Taejo of Joseon (4 November 1335 – 27 June 1408), born Yi Seong-gye (), was the founder and first ruler of the

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 ...

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 (Republic o ...

. After ascending to the throne, he changed his name to Yi Dan (), and reigned from 1392 to 1398. He was the main figure in the overthrowing of the Goryeo dynasty. Taejo abdicated in 1398 during a strife between his sons and died in 1408. When Taejo became king, he emphasized continuity over change. No new institutions and no massive purges occurred during his reign. The dynasty that he established was mostly dominated by the same ruling families and officials that had served the previous regime. He re-established amicable relations with Japan and improved relations with Ming China.

Biography

Early life

Taejo's father was

Yi Ja-chun Hwanjo of Joseon (20 January 1315 – 3 June 1361), personal name Yi Ja-chun ( Hangul: 이자춘, Hanja: 李子春), Mongolian name Ulus Bukha (吾魯思不花), was a minor military officer of the Yuan Empire, who later transferred his allegi ...

, an official of Korean ethnicity serving the

Mongol The Mongols ( mn, Монголчууд, , , ; ; russian: Монголы) are an East Asian ethnic group native to Mongolia, Inner Mongolia in China and the Buryatia Republic of the Russian Federation. The Mongols are the principal member of ...

-led

Yuan dynasty The Yuan dynasty (), officially the Great Yuan (; xng, , , literally "Great Yuan State"), was a Mongol-led imperial dynasty of China and a successor state to the Mongol Empire after its division. It was established by Kublai, the fifth ...

. Taejo's mother, Lady Choe, was of Chinese origin from a prominent family originally from Deungju ( Anbyeon County) in present-day

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 ...

. Her father was a Korean

chiliarch Chiliarch is a military rank dating back to antiquity. Originally denoting the commander of a unit of about one thousand men (a chiliarchy) in the Macedonian army, it was subsequently used as a Greek translation of a Persian officer who functioned ...

under the

who commanded a ''

mingghan Mingghan was a social-military unit of 1,000 households created by Genghis Khan. From this group could be recruited a Mongol regiment of 1,000 men. It is part of the ancient method of organization developed by the nomads of Central Asia based on the ...

''. She later moved to

Hamgyeong Hamgyong Province () was one of the Eight Provinces of Korea during the Joseon Dynasty. Hamgyŏng was located in the northeast of Korea. The provincial capital was Hamhŭng. Names The province was first established as Yonggil ( ko, 영길, , '' ...

, in Goryeo.

Historical context for rise

By the late 14th century, the 400-year-old Goryeo dynasty established by

Wang Geon Taejo of Goryeo (31 January 877 – 4 July 943), also known as Taejo Wang Geon (; ), was the founder of the Goryeo dynasty, which ruled Korea from the 10th to the 14th century. Taejo ruled from 918 to 943, achieving unification of the Later Thre ...

in 918 was tottering, its foundations collapsing from years of war and ''de facto'' occupation by the disintegrating

Mongol Empire The Mongol Empire of the 13th and 14th centuries was the largest contiguous land empire in history. Originating in present-day Mongolia in East Asia, the Mongol Empire at its height stretched from the Sea of Japan to parts of Eastern Europe, ...

. The legitimacy of Korea itself was also becoming an increasingly disputed issue within the court, as the ruling house failed not only to govern the kingdom effectively, but was also affected by generations of forced intermarriage with members of the Yuan imperial family and by rivalry amongst various branches of the royal family, with

King U U of Goryeo (25 July 1365 – 31 December 1389) ruled Goryeo (Korea) as the 32nd king from 1374 until 1388. He was the only son of King Gongmin. Cultural background In the thirteenth century, Mongol forces had invaded China and established th ...

's mother being a known commoner, thus leading to rumors disputing his descent from

King Gongmin Gongmin of Goryeo (23 May 1330 – 27 October 1374), also known by his Mongolian name, Bayan Temür., was 31st ruler of Goryeo from 1351 to 1374. He was the second son of King Chungsuk. Biography Early life Goryeo had been a semi-autonomou ...

