trade and foreign relations by acknowledging China's predominant role in East Asia. It involved multiple relati ...
, these countries demanded that they should have a same right in Joseon, only to be rejected. Since then, the
United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...
, France, the United States and Russian Empire started to pressure Joseon through terrestrial and naval forces. Since the beginning of the 19th century,
Catholicism The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
was illegal in Joseon, but during Cheoljong's reign, the persecution was relatively light and the ban was loose. Around 1857, there were about 16.5 thousands of Christians in Joseon. As of 1863, there were twelve Catholic missionaries from France living in Joseon, and within few years, there were over a hundred thousand of Christians around the capital, and some of the court officials became followers. The mother of future
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 ...
became a Christian as well. As reaction of such rapid propagation of Catholicism and the chaotic society,
Choe Je-u Choe Je-u, who used the pen name Su-un (18 December 1824 – 15 April 1864), was the founder of Donghak, a Korean religious movement which was empathetic to the hardships of the minjung (the marginalized people of Korea), opposed Catholicism and ...
founded a new religion
Donghak Donghak (formerly spelled Tonghak; ) was an academic movement in Korean Neo-Confucianism founded in 1860 by Choe Je-u. The Donghak movement arose as a reaction to seohak (), and called for a return to the "Way of Heaven". While Donghak originat ...
to counter the foreign influence and gained many followers. Despite that Choe was eventually captured and executed, Donghak continued to spread within Joseon in the remaining century. As Cheoljong failed to have a male heir for years, other than repressing the revolts, the Andong Kim clan started to persecute royalties. In 1851, Chae Hui-jae (채희재) was executed for attempting enthrone Yi Myeong-seop (이명섭), a descendant of
Crown Prince Sohyeon Crown Prince Sohyeon (소현세자, 昭顯世子, 5 February 1612 – 21 May 1645) was the first son of King Injo of Joseon Dynasty. Sohyeon was a hostage in the Manchu court at Shenyang, by the terms of the peace treaty concluded after War ...
who was exiled to Chodo (an island now locates near
Nampo Nampo (North Korean official spelling: Nampho; ), also spelled Namp'o, is the second largest city by population and an important seaport in North Korea, which lies on the northern shore of the Taedong River, 15 km east of the river's mouth. ...
in
North Korea North Korea, officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the northern half of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and shares borders with China and Russia to the north, at the Yalu River, Y ...
). In 1860, Prince Gyeongpyeong (the heir of Prince Punggye) offended some members of the Andong Kim clan, losing royal titles and was exiled to
Sinjido Sinjido is an island located off the cost of South Jeolla Province, South Korea. It covers an area of 30.99 km2 and features several peaks: Sang-san (324 m), Nohak-bong (225 m), Beom-san (151 m), and Giseon-bong (141 m). A ...
, almost caused his death for many times. In 1862, Kim Sun-seong (김순성) was executed for enthroning Yi Ha-jeon, a distant royalty; Yi Hae-jeon was also implicated, and he was also exiled to Jeju Island and was eventually executed. Yi Ha-jeon was a potential successor to King Heonjong back in 1849, and he showed dissatisfaction toward the imperiousness of the Andong Kim clan, causing the later decided to eliminate him. On the other hand, Prince Heungseon (later
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 ...
, father of
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 ...
) was in poverty like many other royalties, and he was one of the close relatives to Yi Ha-jeon (first cousin-in-law through his wife). Afraid of being persecuted, Prince Heungseon befriended with people from lower classes and often visit
kisaeng Kisaeng (Hangul: 기생, Hanja: 妓生, RR: ''Gisaeng''), also called ginyeo (Hangul: 기녀, Hanja: 妓女), were women from outcast or slave families who were trained to be courtesans, providing artistic entertainment and conversation to men ...
s, acting frivolously and fawning over the authority; this caused the Kim clan despising and less cautious about him. Cheoljong's mother was from the Yongdam Yeom clan, a cadet branch of Paju Yeom clan. A man named Yeom Jong-su (염종수) was from the Paju branch, and he forged his genealogy as well as tampered the tombstone of Cheoljong's maternal grandfather, Yeom Seong-hwa. As there was no other known descendants of Yeom Seong-hwa, based on the counterfeit, Yeom Jong-su became the heir of Yeom Seong-hwa in 1851, becoming an uncle of Cheoljong and official in the government. As of 1861, a member of Yongdam Yeom clan, named Yeom Bo-gil (염보길), was Cheoljong's fourth cousin and living in Ganghwa Island, and he appealed the scam in grievance. As the result, Cheoljong interrogated Yeom Jong-su and had him executed.


