Seonjo of Joseon
Encyclopedia
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 marred his later years.
, capital of Korea, as the third son of Deokheung Daewongun (대원군, 'Great Prince of the Court) He was given the title of Prince Haseong, and when King Myeongjong
died young without an heir, Haseong was the next in line by decision of the royal court, so he was crowned king in 1567 at the age of 16.
and King Jungjong
. He encouraged Sarim
scholars, who had been persecuted by entrenched aristocrats in four different purges
between 1498 and 1545 during reign of Yeosangun and Jungjong. Seonjo continued the political reforms of King Myeongjong, and put many famous Confucian scholars, including Yi Hwang
, Yi I
, Jeong Cheol
, and Yu Seong-ryong
, in office.
Seonjo also reformed the civil service examination system, particularly the civil official qualification exam. The previous exam was mainly concerned with literature, not with politics or history. The king himself ordered the system to be reformed by increasing the importance of these other subjects. He also restored the reputations of executed scholars such as Jo Gwang-jo, who died in Third Literati Purge of 1519, and denounced the accomplishments of corrupt aristocrats, notably Nam Gon
, who instigated the purge under Jungjong and contributed greatly to the corruption of the era. These acts earned the king the respect of the general populace, and the country enjoyed a brief era of peace.
At first the Westerners earned the favor of the king, since Sim was related to the queen and also had larger support from wealthy nobles. However, their attitudes on reformation and Sim's indicisiveness helped the Easterners take power, and the Westerners fell out of favor. Reforms were accelerated during the first period of influence of the Easterners, but then many Easterners began to urge others to slow down the reforms. The Easterners were once again divided into the Northern and the Southern Faction. Yu Seong-ryong
led the Southern faction while the Northerners divided even further after arguments over many issues; the Greater Northerners Faction was an extreme leftist faction, while the Lesser Northerners Faction became less reform-minded than the Greater Northerners Faction, but still more leftist than the Southerners.
The political divisions caused the nation to be weakened, since the size of the military was also one of the issues on the reform agenda. Yi I
, a neutral conservative, urged the king to increase the size of the army to prepare against future invasions from the Jurchens
and Japan
ese. However, both factions rejected Yi's suggestions, and the size of the army was decreased further since many believed the peaceful period would last. The Jurchens and Japanese used this opportunity to expand their influence in East Asia
, resulting in the Seven-Year War, and the foundation of the Qing Dynasty
in China, both of which would lead to devastation on the Korean Peninsula.
King Seonjo faced many difficulties dealing with both new threats, sending many skilled military commanders to the northern front, while contending with Japanese leaders Oda Nobunaga
, Toyotomi Hideyoshi
and Tokugawa Ieyasu
in the south. However, after Toyotomi Hideyoshi unified Japan, the Japanese soon proved themselves to be the greater threat; and many Koreans began to fear that their country would be taken over by the Japanese. Many officials concerned with the defense of the kingdom urged the king to send delegates to Hideyoshi, their major purpose being to find out whether Hideyoshi was preparing for invasion or not. However, the two government factions could not even agree on this issue of national importance; so a compromise was made and one delegate from each faction was sent to Hideyoshi. When they returned to Korea, their reports only caused more controversy and confusion. Hwang Yun-gil
, of the Westerners faction, reported that Hideyoshi was raising huge numbers of troops, but Kim Seong-il, of the Easterners faction, told the king that he thought these large forces were not for the war against Korea, since he was trying to complete his reforms quickly to prevent lawlessness and quash the bandits now roaming the countryside. Since the Easterners had the bigger voice in government at the time, Hwang's reports were ignored and Seonjo decided not to prepare for war, even though the attitude of Hideyoshi in his letter to Seonjo clearly showed his interest in the conquest of Asia.
to alert the Chinese that the Japanese were actually preparing for full-scale war against the Korean-Chinese alliance. He also ordered the construction of many forts in the coastal regions and sent generals Sin Rip and Yi Il to the southern coast to prepare for war. While the Koreans were busy making their preparations, the Japanese manufactured muskets for many of their soldiers, mobilized warriors from across the entire country.