. Within the kingdom, influential aristocrats, generals, and ministers struggled for royal favor and vied for domination of the court, resulting in deep divisions among various factions. With the ever-increasing number of raids against Goryeo conducted by Japanese pirates (''

waegu ''Wokou'' (; Japanese: ''Wakō''; Korean: 왜구 ''Waegu''), which literally translates to "Japanese pirates" or "dwarf pirates", were pirates who raided the coastlines of China and Korea from the 13th century to the 16th century.Red Turbans, those who came to dominate the royal court were the reformed-minded Sinjin aristocracy and the opposing Gweonmun aristocracy, as well as generals who could actually fight off the foreign threats—namely a talented general named Yi Seong-gye and his rival

Choe Yeong Choi Young (Korean: 최영; 1316–1388), also romanized as Choe Yeong, was a Korean general born in Hongseong or CheorwonKBS World"Choe Yeong, the Victorious General of Goryeo Dynasty", Koreans in History, 2011-02-04. during the Goryeo peri ...

. With the rise of the

Ming dynasty The Ming dynasty (), officially the Great Ming, was an Dynasties in Chinese history, imperial dynasty of China, ruling from 1368 to 1644 following the collapse of the Mongol Empire, Mongol-led Yuan dynasty. The Ming dynasty was the last ort ...

under a former monk, Zhu Yuanzhang (the

Hongwu Emperor The Hongwu Emperor (21 October 1328 – 24 June 1398), personal name Zhu Yuanzhang (), courtesy name Guorui (), was the founding emperor of the Ming dynasty of China, reigning from 1368 to 1398. As famine, plagues and peasant revolts in ...

), Yuan forces became more vulnerable. By the 1350s, Goryeo regained its full independence from the Yuan dynasty, although Yuan remnants effectively occupied northeastern territories with large garrisons of troops.

Military career

Yi Seong-gye started his career as a warrior in 1360 and would eventually rise up the ranks of the Goryeo army. In October 1361, he killed Park Ui, who rebelled against the government. In the same year, when the Red Turbans had invaded and captured

Gaegyeong Kaesong (, ) is a special city in the southern part of North Korea (formerly in North Hwanghae Province), and the capital of Korea during the Taebong kingdom and subsequent Goryeo dynasty. The city is near the Kaesong Industrial Region close t ...

, he helped the recapture of the capital with 3,000 men. In 1362, when General

Naghachu Naghachu ( mn, Naγaču, script=Latn; ; d. 1388), also written as Nahacu, was an ethnic Mongol leader and general of the Northern Yuan in Manchuria, which was under Liaoyang province of the former Yuan dynasty. Originally a Yuan official, he had wo ...

invaded Goryeo, Yi Seong-gye was appointed as a commander and defeated him. General Yi had gained power and respect during the late 1370s and early 1380s by pushing Mongol remnants off the peninsula and also by repelling well-organized Japanese pirates in a series of successful engagements. He was also credited with routing the Red Turbans when they made their move into the Korean Peninsula as part of their rebellion against the Yuan dynasty. Following in the wake of the rise of the

under

Zhu Yuanzhang The Hongwu Emperor (21 October 1328 – 24 June 1398), personal name Zhu Yuanzhang (), courtesy name Guorui (), was the founding emperor of the Ming dynasty of China, reigning from 1368 to 1398. As famine, plagues and peasant revolts in ...

, the royal court in Goryeo split into two competing factions: the group led by General Yi (supporting the Ming dynasty) and the camp led by his rival General Choe (supporting the Yuan dynasty). When a Ming messenger came to Goryeo in 1388 (the 14th year of

) to demand the return of a significant portion of Goryeo's northern territory, General Choe seized the opportunity and played upon the prevailing anti-Ming atmosphere to argue for the invasion of the

Liaodong Peninsula The Liaodong Peninsula (also Liaotung Peninsula, ) is a peninsula in southern Liaoning province in Northeast China, and makes up the southwestern coastal half of the Liaodong region. It is located between the mouths of the Daliao River (the ...

