Taejo of Joseon
Encyclopedia
Taejo of Joseon born Yi Seong-gye, whose changed name is Yi Dan, was the founder and the first 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...

 of Korea, and the main figure in overthrowing the Goryeo
Goryeo
The Goryeo Dynasty or Koryŏ was a Korean dynasty established in 918 by Emperor Taejo. Korea gets its name from this kingdom which came to be pronounced Korea. It united the Later Three Kingdoms in 936 and ruled most of the Korean peninsula until it was removed by the Joseon dynasty in 1392...

 Dynasty. He was posthumously raised to the rank of Emperor in 1899 by Gojong
Gojong of Korea
Gojong , the Emperor Gwangmu was the twenty-sixth king of the Korean Joseon Dynasty and the first emperor of the Korean Empire.-King of the Joseon:Gojong took the throne in 1863 when still a child...

, the Gwangmu Emperor, who had proclaimed the Korean Empire
Korean Empire
The Greater Korean Empire was an empire of Korea that succeeded the Joseon Dynasty.In October 1897, Emperor Gojong proclaimed the new entity at Gyeongungung Palace and oversaw the partially successful modernization of the military, economy, land system, education system, and various industries...

 in 1897.

Taejo's father Yi Ja-chun
Yi Ja-chun
Yi Ja-chun was a minor military officer of the Yuan Dynasty and the father of Yi Seong-gye, the founder of the Joseon Dynasty...

 was a minor Mongol official, but his ethnicity was Korean. Taejo joined the Goryeo army and rose through the ranks, seizing the throne in 1392. He abdicated in 1398 during the strife between his sons and died in 1408.

Historical Context for Rise

By the late 14th century, the 400 year-old Goryeo Dynasty established by Wang Geon in 918 was tottering, its foundations collapsing from years of war and de facto occupation by the disintegrating Mongol Empire
Mongol Empire
The Mongol Empire , initially named as Greater Mongol State was a great empire during the 13th and 14th centuries...

. The legitimacy of Goryeo 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 tarnished by generations of forced intermarriage with members of the Mongol Yuan Dynasty
Yuan Dynasty
The Yuan Dynasty , or Great Yuan Empire was a ruling dynasty founded by the Mongol leader Kublai Khan, who ruled most of present-day China, all of modern Mongolia and its surrounding areas, lasting officially from 1271 to 1368. It is considered both as a division of the Mongol Empire and as an...

 imperial family and by rivalry amongst the various Goryeo
Goryeo
The Goryeo Dynasty or Koryŏ was a Korean dynasty established in 918 by Emperor Taejo. Korea gets its name from this kingdom which came to be pronounced Korea. It united the Later Three Kingdoms in 936 and ruled most of the Korean peninsula until it was removed by the Joseon dynasty in 1392...

 royal family branches (even King U's mother was a known commoner, thus leading to rumors disputing his descent from King Gongmin).

Within the kingdom, influential aristocrats, generals, and even prime 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 Joseon
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...

 conducted by Japanese pirates (wakō
Wokou
Wokou , which literally translates as "Japanese pirates" in English, were pirates of varying origins who raided the coastlines of China and Korea from the 13th century onwards...

) and the Red Turbans invasions of Korea
Red Turbans invasions of Korea
The Red Turban invasions of Korea occurred in the 14th century between Goryeo Dynasty and Chinese Red Turban army.-Background:Goryeo had been a dependency of the Mongol Yuan Dynasty since Mongol invasion of Korea. However, mid-14th century, King Gongmin began efforts to reform Goryeo government and...

, 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
Choe Yeong
Choe Yeong , also romanized as Choi Young, was a Korean general born in Cheorwon, Gangwon Province, in Goryeo .-Early years:...

. With the rise of the Ming Dynasty
Ming Dynasty
The Ming Dynasty, also Empire of the Great Ming, was the ruling dynasty of China from 1368 to 1644, following the collapse of the Mongol-led Yuan Dynasty. The Ming, "one of the greatest eras of orderly government and social stability in human history", was the last dynasty in China ruled by ethnic...

 under a former monk, Zhu Yuanzhang (the Hongwu Emperor
Hongwu Emperor
The Hongwu Emperor , known variably by his given name Zhu Yuanzhang and by his temple name Taizu of Ming , was the founder and first emperor of the Ming Dynasty of China...

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

Military career

General Yi Seong-gye 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
Wokou
Wokou , which literally translates as "Japanese pirates" in English, were pirates of varying origins who raided the coastlines of China and Korea from the 13th century onwards...

 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 Ming Dynasty
Ming Dynasty
The Ming Dynasty, also Empire of the Great Ming, was the ruling dynasty of China from 1368 to 1644, following the collapse of the Mongol-led Yuan Dynasty. The Ming, "one of the greatest eras of orderly government and social stability in human history", was the last dynasty in China ruled by ethnic...

 under the Zhu Yuanzhang, 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
Choe Yeong
Choe Yeong , also romanized as Choi Young, was a Korean general born in Cheorwon, Gangwon Province, in Goryeo .-Early years:...

