Sukjong of Joseon

Sukjong of Joseon
조선 숙종
朝鮮肅宗
King of Joseon
Reign22 September 1674 – 12 July 1720
PredecessorHyeonjong
SuccessorGyeongjong
BornYi Sun (이순; 李焞)
7 October 1661
Hoesangjeon Hall, Gyeonghui Palace, Hanseong, Joseon
Died12 July 1720(1720-07-12) (aged 58)
Yungbokjeon Hall, Gyeonghui Palace, Hanseong, Joseon
Burial
Spouse(s)
(m. 1670; died 1680)
(m. 1681; div. 1688)
(m. 1694; died 1701)
(m. 1702)
Issue
among others...
Posthumous name
  • Joseon: King Hyeonui Gwanglyun Yeseong Yeonglyeol Yumo Yeongun Hongin Jundeog Baecheon Habdo Gyehyu Doggyeong Jeongjung Hyeopgeug Sinui Daehun Jangmun Heonmu Gyeongmyeong Wonhyo the Great
    • 현의광륜예성영렬유모영운홍인준덕배천합도계휴독경정중협극신의대훈장문헌무경명원효대왕
    • 顯義光倫睿聖英烈裕謨永運洪仁峻德配天合道啓休篤慶正中恊極神毅大勳章文憲武敬明元孝大王
Temple name
Sukjong (숙종; 肅宗)
ClanJeonju Yi clan
DynastyHouse of Yi
FatherHyeonjong of Joseon
MotherQueen Myeongseong
ReligionKorean Confucianism (Neo-Confucianism)
Korean name
Hangul
숙종
Hanja
Revised RomanizationSukjong
McCune–ReischauerSukchong
Birth name
Hangul
이순
Hanja
Revised RomanizationI Sun
McCune–ReischauerYi Sun
Art name
Hangul
양성헌
Hanja
Revised RomanizationYangseongheon
McCune–ReischauerYangsŏnghŏn

Sukjong (Korean숙종; Hanja肅宗; 7 October 1661 – 12 July 1720), personal name Yi Sun (이순; 李焞), was the 19th monarch of the Joseon dynasty of Korea. A skilled legislator, he caused multiple changes in political power throughout his reign, by switching among the Namin (Southerners), Seoin (Westerners), Soron and Noron political factions.

Biography

Heavily damaged portrait of Sukjong of Joseon, damaged in a fire.

King Sukjong was born on October 7, 1661, to King Hyeonjong and Queen Myeongseong at Gyeonghui Palace. His given name was Yi Sun. He became the Crown Prince Myeongbo in 1667 at age 6, and in 1674, at age 13, he became the 19th ruler of the Joseon Dynasty.

King Sukjong was a brilliant politician, but his reign was marked by some of the most intense factional fights in the Joseon dynasty. Sukjong frequently replaced faction in power with another one to strengthen the royal authority. With each change of government, which was called hwanguk (Korean환국; Hanja換局), literally change/switching of the state, the losing faction was completely driven out of politics with executions and exiles. Nevertheless, the chaotic changes of government did not affect the general populace significantly, and his reign is considered one of more prosperous times.

Factional Fighting

In the early years of Sukjong's reign, the Southern faction and Western faction clashed over the Royal Funeral Dispute, a seemingly minor issue regarding the mourning period for Queen Insun. The Southern faction claimed that the mourning period should last one year while the Western faction argued for a nine-month mourning period. A one-year mourning period meant that Hyojong of Joseon was considered the eldest son while 9-month period would suggest that Hyojong was considered not the eldest son, following the rules that governed the yangban class. In other words, the Western faction viewed the royal family as the first of the yangban class rather than a separate class for which different rules applied. The two factions were also in conflict over the issue of fighting the Qing Dynasty, which was considered barbaric country (as opposed to Ming Dynasty) that threatened Joseon's national security. The Southern faction, led by Heo Jeok and Yun Hyu, supported war against Qing while Western factions wanted to focus first on improving domestic conditions.

Sukjong at first sided with the Southern faction, but in 1680, Heo Jeok was accused of treason by Western faction, which led to the execution of Heo Jeok and Yun Hyu and purging of the Southern faction. This incident is called Gyeongsin hwanguk (경신환국). Once in power, the Western faction split into the Noron (Old Learning) faction, led by Song Si-yeol, and the Soron (New Learning) faction, led by Yun Jeung. After nine years in power, the Noron collapsed when Sukjong deposed Queen Min (posthumously called Queen Inhyeon), who was supported by the Western faction, and named Consort Hui of the Jang clan (also called Consort Jang or Jang Hui-bin) as the new queen. She is widely thought to be one of the most beautiful women of Joseon, she was the only person recorded in Annals for her beautiful features. The Western faction angered Sukjong when it opposed the naming of Consort Jang's son as crown prince. The Southern faction, who supported Consort Jang and her son, regained power and drove out Western faction, executing Song Si-yeol in revenge. This is called Gisa Hwanguk (기사환국).