Death and succession

According to ''
Ilseongnok ''Ilseongnok'' or ''Diary of Self-examination'' is a daily record of events at court made in order that the monarch might reflect upon them, ostensibly towards bettering government. ''Ilseongnok'' began as King Jeongjo's personal diary for self-r ...
'' ("Diary of Self-examination"), since Cheoljong ascended to the throne, he had a weak
digestive system The human digestive system consists of the gastrointestinal tract plus the accessory organs of digestion (the tongue, salivary glands, pancreas, liver, and gallbladder). Digestion involves the breakdown of food into smaller and smaller compone ...
, causing a series of
chronic disease A chronic condition is a health condition or disease that is persistent or otherwise long-lasting in its effects or a disease that comes with time. The term ''chronic'' is often applied when the course of the disease lasts for more than three mo ...
throughout his life; Cheoljong also had symptoms of
asthma Asthma is a long-term inflammatory disease of the airways of the lungs. It is characterized by variable and recurring symptoms, reversible airflow obstruction, and easily triggered bronchospasms. Symptoms include episodes of wheezing, cou ...
and caught cold quite easily. In order to tone up the body, he took a large amount of
herbal medicine Herbal medicine (also herbalism) is the study of pharmacognosy and the use of medicinal plants, which are a basis of traditional medicine. With worldwide research into pharmacology, some herbal medicines have been translated into modern remed ...
for years; on the other hand, some other common treatments by the time, such as
acupuncture Acupuncture is a form of alternative medicine and a component of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in which thin needles are inserted into the body. Acupuncture is a pseudoscience; the theories and practices of TCM are not based on scientifi ...
and
moxibustion Moxibustion () is a traditional Chinese medicine therapy which consists of burning dried mugwort ('' wikt:moxa'') on particular points on the body. It plays an important role in the traditional medical systems of China, Japan, Korea, Vietnam, ...
, rarely appear in the documents. Cheoljong died at the age of 32 on January 16, 1864, without any surviving male heirs; he became the last king being a descendant of King
Hyojong Hyojong of Joseon (3 July 1619 – 23 June 1659) was the seventeenth king of the Joseon Dynasty of Korea from 1649 to 1659. He is best known for his plan for an expedition to the Manchu Qing dynasty, and his campaigns against the Russian Empire a ...
. The cause of his death is ambiguous, as there was no clear official record about it. Some suggested that the death of cause of Cheoljong could be
liver disease Liver disease, or hepatic disease, is any of many diseases of the liver. If long-lasting it is termed chronic liver disease. Although the diseases differ in detail, liver diseases often have features in common. Signs and symptoms Some of the sig ...
or
tuberculosis Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease usually caused by '' Mycobacterium tuberculosis'' (MTB) bacteria. Tuberculosis generally affects the lungs, but it can also affect other parts of the body. Most infections show no symptoms, in ...
; according to existing documents, however, it's still hard to give a certain conclusion to date. It once again became necessary to search far back in the
Jeonju Yi clan The Jeonju Yi clan () is a Korean clan with the surname Yi. Their Bon-gwan is in Jeonju, North Jeolla Province. The clan includes the former House of Yi which ruled the Joseon dynasty and the Korean Empire. Their founder was Yi Han (). His des ...
to find a candidate for accession, which became a dispute within the court. Cheoljong himself favored Yi Jae-hwang, the second son of Prince Heungseon (his seventh cousin) and his wife Lady Min, to succeed the throne. Claiming that Prince Heungseon was still alive and it's thus inappropriate, most members of the Andong Kim clan disapproved this succession, but Kim Byeong-hak (김병학), a cousin of Queen Cheorin, strongly agreed this instead, because he previously supported Prince Heungseon a lot.
Queen Sinjeong Queen Sinjeong (Hangul: 신정왕후, Hanja: 神貞王后; 21 January 1809 – 4 June 1890), also known as Queen Dowager Hyoyu (효유왕대비), of the Pungyang Jo clan, was the only wife of Crown Prince Hyomyeong and mother of Heonjong of Joseo ...
, wife of late Ikjong (
Crown Prince Hyomyeong Crown Prince Hyomyeong (18 September 1809 – 25 June 1830), born Yi Yeong, and posthumously honored as King Munjo, was a member of the Joseon Dynasty. Life and death The prince was the eldest son of King Sunjo, husband of Queen Sinjeong and ...
) and the mother of King Heonjong, was the most supreme royal family member by the time, and she took way the national seal of Joseon; she decided to adopt Yi Jae-hwang herself and was supported by her family, the
Pungyang Jo clan The Pungyang Jo clan () is a Korean clan that traces its origin to Namyangju, Gyeonggi Province. According to the 2015 Korean census, the clan has 124,262 members. Origin Jo Maeng (조맹, 趙孟), who was also known by the name of Ba-woo or Bau ...
. On the other hand, Queen Cheorin, the widow of Cheoljong, believed that she could adopt the royal heir because of her family's power, so she delivered a royal order, asking Yi Jae-hwang to succeed the throne. Once Yi Jae-hwang arrived in palace, Queen Sinjeong was overjoyed and she came out to welcome him in person, despite that it was inappropriate in court manners; she immediately announced that the new king was the heir of Ikjong, instead of Cheoljong. Yi Jae-hwang thus became the new king of Joseon, known as
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 ...
. Upon the accession of Gojong, the father of Gojong was honored as
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 ...
, who repressed the power of the Andong Kim clan and becoming a dictator himself in the next decade.