(Goryeo claimed to be the successor of the ancient kingdom of

Goguryeo Goguryeo (37 BC–668 AD) ( ) also called Goryeo (), was a Korean kingdom located in the northern and central parts of the Korean Peninsula and the southern and central parts of Northeast China. At its peak of power, Goguryeo controlled most ...

; as such, restoring

Manchuria Manchuria is an exonym (derived from the endo demonym " Manchu") for a historical and geographic region in Northeast Asia encompassing the entirety of present-day Northeast China (Inner Manchuria) and parts of the Russian Far East (Outer Manc ...

as part of Korean territory was a tenet of its foreign policy throughout its history). A staunchly opposed Yi Seong-gye was chosen to lead the invasion; however, at

Wihwa Island Wihwa Island ( ko, 위화도/威化島, ''Wihwado'', ) is a river island in the Yalu river, lying on the border between North Korea and China. It is now under the effective jurisdiction of North Korea, due to ethnic Koreans living on the island a ...

on the

Amrok River The Yalu River, known by Koreans as the Amrok River or Amnok River, is a river on the border between North Korea and China. Together with the Tumen River to its east, and a small portion of Paektu Mountain, the Yalu forms the border between ...

, he made a momentous decision, commonly called "

Turning back the army from Wihwa Island Turning back the army from Wihwa Island () refers to the 1388 episode in which General Yi Seong-gye of the Goryeo dynasty was ordered to march north with his army and invade the Liaodong Peninsula (northeast China, which was under the control o ...

", that would alter the course of Korean history. Knowing of the support he enjoyed both from high-ranking government officials, the general populace, and the great deterrent of Ming Empire under the

, he decided to revolt and swept back to the capital, Gaegyeong, to secure control of the government. Yi Seong-gye remains the last Korean leader with a military background up until the 20th century.

Revolution

General Yi swept his army from the Amrok River straight into the capital, defeated forces loyal to the king (led by General Choe, whom he proceeded to eliminate), and forcibly dethroned King U in a ''de facto''

coup d'état A coup d'état (; French for 'stroke of state'), also known as a coup or overthrow, is a seizure and removal of a government and its powers. Typically, it is an illegal seizure of power by a political faction, politician, cult, rebel group, m ...

, but did not ascend to the throne right away. Instead, he placed on the throne King U's eight-years-old son, King Chang, and following a failed restoration of the former monarch, had both of them put to death. Yi Seong-gye, now the undisputed power behind the throne, soon forcibly had a royal named Wang Yo crowned as the new ruler ( King Gongyang; 공양왕, 恭讓王). After indirectly enforcing his grasp on the royal court through the puppet king, he then proceeded to ally himself with Sinjin aristocrats, such as

Jeong Do-jeon Jeong Dojeon ( Korean: 정도전, Hanja: 鄭道傳, 1342 – October 6, 1398), also known by his pen name Sambong ( Korean: 삼봉), was a prominent Korean scholar-official during the late Goryeo to the early Joseon periods. He served as the firs ...

and

Jo Jun Jo, jo, JO, or J.O. may refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Jo'' (film), a 1972 French comedy * ''Jo'' (TV series), a French TV series *"Jo", a song by Goldfrapp from ''Tales of Us'' *"Jo", a song by Mr. Oizo from ''Lambs Anger'' * Jo a fictio ...

. One of the most widely repeated episodes that occurred during this period was in 1392, when Taejo's fifth 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, he wa ...

(later

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, he ...

), threw a party for the renowned scholar, poet and statesman

Jeong Mong-ju Jeong Mong-ju (Korean: 정몽주, Hanja: 鄭夢周, January 13, 1338 – April 26, 1392), also known by his pen name Poeun (Korean: 포은), a historical figure during the transition period of the Korean dynasty moving from Goryeo (918-1392) to ...

, who refused to be won over by Yi Seong-gye despite their numerous correspondences in the form of archaic poems, and continued to be a faithful supporter of the old dynasty, and a leading figure in the opposition to General Yi's claim to the throne. Jeong Mong-ju was revered throughout Goryeo, even by Yi Bang-won himself, but he was seen to be an obstacle and as such, in the eyes of supporters of the new dynasty, had to be removed. After the party, on his way home, he was murdered by five men on the Seonjuk Bridge (선죽교, 善竹橋) in Gaegyeong. This bridge has now become a national monument of

, and a brown spot on one of the stones is said to be a bloodstain of his which turns red when it rains.

