Royal Noble Consort Yeong of the Jeonui Yi clan (영빈전의이씨,暎嬪全義李氏;15 August 1696 —23 August 1764), [1] alternatively known as Lady Seonhui (선희궁,宣禧宮), [2] was a concubine of King Yeongjo of Joseon and the mother of Crown Prince Sado. [3] She is most well known for advising Yeongjo to execute their son,as the latter suffered from serious mental illnesses. [4]
The future Royal Noble Consort Yeong was born into the Jeonui Yi clan on August 15,1696,to Yi Yu-beon,and his wife,Lady Kim of the Hanyang Kim clan.
In 1701 (the 24th year of King Sukjong’s reign),at the age of 6,Lady Yi entered the palace and became a gungnyeo .
In 1726,at the age of 31,Lady Yi became a concubine of King Yeongjo,in his second year of reign. She was given the rank of Sug-ui (숙의,淑儀;junior second rank concubine).
A year later,in 1727,Royal Consort Sug-ui gave birth to a daughter,Princess Hwapyeong.
She was promoted to the rank of Gwi-in (귀인,貴人;junior first rank concubine) in October,that same year.
Between 1728 and 1732,she gave birth to three daughters:one died at the age of 3,the second at the age of 2,and the third at the age of 4.
In 1730,she was finally promoted to the most senior rank of Bin (빈,嬪;senior first rank concubine),with the prefix Yeong (暎),meaning "shining".
In 1732,she gave birth to her fifth daughter,Princess Hwahyeop. Her sixth daughter,Yi Yong-wan,Princess Hwawan,was born in 1738.
Yi Yeong-bin gave birth to the heir apparent in 1735. Yi Seon was not the first male child to be born to Yeongjo,but the death of Crown Prince Hyojang,nearly seven years earlier,meant that the court was particularly pleased to welcome another son. [5]
Yeongjo ordered Sado to be brought up in a palace quite far from the main residence,so Lady Yi did not personally oversee his upbringing. [6] The court ladies in charge of looking after the prince apparently slighted Noble Consort Yeong frequently,as they considered her to be of common birth. [7]
Her daughter-in-law recorded that she was affectionate toward her children,but very strict and taught them,"as if she were not their mother." [8] However,she tended to her children personally when they fell ill. [9]
When Lady Hong entered the palace to marry Crown Prince Sado,Consort Yeong treated her as one of her own children,despite the fact that the Crown Princess was expected to address the King's primary wife,Queen Jeongseong,as her mother-in-law. [8]
In 1748,Princess Hwapyeong died at the age of 21,and Lady Yi is recorded as having grieved excessively. [10]
After the death of his primary wife,Yeongjo married his second queen,in 1759. Consort Yeong supported his decision to remarry and assisted in preparing the state celebrations. [11]
She was aware that the King disliked the Crown Prince,an issue that Queen Jeongseong discussed frequently with her. [12] She was also aware that her son was suffering from a serious mental illness and that he was killing ladies-in-waiting and eunuchs,as the Crown Princess went to her for advice after Sado's first murder,in 1757. [13] Though initially Lady Yi wanted to talk to Sado,her daughter-in-law persuaded her not to,as she feared the consequences if Sado found out she had spoken to his mother. [14] In 1760,the Crown Prince lost his temper at a birthday celebration and cursed at his mother and children. [15] When he began to threaten Princess Hwawan to gain more personal freedoms,Consort Yeong attended their meetings,as she feared for her daughter's safety. During one meeting,in 1760,she witness Sado threaten to "slash Princess Hwawan with [his] sword." [16]
On 4 July 1762,Yi Yeong-bin wrote to Crown Princess Hong in response to the rumour that the Crown Prince had attempted to enter the upper palace to kill his father. In the letter,she apologised preemptively to her daughter-in-law. [17] On the same day,she spoke to Yeongjo and stated that Sado's illness was uncontrollable. She advised him that Sado should be removed,but his wife and son should not be harmed. [18] After the King left,Lady Yi apparently beat her chest and refused to eat. [19]
After the execution of Sado,Lady Hyegyeong records that Consort Yeong transferred her love to her grandson,who moved into the upper palace and slept in the same room as his grandmother. She organised his meals and study sessions. [20]
Royal Noble Consort Yeong developed a tumor on her back and died on August 23,1764. In the opinion of her daughter-in-law,Consort Yeong's intense grief after the execution of her son also weakened her. [21]
She was buried in the Seooneung Cluster,in Goyang,Gyeonggi Province. The tomb is known as Sugyeongwon (수경원,綏慶園). Her memorial tablet was enshrined in Chilgung (or the "Palace Of Seven Royal Concubines").
During the reign of Gojong,Lady Yi was posthumously honoured with the title Soyu (소유,昭裕).
Yeongjo,personal name Yi Geum,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 of the Haeju Choe clan. Before ascending to power,he was known as Prince Yeoning. His life was characterized by political infighting and resentment due to his biological mother's low-born origins.