Legacy

Cheoljong was buried in the Yereung Royal Tomb in 1864, part of the royal tomb Seosamneung Cluster located in
Goyang Goyang (''Goyang-si''; ) is a city in Gyeonggi Province in the north of South Korea. It is part of the Seoul Capital Area, making Goyang one of Seoul's satellite cities. It is one of the largest cities in the Seoul Capital Area, with a populatio ...
,
Gyeonggi Province Gyeonggi-do (, ) is the most populous province in South Korea. Its name, ''Gyeonggi'', means "京 (the capital) and 畿 (the surrounding area)". Thus, ''Gyeonggi-do'' can be translated as "Seoul and the surrounding areas of Seoul". Seoul, the na ...
. Queen Cheorin was also buried in Yereung after her death in 1878. According to the epitaph, there were once that some silverware used in the palace and the shrine of Jeongye Daewongun were stolen; both Cheoljong and Queen Cheorin decided not to pursue who did this, fearing that people may confess under false charges. Cheoljong had 11 children - five sons and six daughters - from his various consorts, but all of them died young. Among them, only the fourth daughter outlived him. She received the title Princess Yeonghye in 1866; as the only living child of Cheoljong, she received much affection from Queen Cheorin. Princess Yeonghye married
Park Yung-hyo Park Yung-hyo or Bak Young-hyo (; 1861 – 21 September 1939) was a Korean politician from the Joseon Dynasty, an enlightenment activist, diplomat and pro-Japanese collaborator. He was one of the organizers of the Gapsin Coup of 1884, in ...
in 1872 but died in the same year, aged 13 and had no issue. Upon the death of Cheoljong, there were only two living royalties that were descendants of King
Hyojong Hyojong of Joseon (3 July 1619 – 23 June 1659) was the seventeenth king of the Joseon Dynasty of Korea from 1649 to 1659. He is best known for his plan for an expedition to the Manchu Qing dynasty, and his campaigns against the Russian Empire a ...
. One of them was Cheoljong's half-brother,
Prince Yeongpyeong Prince Yeongpyeong (Hangul: 영평군, Hanja: 永平君; 30 August 1828 – 1 February 1902), personal name Yi Gyeong-eung (Hangul: 이경응; Hanja: 李景應), was a member of the Royal Jeonju Yi clan, as the second son of Grand Internal Princ ...
(b. 1828); the other one was Yi Jae-seong (이재성, b. 1860), son of Cheoljong's first cousin, Prince Ikpyeong, with his concubine. Because of Queen Sinjeong's decision, both of them couldn't succeed the throne after Cheoljong.
Prince Yeongpyeong Prince Yeongpyeong (Hangul: 영평군, Hanja: 永平君; 30 August 1828 – 1 February 1902), personal name Yi Gyeong-eung (Hangul: 이경응; Hanja: 李景應), was a member of the Royal Jeonju Yi clan, as the second son of Grand Internal Princ ...
also had chronic diseases like his sibling, so Gojong chose a distant relative (10th cousin to Gojong) to be his heir in 1864. Prince Yeongpyeong had a daughter in 1866, who married Hwang Yeon-su (황연수) and had issue;(第527-528頁) the prince himself lived for another decades and died in 1902. Yi Jae-seong, on the other hand, became Prince Gyeongeun (경은군) in 1900, but he lost the royal title in 1907, for accused of working together with the anti-Japanese
righteous army Righteous armies, sometimes called irregular armies or militias, are informal civilian militias that have appeared several times in Korean history, when the national armies were in need of assistance. The first righteous armies emerged during th ...
; he was later missing in 1910. Prince Gyeongeun was the last recorded royalty to be a descendant of Hyojong; while he married twice, he had no known descendants in official records.