Reign

In 1392 (the 4th year of King Gongyang's reign), Yi Seong-gye forced Gongyang to abdicate, exiled him 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 ...

(where he and his family were secretly executed), and crowned himself as king, thus ending Goryeo's 475 years of rule. In 1393, he changed his dynasty's name to Joseon. An early achievement of the new monarch was improved relations with Ming China; this had its origin in General Yi's refusal to attack their neighbour in response to raids from Chinese bandits. Shortly after his accession, the king sent envoys to inform the Ming court at

Nanjing Nanjing (; , Mandarin pronunciation: ), alternately romanized as Nanking, is the capital of Jiangsu province of the People's Republic of China. It is a sub-provincial city, a megacity, and the second largest city in the East China region. T ...

that a dynastic change had taken place. Korean envoys were dispatched to Japan, seeking the re-establishment of amicable relations. The mission was successful, and ''

Shōgun , officially , was the title of the military dictators of Japan during most of the period spanning from 1185 to 1868. Nominally appointed by the Emperor, shoguns were usually the de facto rulers of the country, though during part of the Kamakur ...

Ashikaga Yoshimitsu was the third '' shōgun'' of the Ashikaga shogunate, ruling from 1368 to 1394 during the Muromachi period of Japan. Yoshimitsu was Ashikaga Yoshiakira's third son but the oldest son to survive, his childhood name being Haruō (). Yoshimitsu ...

was reported to have been favorably impressed by this initial embassy. Envoys from the

Ryūkyū Kingdom The Ryukyu Kingdom, Middle Chinese: , , Classical Chinese: (), Historical English names: ''Lew Chew'', ''Lewchew'', ''Luchu'', and ''Loochoo'', Historical French name: ''Liou-tchou'', Historical Dutch name: ''Lioe-kioe'' was a kingdom in t ...

were received in 1392, 1394 and 1397.

Siam Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Mainland Southeast Asia, Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 mi ...

sent an envoy in 1393. In 1394, the capital was established at

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 ...

(present-day

Seoul 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 ...

). When the new dynasty was promulgated and officially brought into existence, Taejo brought up the issue of which son would be his successor. Although his fifth son by

Queen Sinui Queen Sinui (Hangul: 신의왕후 한씨, Hanja: 神懿王后韓氏; 1337 – 21 October 1391), of the Cheongju Han clan, was the first wife of Yi Seong-gye (future Taejo of Joseon). She was the mother of King Jeongjong and King Taejong. She ...

, had contributed most to assisting his father's rise to power, he harbored a profound hatred against two of his father's key allies in the court, the

Chief State Councillor Chief may refer to: Title or rank Military and law enforcement * Chief master sergeant, the ninth, and highest, enlisted rank in the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Space Force * Chief of police, the head of a police department * Chief of the boa ...

and

Nam Eun Nam, Nam, or The Nam are shortened terms for: * Vietnam, which is also spelled ''Viet Nam'' * The Vietnam War Nam, The Nam or NAM may also refer to: Arts and media * Nam, a fictional character in anime series ''Dragon Ball'' * ''NAM'' (video ...

. Both sides were fully aware of the mutual animosity and constantly felt threatened. When it became clear that Yi Bang-won was the most worthy successor to the throne, Jeong Do-jeon used his influence on the king to convince him that the wisest choice would be in the son that Taejo loved most, not the son that Taejo felt was best for the kingdom. In 1392, the eighth son of King Taejo (the second son of

Queen Sindeok Queen Sindeok (신덕왕후 강씨; 12 July 1356 – 15 September 1396), of the Goksan Kang clan, was a posthumous name bestowed to the second wife and queen consort of Yi Dan, King Taejo; the first monarch of the Korean Joseon Dynasty. She was ...

