Myeongjong of Joseon
Encyclopedia
King Myeongjong was the 13th king of the Joseon Dynasty
of Korea
. He was the second son of Jungjong
, and his mother was Queen Munjeong
, who was Jungjong's third queen.
He became king in 1545 at the age of 12 following the death of his half-brother, Injong
. Since he was too young to rule the kingdom, Queen Munjeong governed the nation in his name.
's maternal uncle, and Lesser Yoon, headed by Myeongjong's maternal uncles, Yoon Won-hyeong and Yoon Wonro. (Yoon Im and Yoon Brothers were close relatives by that period's standards - Yoon Im's great-grandfather was older brother of Yoon Brothers' great-great-grandfather.) Greater Yoon took power in 1544, when Injong succeeded Jungjong; but they failed to wipe out their opposition, since Queen Munjeong protected the Lesser Yoon faction and other opposition officials.
After the death of Injong in 1545, Lesser Yoon replaced Greater Yoon as the majority in the royal court and brutally ousted their adversaries in the Fourth Literati Purge of 1545
. Yoon Im was executed, as were many of his followers.
Despite Yun Won-hyeong's violent rule, Queen Munjeong
was an effective administrator, distributing to the common people land formerly owned by the nobility. However, she held on to rule even after the king reached his majority at the age of 20.
, Japan
ese, and rebellious troops rampaged at will and threatened the government itself. Rebel leader Im Kkeok-jeong was arrested and executed in 1552, but outside invasion continued; the Joseon Dynasty had to re-mobilize its army and navy along to protect its borders.
scholars who were exiled in the purge, but died only two years later without any male issue. King Seonjo
, his half-nephew, succeeded to the throne in 1567.
Joseon Dynasty
Joseon , was a Korean state founded by Taejo Yi Seong-gye that lasted for approximately five centuries. It was founded in the aftermath of the overthrow of the Goryeo at what is today the city of Kaesong. Early on, Korea was retitled and the capital was relocated to modern-day Seoul...
of Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
. He was the second son of Jungjong
Jungjong of Joseon
Jungjong of Joseon , born Yi Yeok, ruled during the 16th century in what is now Korea. He succeeded his half-brother, Yeonsangun, because of the latter's tyranical misrule, which culminated in a coup placing Jungjong on the throne.-Jo Gwang-jo's reforms:On the day Yeonsangun was deposed, soldiers...
, and his mother was Queen Munjeong
Queen Munjeong
Queen Munjeong was the wife of King Jungjong of Joseon.She was of the Papyeong Yun clan. She was regent for her son King Myeongjong when he was still too young to rule by himself until 1565. Known as a good administrator, she continued to rule even after he reached the age of majority...
, who was Jungjong's third queen.
He became king in 1545 at the age of 12 following the death of his half-brother, Injong
Injong of Joseon
King Injong of Joseon was the 12th king of the Joseon Dynasty of Korea. His father was King Jungjong, and his mother was Queen Janggyeong, whose brother was Yun Im...
. Since he was too young to rule the kingdom, Queen Munjeong governed the nation in his name.
Political factions
There were two political factions at the time Myeongjong came to power; Greater Yoon, headed by Yoon Im, InjongInjong of Joseon
King Injong of Joseon was the 12th king of the Joseon Dynasty of Korea. His father was King Jungjong, and his mother was Queen Janggyeong, whose brother was Yun Im...
's maternal uncle, and Lesser Yoon, headed by Myeongjong's maternal uncles, Yoon Won-hyeong and Yoon Wonro. (Yoon Im and Yoon Brothers were close relatives by that period's standards - Yoon Im's great-grandfather was older brother of Yoon Brothers' great-great-grandfather.) Greater Yoon took power in 1544, when Injong succeeded Jungjong; but they failed to wipe out their opposition, since Queen Munjeong protected the Lesser Yoon faction and other opposition officials.