Ancestry


Family

* Father:
Jeongye Daewongun Jeongye Daewongun (Hangul: 전계대원군; Hanja: 全溪大院君; 21 March 1785 – 2 November 1841; ) was a member of the Korean Joseon dynasty as the biological father of King Cheoljong of Joseon. His personal name was Yi Gwang (hangul: 이 ...
(전계대원군) ** Grandfather: Yi In, Prince Euneon (29 May 1754 – 30 June 1801) (이인 은언군) ** Grandmother: Princess Consort Jeonsan of the
Jeonju Yi clan The Jeonju Yi clan () is a Korean clan with the surname Yi. Their Bon-gwan is in Jeonju, North Jeolla Province. The clan includes the former House of Yi which ruled the Joseon dynasty and the Korean Empire. Their founder was Yi Han (). His des ...
(19 December 1764 – 4 June 1819) (전산군부인 전주 이씨) * Mother: Grand Internal Princess Consort Yongseong of the Yongdam Yeom clan (20 July 1793 - March 1834) (용성부대부인 용담 염씨) ** Grandfather: Yeom Seong-hwa (12 July 1795 - ?) (염성화) ** Grandmother: Lady Ji of the Sangju Ji clan (상주 지씨) Consorts and their Respective issue(s): # Queen Cheorin, of the (New) Andong Kim clan (철인왕후 안동 김씨)(27 April 1837 – 12 June 1878) ## '' Yi Yung-jun, Prince Royal (원자 이융준)(22 November 1858 – 25 May 1859), 2nd son'' # Royal Consort Gwi-in of the Miryang Park clan (귀인 밀양박씨)(1827 – 9 May 1889) ## ''First son (3 August 1854 - 1854)'' # Royal Consort Gwi-in of the Pungyang Jo clan (귀인 풍양조씨) (1842 – 1865) ## ''Third son (b.1859 )'' ## ''Fourth Son (b.1861)'' # Royal Consort Sug-ui of the Onyang Bang clan (숙의 온양방씨)(d. 1878) ## ''First daughter (1851 - 20 March 1853)'' ## ''Second daughter (b.1853)'' # Royal Consort Sug-ui of the Geumseong Beom clan (금성범씨)(1838 – 23 January 1884) ## Princess Yeonghye (영혜옹주)(1858 – 4 July 1872), 4th daughter # Royal Consort Sug-ui of the
Gimhae Kim The Gimhae Kim clan () is one of the Korean clans. This clan traces their origin to Suro of Geumgwan Gaya. King Suro was the founder of Gaya confederacy, and his descendant, Gim Yu-sin, Kim Yu-sin is renowned for unifying the Silla polity. It was ...
clan (숙의 김해김씨)(b 1833) ## ''Third daughter (b 1856 )'' # Palace Lady Gong-in, of the Yi clan (궁인궁인) ## ''Fifth son (b.1862 )'' ## ''Sixth daughter'' # Palace Lady Gong-in, of the Park clan (박씨 이씨) ## ''Fifth Daughter''