), Yi Bang-seok was appointed as Crown Prince. After the sudden death of the queen, and while King Taejo was still in mourning for his second wife, Jeong Do-jeon conspired to pre-emptively kill Yi Bang-won and his brothers to secure his position in court. In 1398, upon hearing of this plan, Yi Bang-won immediately revolted and raided the palace, killing

, his followers, and the two sons of the late Queen Sindeok. This incident became known as the "First Strife of Princes". Aghast at the fact that his sons were willing to kill each other for the crown, and psychologically exhausted from the death of his second wife, King Taejo immediately crowned his second son Yi Bang-gwa (posthumously called King Jeongjong), as the new ruler. Thereafter, Taejo retired to the

Hamhung Royal Villa Hamhung Royal Villa (Hangul: 함흥본궁, Hanja: 咸興本宮) is a villa located in Sonamudong, Sapogu Station, Hamhung. Designated National Treasure no. 107 of North Korea, the villa was the residence of Yi Seong-gye before he founded the Jose ...

and maintained distance with his fifth son for the rest of his life. Allegedly, Yi Bang-won sent emissaries numerous times, and each time Taejo killed them to express his firm decision not to meet his son again. This historical anecdote gave birth to the term "Hamhung Chasa", which means a person who never comes back despite several nudges. But recent studies have found that Taejo in fact did not kill any of those Hamhung emissaries. Those subjects were killed during revolts, which coincidentally occurred in the Hamhung region. In 1400, King Jeongjong pronounced his brother Yi Bang-won as heir presumptive and voluntarily abdicated. That same year, Yi Bang-won assumed the throne of Joseon at long last as

. Ten years after his abdication, King Taejo died on June 27, 1408, 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 ...

. He was buried at ''Geonwonneung'' (건원릉), Dongguneung Cluster, in the city of

Guri Guri (, lit. Nine Villages Town(Town of Nine Villages) is a city in Gyeonggi Province, South Korea. It is located immediately to the east of Seoul, in the heart of the Capital Metropolitan Area. The Royal Tombs of the Joseon Dynasty are locat ...

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 ...

South Korea South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and sharing a Korean Demilitarized Zone, land border with North Korea. Its western border is formed ...

. The tomb of his umbilical cord is in

Geumsan County Geumsan County (''Geumsan-gun''; Korean: 금산군) is a county in South Chungcheong Province (Before 1963, Geumsan was in Jeollabuk-do), South Korea. History Administrative district name, Geumsan-gun, have nowadays was originate from the union of ...

South Chungcheong Province South Chungcheong Province ( ko, 충청남도, ''Chungcheongnam-do''), also known as Chungnam, is a province of South Korea. South Chungcheong has a population of 2,059,871 (2014) and has a geographic area of 8,204 km2 (3,168 sq mi) located in ...

, also in South Korea.

Family

* Father: Yi Ja-chun, King Hwanjo of Joseon (조선 환조 이자춘) (20 January 1315 – 3 June 1360)Firstly, Taejo honored his agnatic forefathers to the 4th degree and their legal wives with the posthumous titles "King" (''Wang''; 왕) & "Consort" (''Bi''; 비) on 16 August 1392 aejo Sillok, vol.1, year 1, entry 2 further confirmed on 20 November 1392 aejo Sillok, vol.2, year 1, entry 1 Taejong upgraded the earlier honors bestowed on his forefathers by bestowing them the temple names "Progenitor" (''Jo''; 조) with the style of "the Great (King)" (''Daewang''; 대왕), and the title of "Queen" (''Wanghu''; 왕후), on 14 May 1411 aejong Sillok, vol.21, year 11, entry 1 Yi Ja-chun and his wife, Lady Choe, were posthumously honored by their son Taejo as "King Hwan" (환왕) & "Consort Ui" (의비) respectively, and by their grandson Taejong with the temple name "Hwanjo the Great" (환조대왕) & posthumous name "Queen Uihye" (의혜왕후) respectively. ** Grandfather: Yi Chun, King Dojo of Joseon (조선 도조 이춘) (? – 24 July 1342) ** Grandmother: Queen Gyeongsun of the Munju Park clan (경순왕후 박씨) * Mother: Queen Uihye of the Yeongheung Choe clan (의혜왕후 최씨) ** Grandfather: Choe Han-gi (최한기) ** Grandmother: Grand Lady Yi of the Joseon State (조선국대부인 이씨) Consorts and their respective issue(s): #

of the

Cheongju Han clan The Cheongju Han clan (Hangul: 청주 한씨, Hanja: 淸州韓氏) is a Korean noble family. It is also called the House of Han or the Han clan of Cheongju. It is considered one of the most prominent clans since the Gojoseon period. In the Sil ...