On April 13, 1592, about 700 Japanese ships under Konishi Yukinaga
invaded Korea. Konishi easily burned Fort Busan
and Fort Donglae
, killed commanders Jeong Bal
and Song Sang-hyeon and marched northward. On the next day even more troops under Kato Kiyomasa
and Kuroda Nagamasa
landed, also marching toward Hanyang. A huge Japanese fleet under Todo Takatora
and Kuki Yoshitaka
supported them from the sea. General Yi Il faced Kato Kiyomasa at the Battle of Sangju
, which was won by Japanese. Then Yi Il met General Sin Rip, but their combined forces were also defeated at the Battle of Ch'ungju
by Kato Kiyomasa. Then Seonjo appointed General Kim Myeong-won as Commander-in-Chief and Field Marshal, and ordered him to defend the capital. Then the king moved to Pyongyang
, since the Japanese began to seize the capital. He later moved even further north to the border city of Uiju
just before the fall of Pyongyang. While the king was absent from the capital, many people who had lost hope in the government plundered the palace and burned many public buildings. This resulted in even more damage than that perpetrated by the Japanese after they had captured the city.
Although the army continued to lose men and battles, the navy successfully cut the Japanese supply line from the sea; Admiral Yi Sun-sin
defeated the Japanese fleet several times and did much damage to the supply ships. With the navy blocking supplies, Chinese forces under General Li Rusong
arrived, and began to push the Japanese southward, eventually retaking Pyongyang. Konishi Yukinaga successfully blocked a Chinese advance at Battle of Byeokjegwan
, and again tried to push the Koreans northward, but the crucial blow came at the Battle of Hangju, where General Gwon Yul
defeated the Japanese with a much smaller force. The Japanese then decided to enter into peace negotiations, while both sides continued fighting. During these negotiations Koreans retook Seoul, but the palaces had all been burnt to the ground, so Seonjo repaired one of the old royal family's houses and renamed it Deoksugung
, making it one of the official palaces.
The peace negotiations between the Chinese and Japanese ended unsuccessfully, due to a lack of understanding between the two sides and misrepresentation of the Koreans. The Japanese again invaded Korea in 1597; but this time all three nations were ready for war, and the Japanese were not able to advance as easily as in 1592. The Japanese tried to take Hanyang from both land and sea routes. At first the plan seemed to work well when Todo Takatora defeated Admiral Won Gyun
at the Battle of Chilchonryang
, but the plan was abandoned when the Korean navy under Admiral Yi Sun-sin defeated the Japanese fleet under Todo Takatora in the Battle of Myeongnyang
with only 13 ships. The battle effectively ended the war, and in 1598 the Japanese at last withdrew from Korea after the sudden death of Toyotomi Hideyoshi. The Battle of Noryang marked the end of the war, with the last Japanese units under Konishi Yukinaga leaving Korea.
rule in his place. However, when the queen gave birth to a son (Gwanghaegun was the second son of Lady Kim, the king's concubine), the succession also became a matter of contention. King Seonjo died in 1608, while political division and outside threats still darkened the skies over 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...
between 1567 and 1608. He was the fourteenth king of the Joseon Dynasty
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...
. He is known for encouraging Confucianism
Confucianism
Confucianism is a Chinese ethical and philosophical system developed from the teachings of the Chinese philosopher Confucius . Confucianism originated as an "ethical-sociopolitical teaching" during the Spring and Autumn Period, but later developed metaphysical and cosmological elements in the Han...
and renovating state affairs at the beginning of his reign, although political chaos and his incompetent leadership during the Japanese invasions of Korea marred his later years.
Background
King Seonjo was born Yi Yeon in 1552 in HanseongSeoul
Seoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
, capital of Korea, as the third son of Deokheung Daewongun (대원군, 'Great Prince of the Court) He was given the title of Prince Haseong, and when King Myeongjong
Myeongjong of Joseon
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....
died young without an heir, Haseong was the next in line by decision of the royal court, so he was crowned king in 1567 at the age of 16.
Early Reign (1567-1575)
King Seonjo focused on the improvement of the lives of the common people, as well as rebuilding the nation after the political corruption during the chaotic reign of YeonsangunYeonsangun of Joseon
Yeonsan-gun , born Yi Yung, was the 10th king of Korea's Joseon Dynasty. He was the eldest son of Seongjong by his second wife, Lady Yoon. He is often considered the worst tyrant in Joseon Dynasty, notorious for launching two bloody purges of the seonbi elite...
and King 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...