Titles


Royal titles

*27 – 28 July 1849: Prince Deokwan (덕완군; 德完君) *28 July 1849 – 16 January 1864: The King of Joseon (조선 국왕; 朝鮮國王)


Posthumous title

*
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 re ...
**Full title: King Cheoljong Huiryunjeonggeuk Sudeoksunseong Munhyeonmuseong Heon'in'yeonghyo of Joseon (철종 희륜정극 수덕순성 문현무성 헌인영효 대왕; 哲宗熙倫正極粹德純聖文顯武成獻仁英孝大王)Ibid. 고종실록 1권, 1864년 음력 4월 7일 3번째기사 (Ibid. Annals of King Gojong, vol. 1, 12 May 1864, entry 3)
/ref> **
Qing Dynasty The Qing dynasty ( ), officially the Great Qing,, was a Manchu-led imperial dynasty of China and the last orthodox dynasty in Chinese history. It emerged from the Later Jin dynasty founded by the Jianzhou Jurchens, a Tungusic-speak ...
-conferred: King Zhōngjìng (忠敬王; 충경왕; ''King Chunggyeong'') *
Korean Empire The Korean Empire () was a Korean monarchical state proclaimed in October 1897 by Emperor Gojong of the Joseon dynasty. The empire stood until Japan's annexation of Korea in August 1910. During the Korean Empire, Emperor Gojong oversaw the Gwa ...
**Full title: Cheoljong Huiryunjeonggeuk Sudeoksunseong Heummyeonggwangdo Don'wonchanghwa Munhyeonmuseong Heon'in'yeonghyo Emperor Jang of the Korean Empire (철종 희륜정극 수덕순성 흠명광도 돈원창화 문현무성 헌인영효 장황제; 哲宗熙倫正極粹德純聖欽明光道敦元彰化文顯武成獻仁英孝章皇帝)Ibid. 순종실록 2권, 1908년 7월 30일 1번째기사 (Ibid. Annals of Emperor Sunjong, vol. 2, 30 July 1908, entry 1)
/ref>


Popular culture

* Portrayed by Kim Jung-hyun in the 2020 television series ''
Mr. Queen ''Mr. Queen'' () is a South Korean television series,based on the Chinese web series “Go Princess Go". Directed by Yoon Sung-sik, it stars Shin Hye-sun as Queen Cheorin and Kim Jung-hyun as King Cheoljong. The drama is about Queen Cheorin ...
''. * Portrayed by Jung Wook in the 2020 television series '' Kingmaker: The Change of Destiny''.


See also

*
List of Rulers of Korea This is a list of monarchs of Korea, arranged by dynasty. Names are romanized according to the South Korean Revised Romanization of Korean. McCune–Reischauer romanizations may be found at the articles about the individual monarchs. Gojoseon G ...
*
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 re ...
*
History of Korea The Lower Paleolithic era in the Korean Peninsula and Manchuria began roughly half a million years ago. Christopher J. Norton, "The Current State of Korean Paleoanthropology", (2000), ''Journal of Human Evolution'', 38: 803–825. The earlies ...
*
Jeongye Daewongun Jeongye Daewongun (Hangul: 전계대원군; Hanja: 全溪大院君; 21 March 1785 – 2 November 1841; ) was a member of the Korean Joseon dynasty as the biological father of King Cheoljong of Joseon. His personal name was Yi Gwang (hangul: 이 ...


Notes


References


Further reading

* *Cummings, Bruce. (1997). ''Korea's Place in the Sun: A Modern History.'' New York. {{Authority control House of Yi 1831 births 1864 deaths 19th-century Korean monarchs