Jeongjo,personal name Yi San,sometimes called Jeongjo the Great,was the 22nd monarch of the Joseon dynasty of Korea. He was the second son of Crown Prince Sado and Lady Hyegyeong,and succeeded his grandfather,King Yeongjo,in 1776. Today,Jeongjo is remembered for his various efforts to reform and improve the nation.
Seongjong,personal name Yi Hyeol,was the ninth monarch of the Joseon dynasty of Korea. Before succeeding his uncle,King Yejong,he was known as Grand Prince Jalsan.
Crown Prince Sado,personal name Yi Seon,was the second son of King Yeongjo of Joseon. His biological mother was Royal Noble Consort Yeong of the Jeonui Yi clan. Due to the prior death of Sado's older half-brother,Crown Prince Hyojang,the new prince was the probable future monarch. However,at the age of 27,he died,most likely of dehydration and possibly of starvation after being confined in a rice chest on the orders of his father in the heat of summer.
Queen Jeongsun,of the Gyeongju Kim clan,was a posthumous name bestowed to the wife and second queen consort of Yi Geum,King Yeongjo,the 21st Joseon monarch. She was queen consort of Joseon from 1759 until her husband's death in 1776,after which she was honoured as Queen Dowager Yesun (예순왕대비) during the reign of her step-grandson Yi San,King Jeongjo and as Grand Queen Dowager Yesun (예순대왕대비) during the reign of her step great-grandson Yi Gong,King Sunjo.
Princess Hwawan was a Joseon princess and the ninth daughter of King Yeongjo of Joseon.
Queen Jeongseong,of the Daegu Seo clan,was the first wife of King Yeongjo of Joseon and the adoptive mother of Crown Prince Sado.
Queen Seonui of the Hamjong Eo clan,was the second wife of Yi Yun,King Gyeongjong,the 20th Joseon monarch. She was Queen of Joseon from 1720 until her husband's death in 1724,after which she was honoured as RoyalQueen Dowager Gyeongsun (경순왕대비).
Queen Hyoui,of the Cheongpung Kim clan,was the wife and queen consort of King Jeongjo of Joseon. In 1899,Emperor Gojong posthumously gave her the name of Hyoui,the Kind Empress.
Queen Inyeol of the Cheongju Han clan,was a posthumous name bestowed to the wife and first queen consort of Injo of Joseon,the 16th Joseon monarch. She was queen consort of Joseon from 1623 until her death in 1636.
Queen Uiin,of the Bannam Park clan,was a posthumous name bestowed to the first wife and first queen consort of Yi Yeon,King Seonjo,the 14th Joseon monarch. She was queen consort of Joseon from 1569 until her death in 1600.
Lady Hyegyeong of the Pungsan Hong clan,also known as Queen Heongyeong,was a Korean writer and Crown Princess during the Joseon Dynasty. She was the wife of Crown Prince Sado and mother of King Jeongjo. In 1903,Emperor Gojong gave her the posthumous name of Heongyeong,the Virtuous Empress.
Princess Consort Munseong,of the Munhwa Yu clan,was the wife and queen consort of Yi Hon,King Gwanghae,the 15th Joseon monarch. She was queen consort of Joseon from 1608 until her husband's deposition in 1623,after which she was known as Deposed Queen Yu.
Princess Hwapyeong was the eldest daughter of King Yeongjo of Joseon and Royal Noble Consort Yeong of the Jeonui Lee clan,and Yeongjo's third daughter overall.
Queen Hyosun,of the Pungyang Jo clan,was the crown princess of Joseon. She was never known by the title queen during her lifetime. Both Hyosun and her husband were posthumously made the adoptive parents of the future King Jeongjo in 1764,in an attempt to distance the boy from the crimes of his birth father,Crown Prince Sado. She was posthumously called as Hyosun,the Bright Empress.
Crown Princess Minhoe of the Geumcheon Kang clan,also known as Crown Princess Consort Sohyeon,was the wife of Crown Prince Sohyeon,the son of King Injo of Joseon and Queen Inyeol of the Cheongju Han clan.
Grand Internal Princess Consort Sunmok,known before as Grand Internal Princess Consort Yeoheung,was a Korean noblewoman who became a Joseon dynasty royal family member through her marriage with Internal Prince Heungseon,and was the biological mother of Emperor Gojong of Korea.
Princess Jeongmyeong was a Joseon Royal Princess as the tenth daughter of King Seonjo,from Queen Inmok. During her older half-brother's reign,she suffered hardships,and her title was revoked,but later it was reinstated after her half-nephew ascended the throne. Due to this,her life was believed to have been as brittle and unfortunate like her ancestor and her descendant who were famous for their unfortunate fates as the Princess of Joseon and Korean Empire.
Princess Hwaryeong was a royal princess of the Joseon Dynasty and the eleventh daughter of Yeongjo of Joseon.
Princess Cheongyeon was a royal princess of the Joseon Dynasty. She was the eldest daughter of Crown Prince Sado and Lady Hyegyeong.
International | |
---|---|
National |