. He encouraged Sarim
Sarim
The Sarim , or "forest of scholars," was a powerful faction of literati that dominated Middle and Late Joseon politics.-Early beginning:...
scholars, who had been persecuted by entrenched aristocrats in four different purges
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...
between 1498 and 1545 during reign of Yeosangun and Jungjong. Seonjo continued the political reforms of King Myeongjong, and put many famous Confucian scholars, including Yi Hwang
Yi Hwang
Yi Hwang is one of the two most prominent Korean Confucian scholars of the Joseon Dynasty, the other being his younger contemporary Yi I . A key figure of the Neo-Confucian literati, he established the Yeongnam School and set up the Dosan Seowon, a private Confucian academy. Yi Hwang is often...
, Yi I
Yi I
Yi I was one of the two most prominent Korean Confucian scholars of the Joseon Dynasty, the other being his older contemporary, Yi Hwang . Yi I is often referred to by his pen name Yulgok...
, Jeong Cheol
Jeong Cheol
Jeong Cheol was a Korean statesman and poet. He used the pen-names Gyeham and Songgang, and studied under Kim Yunjae at Hwanbyeokdang.-Literary works:...
, and Yu Seong-ryong
Yu Seong-ryong
Yu Seong-ryong , also often spelled Ryu Seong-ryong, was a scholar-official and Prime minister of the Joseon Dynasty of Korea...
, in office.
Seonjo also reformed the civil service examination system, particularly the civil official qualification exam. The previous exam was mainly concerned with literature, not with politics or history. The king himself ordered the system to be reformed by increasing the importance of these other subjects. He also restored the reputations of executed scholars such as Jo Gwang-jo, who died in Third Literati Purge of 1519, and denounced the accomplishments of corrupt aristocrats, notably Nam Gon
Nam Gon
Nam Gon was a Korean politician, poet, scholar, and thinker of the Joseon dynasty.- Life :Nam was a Korean Neo-Confucian scholar. He was the Joseon Dynasty's Vice Prime Minister until 1520, and then Prime Minister from 1523 to 1527....
, who instigated the purge under Jungjong and contributed greatly to the corruption of the era. These acts earned the king the respect of the general populace, and the country enjoyed a brief era of peace.
Political division and East-West feud (1575-1592)
Among the scholars King Seonjo called to the government were Sim Ui-gyeom and Kim Hyowon. Sim was a relative of the queen, and heavily conservative. Kim was the leading figure of the new generation of officials, and called for liberal reforms. The scholars who supported King Seonjo began to split into two factions, headed by Sim and Kim. Members of the two factions even lived in the same neighborhood; Sim's faction lived on west side of the city while Kim's followers gathered on the east side. Consequently the two factions began to be called the Western Faction and the Eastern Faction; this two-faction political system lasted 400 years and later helped bring about the collapse of the dynasty.At first the Westerners earned the favor of the king, since Sim was related to the queen and also had larger support from wealthy nobles. However, their attitudes on reformation and Sim's indicisiveness helped the Easterners take power, and the Westerners fell out of favor. Reforms were accelerated during the first period of influence of the Easterners, but then many Easterners began to urge others to slow down the reforms. The Easterners were once again divided into the Northern and the Southern Faction. Yu Seong-ryong
Yu Seong-ryong
Yu Seong-ryong , also often spelled Ryu Seong-ryong, was a scholar-official and Prime minister of the Joseon Dynasty of Korea...
led the Southern faction while the Northerners divided even further after arguments over many issues; the Greater Northerners Faction was an extreme leftist faction, while the Lesser Northerners Faction became less reform-minded than the Greater Northerners Faction, but still more leftist than the Southerners.
The political divisions caused the nation to be weakened, since the size of the military was also one of the issues on the reform agenda. Yi I
Yi I
Yi I was one of the two most prominent Korean Confucian scholars of the Joseon Dynasty, the other being his older contemporary, Yi Hwang . Yi I is often referred to by his pen name Yulgok...
, a neutral conservative, urged the king to increase the size of the army to prepare against future invasions from the Jurchens
Jurchens
The Jurchens were a Tungusic people who inhabited the region of Manchuria until the 17th century, when they adopted the name Manchu...
and 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. However, both factions rejected Yi's suggestions, and the size of the army was decreased further since many believed the peaceful period would last. The Jurchens and Japanese used this opportunity to expand their influence in East Asia
East Asia
East Asia or Eastern Asia is a subregion of Asia that can be defined in either geographical or cultural terms...