Five years later in 1694, as the Southern faction planned another purge of the Western faction, accusing them of conspiracy to reinstate the deposed Queen, Sukjong began to regret deposing Queen Min and favored Consort Suk of the Choe clan, an ally of the Queen and the Noron faction. Angry with the Southern faction's attempt to purge Westerners, Sukjong abruptly turned around to purge Southerners and brought the Western faction back to power. The Southern faction would never recover from this blow, also called Gapsul Hwanguk (갑술환국). Sukjong demoted Queen Jang to her previous title (Jang Hui-bin) and reinstated Queen Min. Consort Jang was eventually executed by poison for cursing the Queen. The Soron faction supported Crown Prince Yi Yun, Consort Jang's son, while the Noron faction supported Consort Choe's son, Prince Yeoning (Yi Geum), later to become Yeongjo of Joseon. The late Queen Inhyeon and the newly installed Queen Kim (posthumously known as Queen Inwon) were both childless.

In 1718, Sukjong allowed the crown prince, soon to be Gyeongjong of Joseon, to rule as regent. Sukjong died in 1720 supposedly after telling Yi Yi-myoung to name Prince Yeoning as Gyeongjong's heir - in absence of a historiographer or recorder. This would lead to yet another purge in which four Noron leaders were executed in 1721, followed by another purge with the executions of eight Noron members in 1722.

Sukjong's accomplishments include tax reform (大同法), the creation of a new monetary system and currency (Korean mun), and the liberalization of civil service rules promoting the middle class and children of concubines into higher-ranking regional government positions.

In 1712, Sukjong's government worked with the Qing Dynasty in China to define national borders between the two countries at the Yalu and Tumen Rivers. The Japanese government recognized Ulleung Island as Joseon's territory in 1696 (the South Korean government insists that Liancourt Rocks was also recognized, while the Japanese government disagrees).

Sukjong's reign also saw agricultural development in remote provinces and increased cultural activity including publishing. He died after reigning for 46 years in 1720 at age 60. He was buried in Myeongneung (명릉) in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, inside the Five Western Royal Graves (서오릉, 西五陵; Seooneung).

Family

Consorts and their respective issue:

  1. Queen Ingyeong of the Gwangsan Kim clan (25 October 1661 – 16 December 1680) (인경왕후 김씨)
    1. First daughter (27 April 1677 – 13 March 1678)
    2. Second daughter (23 October 1679 – 24 October 1679)
    3. Miscarriage (22 July 1680)
  2. Queen Inhyeon of the Yeoheung Min clan (15 May 1667 – 16 September 1701) (인현왕후 민씨)
  3. Queen Inwon of the Gyeongju Kim clan (3 November 1687 – 13 May 1757) (인원왕후 김씨)
  4. Royal Noble Consort Hui of the Indong Jang clan (3 November 1659 – 9 November 1701) (희빈 장씨)
    1. Crown Prince Yi Yun (20 November 1688 – 11 October 1724) (왕세자 이윤), first son
    2. Prince Seongsu (1690–1690) (성수군), second son
  5. Royal Noble Consort Suk of the Haeju Choe clan (17 December 1670 – 9 April 1718) (숙빈 최씨)
    1. Prince Yeongsu (1693–1693) (영수군), third son
    2. Yi Geum, Prince Yeoning (31 October 1694 – 22 April 1776) (연잉군 이금), fourth son
    3. Fifth son (1698–1698)
  6. Royal Noble Consort Myeong of the Miryang Park clan (? – 1703) (명빈 박씨)
    1. Yi Hwon, Prince Yeollyeong (13 June 1699 – 2 October 1719) (연령군 이훤), sixth son
  7. Royal Noble Consort Yeong of the Andong Kim clan (1669–1735) (영빈 김씨)
  8. Royal Consort Gwi-in of the Gyeongju Kim clan (1690–1735) (귀인 김씨)
  9. Royal Consort So-ui of the Gangneung Yu clan (? – 1707) (소의 유씨)

Ancestry

In popular culture

See also


This page was last updated at 2024-03-21 06:35 UTC. Update now. View original page.

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