(신의왕후 한씨) (4 September 1337 – 21 October 1391) ## Yi Bang-u, Grand Prince Jinan (진안대군 이방우) (1354 – 15 January 1394), first son ## Yi Bang-gwa, Grand Prince Yeongan (영안대군 이방과) (26 July 1357 – 24 October 1419), second son ## Yi Bang-ui, Grand Prince Ikan (익안대군 이방의) (1360 – 29 October 1404), third son ## Yi Bang-gan, Grand Prince Hoean (회안대군 이방간) (1364 – 10 April 1421), fourth son ## Yi Bang-won, Grand Prince Jeongan (정안대군 이방원) (13 June 1367 – 8 June 1422), fifth son ##Yi Bang-yeon, Grand Prince Deokan (덕안대군 이방연) (1370 – 1388), sixth son ## Princess Gyeongshin (경신공주) (? – 22 March 1426), second daughterAs a legitimate daughter of the king, her title properly translates to "Royal Princess" (''Gongju''; 공주, 公主). ## Princess Gyeongseon (경선공주), third daughter #

of the Goksan Gang clan (신덕왕후 강씨) (12 July 1356 – 15 September 1396) ## Princess Gyeongsun (경순공주) (? – 1407), first daughter ## Yi Bang-beon, Grand Prince Muan (무안대군 이방번) (1381 – 6 October 1398), seventh sonOn 14 September 1406, Taejong bestowed upon his slain half-brothers Yi Bang-beon & Yi Bang-seok the posthumous names of "Prince Gongsun" (공순군) and "Prince Sodo" (소도군); Taejong never acknowledged the fact that his youngest brother became the crown prince (7 September 1392; Yi Bang-gwa stripped him off his title during the First Strife of Princes). On 21 August 1680, Sukjong elevated their posthumous names to "Grand Prince Muan" and "Grand Prince Uian".Both princes were slain during the onslaught of the First Strife of Princes (제1차 왕자의 난). Jo Jun (조준) killed Yi Bang-beon out of the city gates; after his younger brother was stripped off his title as crown prince, Yi Geo-yi (father-in-law of his elder half-sister Royal Princess Gyeongshin) and others, appeared from Yeongchumun Gate of

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 ...

and killed him. Yi Je, the husband of younger sister Royal Princess Gyeongsun, was killed alongside

's faction. ## Yi Bang-seok, Grand Prince Uian (의안대군 이방석) (1382 – 6 October 1398), eighth son # Consort Seong of the Wonju Won clan (성비 원씨) (? – 1449) # Royal Lady Jeonggyeong of the Goheung Yu clan (정경궁주 유씨) # Princess Hwaui of the Gim clan (화의옹주 김씨) (? – 1428) ## Princess Sukshin (숙신옹주) (? – 1453), fifth daughter # Lady Chandeok of the Ju clan (찬덕 주씨) ## Princess Uiryeong (의령옹주) (? – 1466), fourth daughter # Palace Lady Yi (궁인 이씨)

Ancestry

One of the many issues demonstrating the early strained relationship between Joseon and

Ming The Ming dynasty (), officially the Great Ming, was an imperial dynasty of China, ruling from 1368 to 1644 following the collapse of the Mongol-led Yuan dynasty. The Ming dynasty was the last orthodox dynasty of China ruled by the Han peop ...