, resulting in the Seven-Year War, and the foundation of the Qing Dynasty
Qing Dynasty
The Qing Dynasty was the last dynasty of China, ruling from 1644 to 1912 with a brief, abortive restoration in 1917. It was preceded by the Ming Dynasty and followed by the Republic of China....
in China, both of which would lead to devastation on the Korean Peninsula.
King Seonjo faced many difficulties dealing with both new threats, sending many skilled military commanders to the northern front, while contending with Japanese leaders Oda Nobunaga
Oda Nobunaga
was the initiator of the unification of Japan under the shogunate in the late 16th century, which ruled Japan until the Meiji Restoration in 1868. He was also a major daimyo during the Sengoku period of Japanese history. His opus was continued, completed and finalized by his successors Toyotomi...
, Toyotomi Hideyoshi
Toyotomi Hideyoshi
was a daimyo warrior, general and politician of the Sengoku period. He unified the political factions of Japan. He succeeded his former liege lord, Oda Nobunaga, and brought an end to the Sengoku period. The period of his rule is often called the Momoyama period, named after Hideyoshi's castle...
and Tokugawa Ieyasu
Tokugawa Ieyasu
was the founder and first shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan , which ruled from the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600 until the Meiji Restoration in 1868. Ieyasu seized power in 1600, received appointment as shogun in 1603, abdicated from office in 1605, but...
in the south. However, after Toyotomi Hideyoshi unified Japan, the Japanese soon proved themselves to be the greater threat; and many Koreans began to fear that their country would be taken over by the Japanese. Many officials concerned with the defense of the kingdom urged the king to send delegates to Hideyoshi, their major purpose being to find out whether Hideyoshi was preparing for invasion or not. However, the two government factions could not even agree on this issue of national importance; so a compromise was made and one delegate from each faction was sent to Hideyoshi. When they returned to Korea, their reports only caused more controversy and confusion. Hwang Yun-gil
Hwang Yun-gil
Hwang Yun-gil, also known as Hwang Yun'gil, was a Korean diplomat and ambassador, representing Joseon interests in a tongsinsa to Sengoku period in Japan when it was constrolled by strongman Toyotomi Hideyoshi.-1590 mission to Japan:In 1590-1591, King Seonjo of Joseon sent a mission to Japan led...
, of the Westerners faction, reported that Hideyoshi was raising huge numbers of troops, but Kim Seong-il, of the Easterners faction, told the king that he thought these large forces were not for the war against Korea, since he was trying to complete his reforms quickly to prevent lawlessness and quash the bandits now roaming the countryside. Since the Easterners had the bigger voice in government at the time, Hwang's reports were ignored and Seonjo decided not to prepare for war, even though the attitude of Hideyoshi in his letter to Seonjo clearly showed his interest in the conquest of Asia.
Seven-Year War (1592-1598)
In 1591, after the delegates had returned from Japan, Toyotomi Hideyoshi sent his own delegates to visit King Seonjo, and asked permission to pass through the Korean Peninsula to invade China, in effect declaring war against the Joseon kingdom. The king was surprised; after refusing the Japanese request he sent a letter to BeijingBeijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
to alert the Chinese that the Japanese were actually preparing for full-scale war against the Korean-Chinese alliance. He also ordered the construction of many forts in the coastal regions and sent generals Sin Rip and Yi Il to the southern coast to prepare for war. While the Koreans were busy making their preparations, the Japanese manufactured muskets for many of their soldiers, mobilized warriors from across the entire country.
On April 13, 1592, about 700 Japanese ships under Konishi Yukinaga
Konishi Yukinaga
Konishi Yukinaga was a Kirishitan daimyō under Toyotomi Hideyoshi. He was the son of a wealthy Sakai merchant, Konishi Ryūsa...
invaded Korea. Konishi easily burned Fort Busan
Busan
Busan , formerly spelled Pusan is South Korea's second largest metropolis after Seoul, with a population of around 3.6 million. The Metropolitan area population is 4,399,515 as of 2010. It is the largest port city in South Korea and the fifth largest port in the world...
and Fort Donglae
Dongnae-gu
Dongnae-gu is a gu in northern Busan, South Korea. 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 historical relics are preserved in the area...