After the death of Injong in 1545, Lesser Yoon replaced Greater Yoon as the majority in the royal court and brutally ousted their adversaries in the Fourth Literati Purge of 1545
Korean Literati Purges
The term "Literati purges" is a translation of Korean term sahwa by Edward W. Wagner, Harvard professor of Korean history. Sahwa literally means "seonbi's calamity" and refers to a series of political purges in late 15th and 16th century, in which Sarim scholars suffered persecution at the hands...
. Yoon Im was executed, as were many of his followers.
Rise of Yun Won-hyeong
The Lesser Yun faction continued to attack their opposition. In 1546, Yoon Won-hyeong impeached his older brother, Yoon Won-ro, who was executed a few days later along with his followers. Facing no opposition from the government, Yoon Won-hyeong became Minister of the Interior in 1548, Vice Premier in 1551 and ultimately Prime Minister in 1563.Despite Yun Won-hyeong's violent rule, Queen Munjeong
Queen Munjeong
Queen Munjeong was the wife of King Jungjong of Joseon.She was of the Papyeong Yun clan. She was regent for her son King Myeongjong when he was still too young to rule by himself until 1565. Known as a good administrator, she continued to rule even after he reached the age of majority...
was an effective administrator, distributing to the common people land formerly owned by the nobility. However, she held on to rule even after the king reached his majority at the age of 20.
Death of Queen Munjeong
After the death of Queen Munjeong in 1565, the king decided to rule the kingdom by himself and had his uncle Yoon Won-hyeong put to death, along with his second wife Jeong Nan-jeong, who also rose to power due to her close friendship and being second sister-in-law to Queen Munjeong. Yun Won-hyeong allowed corruption to flourish in the government; while the kingdom was unstable, JurchensJurchens
The Jurchens were a Tungusic people who inhabited the region of Manchuria until the 17th century, when they adopted the name Manchu...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese, and rebellious troops rampaged at will and threatened the government itself. Rebel leader Im Kkeok-jeong was arrested and executed in 1552, but outside invasion continued; the Joseon Dynasty had to re-mobilize its army and navy along to protect its borders.
Death and succession
Myeongjong tried to reform the government after taking power into his own hands by recalling and reinstating SarimSarim
The Sarim , or "forest of scholars," was a powerful faction of literati that dominated Middle and Late Joseon politics.-Early beginning:...
scholars who were exiled in the purge, but died only two years later without any male issue. King Seonjo
Seonjo of Joseon
King Seonjo ruled in Korea between 1567 and 1608. He was the fourteenth king of the Joseon Dynasty. He is known for encouraging Confucianism and renovating state affairs at the beginning of his reign, although political chaos and his incompetent leadership during the Japanese invasions of Korea...
, his half-nephew, succeeded to the throne in 1567.
Family
- Father: King JungjongJungjong of JoseonJungjong of Joseon , born Yi Yeok, ruled during the 16th century in what is now Korea. He succeeded his half-brother, Yeonsangun, because of the latter's tyranical misrule, which culminated in a coup placing Jungjong on the throne.-Jo Gwang-jo's reforms:On the day Yeonsangun was deposed, soldiers...
(중종) - Mother: Queen MunjeongQueen MunjeongQueen Munjeong was the wife of King Jungjong of Joseon.She was of the Papyeong Yun clan. She was regent for her son King Myeongjong when he was still too young to rule by himself until 1565. Known as a good administrator, she continued to rule even after he reached the age of majority...
of the Papyeong Yun clan (문정왕후 윤씨) - Consort: Queen Insun of the Shim clan (인순왕후 심씨)
- Issue: Prince Successor Sunhoe (순회세자, 1551–1563), Only Son of Queen Insun of the Shim clan
His full posthumous name
- King Myeongjong Gongheon Heoneui Somun Gwangsuk Gyeonghyo the Great of Korea
- 명종공헌헌의소문광숙경효대왕
- 明宗恭憲獻毅昭文光肅敬孝大王
External references
- http://www.koreandb.net/Koreanking/html/person/pki60013.htm
- http://chosonsillok.org/inspection/insp_king.jsp?id=kma