was the debate of Taejo's genealogy, which began as early as 1394 and became a sort of diplomatic friction that lasted over 200 years. The Collected Regulations of the Great Ming () erroneously recorded "Yi Dan" (이단; Taejo's personal name) as the son of Yi In-im (이인임), and that "Yi Dan" killed the last four kings of Goryeo, thereby establishing Ming's opinion of Taejo as an usurper first and foremost, from the time of the

when he repeatedly refused to acknowledge him as the new sovereign of the Korean Peninsula. The first mention of this error was in 1518 (about 9 years after the publication), and those who saw the publication made petitions towards Ming demanding for redress, among others Left ''Chanseong'' Yi Gye-maeng (좌찬성 이계맹) and then- Minister of Rites

Nam Gon Nam Gon ( ko, 남곤, 南袞; 147110 March 1527) was a Korean politician, poet, Neo-Confucian scholar, thinker, writer and Prime Minister during the Joseon Dynasty. His nicknames were Jijeong (지정, 止亭), Jijokdang (지족당, 知足堂) a ...

(예조판서 남곤), who wrote ''Jonggye Byeonmu'' (종계변무, 宗系辨誣). It took until 1584 (after many Ming envoys had seen the petitions), through Chief Scholar Hwang Jeong-uk (대제학 황정욱), that the issue was finally addressed. The

Wanli Emperor The Wanli Emperor (; 4 September 1563 – 18 August 1620), personal name Zhu Yijun (), was the 14th Emperor of the Ming dynasty, reigned from 1572 to 1620. "Wanli", the era name of his reign, literally means "ten thousand calendars". He was the ...

commissioned a second edition in 1576 (covering the years between 1479 and 1584). About a year after its completion, Yu Hong (유홍) saw the revision, and returned to Joseon with the good news.

Legacy

Despite the fact that he overthrew the Goryeo dynasty, and purged officials who remained loyal to the old regime, many regard him as a revolutionary and a decisive ruler who deposed the inept, obsolete and crippled governing system to save the nation from many foreign forces and conflicts. Safeguarding domestic security led the

Koreans Koreans ( South Korean: , , North Korean: , ; see names of Korea) are an East Asian ethnic group native to the Korean Peninsula. Koreans mainly live in the two Korean nation states: North Korea and South Korea (collectively and simply refe ...

to rebuild and further discover their culture. In the midst of the rival Yuan and

dynasties, Joseon encouraged the development of national identity which was once threatened by the

Mongols The Mongols ( mn, Монголчууд, , , ; ; russian: Монголы) are an East Asian ethnic group native to Mongolia, Inner Mongolia in China and the Buryatia Republic of the Russian Federation. The Mongols are the principal membe ...

. However, some scholars, particularly in North Korea, view Taejo as a mere traitor to the old regime and bourgeois apostate, while paralleling him to General

, a military elite who conservatively served the old regime of Goryeo to death. His diplomatic policy successes in securing

in the early modern period is notable.Kang, Jae-eun ''et al.'' (2006)
''The Land of Scholars,'' p. 172Northeast Asian History Foundation

Korea-China relations> Early Modern Period> Korea-China relations during the Joseon
.

In popular culture

* Portrayed by Im Dong-jin in the 1983 KBS TV series ''

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''. * Portrayed by

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in the 1983 MBC TV series ''

The King of Chudong Palace ''The King of Chudong Palace'' () is a 1983 South Korean historical television series, the first installment of the drama series ''500 Years of Joseon Dynasty'' by director Lee Byung-hoon and writer Shin Bong-seung. It aired on MBC from March ...

'' and in the 1996 KBS TV series ''

Tears of the Dragon "Tears of the Dragon" is the first single from Bruce Dickinson's second solo album, '' Balls to Picasso'', released on 28 May 1994. Allmusic called "Tears of the Dragon" a "magnificent" track, "by far the album's best song". Track listing C ...

''. * Portrayed by Lee Jin-woo in the 2005–2006 MBC TV series ''

Shin Don Sin Don (신돈, 辛旽; 21 January 1322 – 21 August 1371) was a Korean Buddhist monk and scholar during the Goryeo Dynasty; His Dharma name was Pyeonjo and became a teacher and advisor of Gongmin of Goryeo. Summary He was a Buddhist monk. H ...