, killed commanders Jeong Bal
Jeong Bal
Jeong Bal was a Korean colonel who was placed command over a garrison at Busan port. He was killed in action in 1592 while defending the garrison from elements of the Japanese vanguard, led by the Christian warlord Konishi Yukinaga....
and Song Sang-hyeon and marched northward. On the next day even more troops under Kato Kiyomasa
Kato Kiyomasa
was a Japanese daimyō of the Azuchi-Momoyama and Edo period.-Origins and early career:Kiyomasa was born in Owari Province to Katō Kiyotada. Kiyotada's wife, Ito, was a cousin of Toyotomi Hideyoshi's mother. Kiyotada died while his son was still young...
and Kuroda Nagamasa
Kuroda Nagamasa
was a daimyo of Japan. He was the son of Kuroda Kanbei.In 1577, When Nagamasa was a small child, his father was condemned as a spy by Oda Nobunaga. Nagamasa was kidnapped and nearly killed as a hostage. Takenaka Hanbei ended up rescuing him....
landed, also marching toward Hanyang. A huge Japanese fleet under Todo Takatora
Todo Takatora
was a Japanese daimyo of the Azuchi-Momoyama period through Edo period. He rose from relatively humble origins as an ashigaru to become a daimyo...
and Kuki Yoshitaka
Kuki Yoshitaka
' was a naval commander during Japan's Sengoku Period, under Oda Nobunaga, and later, Toyotomi Hideyoshi.In the 1570s, Kuki allied himself with Oda Nobunaga, and commanded his fleet, supporting land-based attacks on the Ikkō-ikki. In 1574, his aided ensured a victory for Nobunaga in his third...
supported them from the sea. General Yi Il faced Kato Kiyomasa at the Battle of Sangju
Battle of Sangju
-Prelude:The battle of Sangju was one of the first Korean battles in the First Invasion of the Imjin War. The Koreans attempted to stop the Japanese invasion and prevent the siege of Fort Ch'ungju. However, the Japanese' superior technology of the arquebuses proved again effective. Like nearly all...
, which was won by Japanese. Then Yi Il met General Sin Rip, but their combined forces were also defeated at the Battle of Ch'ungju
Battle of Ch'ungju
The Battle of Chungju or the Battle of Tangumdae was the last battle of the Chungju Campaign fought between the Koreans and Japanese during the Japanese Invasion of Korea. This battle was an early battle in the Imjin War and the failure to defend it led to the capture of Seoul.Chungju is located...
by Kato Kiyomasa. Then Seonjo appointed General Kim Myeong-won as Commander-in-Chief and Field Marshal, and ordered him to defend the capital. Then the king moved to Pyongyang
Pyongyang
Pyongyang is the capital of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, commonly known as North Korea, and the largest city in the country. Pyongyang is located on the Taedong River and, according to preliminary results from the 2008 population census, has a population of 3,255,388. The city was...
, since the Japanese began to seize the capital. He later moved even further north to the border city of Uiju
Uiju
Ŭiju is a kun, or county, in North Pyongan Province, North Korea. The county has an area of 420 km², and a population of 110,018 .-Location:...
just before the fall of Pyongyang. While the king was absent from the capital, many people who had lost hope in the government plundered the palace and burned many public buildings. This resulted in even more damage than that perpetrated by the Japanese after they had captured the city.
Although the army continued to lose men and battles, the navy successfully cut the Japanese supply line from the sea; Admiral Yi Sun-sin
Yi Sun-sin
Yi Sun-shin was a Korean naval commander, famed for his victories against the Japanese navy during the Imjin war in the Joseon Dynasty, and is well-respected for his exemplary conduct on and off the battlefield not only by Koreans, but by Japanese Admirals as well...
defeated the Japanese fleet several times and did much damage to the supply ships. With the navy blocking supplies, Chinese forces under General Li Rusong
Li Rusong
Li Ru-song was a Chinese general of Ming empire who is from the town of Tieling , LiaoDong Li Ru-song (1549–1598) was a Chinese general of Ming empire who is from the town of Tieling (Chinese:鐵嶺衛), LiaoDong Li Ru-song (1549–1598) was a Chinese general of Ming empire who is from the town of...
arrived, and began to push the Japanese southward, eventually retaking Pyongyang. Konishi Yukinaga successfully blocked a Chinese advance at Battle of Byeokjegwan
Battle of Byeokjegwan
The Battle of Byeokjegwan was a battle fought on January 27, 1593 , between the armies of the Ming Dynasty led by Li Rusong, and the Japanese forces under Tachibana Muneshige, Ukita Hideie, and Kobayakawa Takakage...
, and again tried to push the Koreans northward, but the crucial blow came at the Battle of Hangju, where General Gwon Yul
Gwon Yul
Kwon Yul was a Korean Army General and the Commander-in-chief of the Joseon Dynasty, who successfully led the Korean forces against Japan during the Japanese invasions of Korea...
defeated the Japanese with a much smaller force. The Japanese then decided to enter into peace negotiations, while both sides continued fighting. During these negotiations Koreans retook Seoul, but the palaces had all been burnt to the ground, so Seonjo repaired one of the old royal family's houses and renamed it Deoksugung
Deoksugung
Deoksugung, also known as Gyeongun-gung, Deoksugung Palace, or Deoksu Palace, is a walled compound of palaces in Seoul that was inhabited by various Korean royalties until the colonial period around the turn of the 20th century. The buildings are of varying construction, including some of natural...
, making it one of the official palaces.
The peace negotiations between the Chinese and Japanese ended unsuccessfully, due to a lack of understanding between the two sides and misrepresentation of the Koreans. The Japanese again invaded Korea in 1597; but this time all three nations were ready for war, and the Japanese were not able to advance as easily as in 1592. The Japanese tried to take Hanyang from both land and sea routes. At first the plan seemed to work well when Todo Takatora defeated Admiral Won Gyun
Won Gyun
Won Gyun was a Korean general and admiral during the Joseon Dynasty. He is best known for his campaigns against Japanese during Hideyoshi's Invasions of Korea. Won was a member of Wonju Won family, which was well known for its members' military accomplishments. He was born in 1540 near Pyeongtaek,...
at the Battle of Chilchonryang
Battle of Chilchonryang
The naval Battle of Chilcheollyang took place before dawn on August 27th, 1597 during the Imjin War in Chilcheollyang, which is a narrow strait near Geoje island. It took place during the second invasion of the Japanese...
, but the plan was abandoned when the Korean navy under Admiral Yi Sun-sin defeated the Japanese fleet under Todo Takatora in the Battle of Myeongnyang
Battle of Myeongnyang
In the Battle of Myeongnyang, on October 26, 1597, the Joseon admiral Yi Sun-sin fought the Japanese navy in the Myeongnyang Strait, near Jindo Island. With only the 13 ships remaining from Won Gyun's disastrous defeat at the Battle of Chilchonryang, Admiral Yi Sunsin held the strait against a...
with only 13 ships. The battle effectively ended the war, and in 1598 the Japanese at last withdrew from Korea after the sudden death of Toyotomi Hideyoshi. The Battle of Noryang marked the end of the war, with the last Japanese units under Konishi Yukinaga leaving Korea.
Later Days (1598-1608)
Despite all the efforts Seonjo put in during the war, such as establishing army training facilities and reforming taxation laws - people were awarded with increase of social class, exemption of labor or crimes in return for payment of tax in rice - the war left a devastated land and starving people. After the war, his wish of reconstructing the nation was impeded by the political turmoil caused by the quarrelling political factions and famine. King Seonjo lost hope in governing the nation, and let his Crown Prince GwanghaegunGwanghaegun of Joseon
Gwanghaegun or Prince Gwanghae was the fifteenth king of the Joseon Dynasty. His personal name was Yi Hon. Since he was deposed in a coup, later official historians did not give him a temple name like Taejo or Sejong...
rule in his place. However, when the queen gave birth to a son (Gwanghaegun was the second son of Lady Kim, the king's concubine), the succession also became a matter of contention. King Seonjo died in 1608, while political division and outside threats still darkened the skies over Korea.
Family
- Father: Deokheung Daewongun (덕흥대원군)
- Mother: Hadong, Princess Consort to the Prince of the Great Court, of the Jeong clan (하동부대부인 정씨)
- Consorts:
- Queen Uiin of the Bannam Bak clan (의인왕후 박씨)
- Queen Inmok of the Yeonan Gim clan (인목왕후 김씨)
- Royal Noble Consort Gong of the Gimhae Gim clan (공빈 김씨)
- Royal Noble Consort In of the Suwon Gim clan (인빈 김씨)
- Royal Noble Consort Sun of the Gim clan (순빈 김씨)
- Royal Noble Consort Jeong of the Yeoheung Min clan (정빈 민씨)
- Royal Noble Consort Jeong of the Hong clan (정빈 홍씨)
- Royal Noble Consort On of the Han clan (온빈 한씨)
- Issue:
- Grand Prince Yeongchang (영창대군), Only Son of Queen Inmok of the Yeonan Gim clan.