''. * Portrayed by

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in the 2012 SBS TV series ''

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''. * Portrayed by

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in the 2012–2013 SBS TV series ''

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''. * Portrayed by

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in the 2014

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 ''

''. * Portrayed by

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in the 2014 film '' The Pirates''. * Portrayed by Lee Do-kyung in the 2015

JTBC JTBC (shortened from ''Joongang Tongyang Broadcasting Company'' (; stylized as jtbc) is a South Korean nationwide pay television network. Its primary shareholder is JoongAng Holdings, with a 25% stake. It was launched on 1 December 2011. JTBC ...

TV series ''

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''. * Portrayed by

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in the 2015 film ''

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''. * Portrayed by Chun Ho-jin in the 2015–2016 SBS TV series ''

Six Flying Dragons ''Six Flying Dragons'' () is a South Korean television series starring Yoo Ah-in, Kim Myung-min, Shin Se-kyung, Byun Yo-han, Yoon Kyun-sang and Chun Ho-jin. It aired on SBS on Mondays and Tuesdays at 22:00 for 50 episodes beginning on October ...

''. * Portrayed by

Kim Ki-hyeon Kim Ki-hyeon (; born June 24, 1945) is a South Korean voice actor. He joined the Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation's voice acting division in 1965. Roles Broadcast TV * 24 (television) (replacing Tobin Bell by Season 2, Korea TV Edition, MBC) * ...

in the 2016

TV series ''

Jang Yeong-sil Jang Yeong-sil (; ; 1390 – after 1442) was a Korean mechanical engineer, scientist, and inventor during the Joseon Dynasty (1392–1897). Although Jang was born as a peasant, King Sejong allowed Jang to work at the royal palace. Jang's inven ...

''. * Portrayed by Lim Jong-yun in the 2016 film '' Seondal: The Man Who Sells the River''. * Portrayed by Kim Yeong-cheol in the 2019

TV series '' My Country: The New Age'' and 2021

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-si ...

''. * Portrayed in the Mobile/PC Game

Rise of Kingdoms Rise or RISE may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Fictional entities * '' Rise: The Vieneo Province'', an internet-based virtual world * Rise FM, a fictional radio station in the video game ''Grand Theft Auto 3'' * Rise Kujikawa, a vide ...

References

Notes

Sources

* * Goodrich, Luther Carrington and Zhaoying Fang. (1976)
''Dictionary of Ming biography, 1368-1644'' (明代名人傳), Vol. I ''Dictionary of Ming biography, 1368-1644'' (明代名人傳), Vol. II.
New York:

Columbia University Press Columbia University Press is a university press based in New York City, and affiliated with Columbia University. It is currently directed by Jennifer Crewe (2014–present) and publishes titles in the humanities and sciences, including the fiel ...

. ; ; * Hussain, Tariq. (2006). ''Diamond Dilemma: Shaping Korea for the 21st Century.'' (다이아몬드딜레마). Seoul:

Random House Random House is an American book publisher and the largest general-interest paperback publisher in the world. The company has several independently managed subsidiaries around the world. It is part of Penguin Random House, which is owned by Germ ...

. 10-1-430-30641-6/
OCLC 180102797OCLC 67712109
* Kang, Jae-eun and Suzanne Lee. (2006). ''The Land of Scholars : Two Thousand Years of Korean Confucianism.'' Paramus, New Jersey: Homa & Sekey Books.
OCLC 60931394
* Titsingh, Isaac, ed. (1834). ''

Nipon o daï itsi ran Nipon may refer to: People * Albert Nipon * Nipon Goswami * Nipon Malanont * Nipon Pensuvapap * Nipon Charn-arwut See also * ''Nippon'', Japanese for Japan * Nippon Club (Manhattan) * Nihon Ōdai Ichiran , ', is a 17th-century chronicl ...

''; ou
''Annales des empereurs du Japon.''
(compiled by Hayashi Gahō in 1652). Paris: Oriental Translation Fund of Great Britain and Ireland
OCLC 251800045
{{DEFAULTSORT:Taejo Of Joseon Joseon rulers Joseon Buddhists Korean Buddhist monarchs 1335 births 1408 deaths 14th-century Korean people Goryeo Buddhists Korean generals 14th-century monarchs in Asia Founding monarchs People from Kumya County