- Prince Imhae (임해군), 1st Son of Royal Noble Consort Gong of the Gimhae Gim clan.
- Prince GwanghaeGwanghaegun of JoseonGwanghaegun or Prince Gwanghae was the fifteenth king of the Joseon Dynasty. His personal name was Yi Hon. Since he was deposed in a coup, later official historians did not give him a temple name like Taejo or Sejong...
(광해군), 2nd Son of Royal Noble Consort Gong of the Gimhae Gim clan. - Prince Uian (의안군), 1st Son of Royal Noble Consort In of the Suwon Gim clan.
- Prince Sinseong (신성군), 2nd son of Royal Noble Consort In of the Suwon Gim clan.
- Prince Uichang (의창군), 3rd Son of Royal Noble Consort In of the Suwon Gim clan.
- Prince Jeongwon (정원군), 4th Son of Royal Noble Consort In of the Suwon Gim clan.
- Prince Sunhwa (순화군), Only Son of Royal Noble Consort Sun of the Gim clan.
- Prince Inseong (인성군), 1st Son of Royal Noble Consort Jeong of the Yeoheung Min clan.
- Prince Inheung (인흥군), 2nd Son of Royal Noble Consort Jeong of the Yeoheung Min clan.
- Prince Gyeongchang (경창군), Only Son of Royal Noble Consort Jeong of the Hong clan.
- Prince Heungan (흥안군), 1st Son of Royal Noble Consort On of the Han clan.
- Prince Gyeongpyeong (경평군), 2nd Son of Royal Noble Consort On of the Han clan.
- Prince Yeongseon (영선군), 3rd Son of Royal Noble Consort On of the Han clan.
- Princess Jeongmyeong (정명공주), Only Daughter of Queen Inmok of the Yeonan Gim clan. Great-great-grandmother of Hong Bong-han, father of Lady Hyegyeong and maternal grandfather of King JeongjoJeongjo of JoseonKing Jeongjo was the 22nd ruler of the Joseon Dynasty of Korea. He made various attempts to reform and improve the nation of Joseon. He was preceded by his grandfather King Yeongjo and succeeded by his son King Sunjo...
- Princess Jeongsin (정신옹주), 1st Daughter of Royal Noble Consort In of the Suwon Gim clan.
- Princess Jeonghye (정혜옹주), 2nd Daughter of Royal Noble Consort In of the Suwon Gim clan.
- Princess Jeongsuk (정숙옹주), 3rd Daughter of Royal Noble Consort In of the Suwon Gim clan.
- Princess Jeongan (정안옹주), 4th Daughter of Royal Noble Consort In of the Suwon Gim clan.
- Princess Jeonghwi (정휘옹주), 5th Daughter of Royal Noble Consort In of the Suwon Gim clan.
- Princess Jeongin (정인옹주), 1st daughter of Royal Noble Consort Jeong of the Yeoheung Min clan.
- Princess Jeongseon (정선옹주), 2nd Daughter of Royal Noble Consort Jeong of the Yeoheung Min clan.
- Princess Jeonggeun (정근옹주), 3rd Daughter of Royal Noble Consort Jeong of the Yeoheung Min clan.
- Princess Jeongjeong (정정옹주), Only Daughter of Royal Noble Consort Jeong of the Hong clan.
- Princess Jeonghwa (정화옹주), Only Daughter of Royal Noble Consort On of the Han clan.
His full posthumous name
- King Seonjo Sogyung Jeongryun Ripgeuk Seongdeok Hongryeol Jiseong Daeeui Gyeokcheon Heeun Gyungmyung Sinryeok Honggong Yungeop Hyeonmun Euimu Seongye Dalhyo the Great of Korea
- 선조소경정륜립극성덕홍렬지성대의격천희운경명신력홍공융업현문의무성예달효대왕
- 宣祖昭敬正倫立極盛德洪烈至誠大義格天熙運景命神曆弘功隆業顯文毅武聖睿達孝大王
Modern depiction
Seonjo is portrayed in the TV drama "West Palace" that also portrayed Queen Inmok.See also
- List of Koreans
- Rulers of Korea
- List of Korea-related topics