 (supporting the Yuan Dynasty).

When a Ming messenger came to Goryeo in 1388 (the 14th year of King U) 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 (Goryeo claimed to be the successor of the ancient kingdom of Goguryeo
Goguryeo
Goguryeo or Koguryŏ was an ancient Korean kingdom located in present day northern and central parts of the Korean Peninsula, southern Manchuria, and southern Russian Maritime province....

; as such, restoring Manchuria
Manchuria
Manchuria is a historical name given to a large geographic region in northeast Asia. Depending on the definition of its extent, Manchuria usually falls entirely within the People's Republic of China, or is sometimes divided between China and Russia. The region is commonly referred to as Northeast...

 as part of Korean territory was a tenet of its foreign policy throughout its history).

A staunchly opposed Yi was chosen to lead the invasion; however, at Wihwa Island
Wihwa Island
Wihwa Island is river island in Yalu river. It lies on the border between North Korea and China....

 on the Amrok River, he made a momentous decision 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 Hongwu Emperor
Hongwu Emperor
The Hongwu Emperor , known variably by his given name Zhu Yuanzhang and by his temple name Taizu of Ming , was the founder and first emperor of the Ming Dynasty of China...

, he decided to revolt and swept back to the capital, Gaesong, to secure control of the government.

Revolution

General Yi swept his army from the Yalu 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
Coup d'état
A coup d'état state, literally: strike/blow of state)—also known as a coup, putsch, and overthrow—is the sudden, extrajudicial deposition of a government, usually by a small group of the existing state establishment—typically the military—to replace the deposed government with another body; either...

 but did not ascend to the throne right away. Instead, he placed on the throne King U's son, King Chang
Chang of Goryeo
Chang of Goryeo was the 33rd and youngest ruler of the Goryeo dynasty of Korea. He was the son of his predecessor, King U. U was forced from power after Yi Seonggye mutinied in 1388, and Chang was put on the throne in his stead...

, and following a failed restoration of the former monarch, had both of them put to death. General Yi, now the undisputed power behind the throne, soon forcibly had a Goryeo royal named Yo, now King Gongyang
Gongyang of Goryeo
Gongyang of Goryeo was the 34th and final ruler of the Goryeo dynasty of Korea. He was deposed by Yi Seonggye, who then established the Joseon Dynasty....

 (공양왕; 恭讓王), crowned as king. After indirectly enforcing his grasp on the royal court through the puppet king, Yi then proceeded to ally himself with Sinjin aristocrats such as Jeong Do-jeon and Jo Jun. In 1392 (the 4th year of King Gongyang), Yi dethroned King Gongyang, exiled him to Wonju
Wonju
Wonju is the most populous city in Gangwon province, South Korea.Wonju is a city approximately east of Seoul and the capital can be reached within 1hr 30minutes by bus or train. Wonju is home to three major universities which attract many students from Seoul and elsewhere. They provide facilities...

 (where he and his family was secretly murdered), and ascended the throne. The Goryeo Dynasty had come to an end after 475 years of rule.

One of the most widely repeated episodes that occurred in the immediate aftermath of the fall of Goryeo was in 1392, when Taejo's fifth son, Yi Bang-won (later King Taejong
Taejong of Joseon
King Taejong was the third king of the Joseon Dynasty in Korea and the father of King Sejong the Great.-Founding of Joseon:...

), threw a party for the renowned scholar, poet and statesman Jeong Mong-ju
Jeong Mong-ju
Jeong Mongju , often known by his pen name Poeun, was a Korean civil minister and scholar during the late period of the Goryeo dynasty.-Biography:He was born in Yeongcheon, Gyeongsang province to a family from the Yeongil Jeong clan...

, who refused to be won over by Yi despite their numerous correspondences in the form of archaic poems, and continued to be a faithful supporter the old dynasty, and a leading figure in the opposition to Yi's claim to the throne. Jeong 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 supporter of the new dynasty, had to be removed. After the party, on his way home, Jeong was murdered by five men on the Seonjuk Bridge (선죽교; 善竹橋) in Gaeseong. This bridge has now become a national monument of North Korea
North Korea
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea , , is a country in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Pyongyang. The Korean Demilitarized Zone serves as the buffer zone between North Korea and South Korea...

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

Views on Taejo Yi Seong-gye

Despite the fact that he overthrew the kingdom of Goryeo
Goryeo
The Goryeo Dynasty or Koryŏ was a Korean dynasty established in 918 by Emperor Taejo. Korea gets its name from this kingdom which came to be pronounced Korea. It united the Later Three Kingdoms in 936 and ruled most of the Korean peninsula until it was removed by the Joseon dynasty in 1392...

, and purged officials who remained loyal to the old regime, many regard him as a revolutionary and a decisive ruler who disposed the inept, obsolete and crippled governing system to save the nation from many foreign forces and conflicts.

Safeguarding domestic security led the Koreans to rebuild and further discover their culture. In the midst of the rival Yuan
Yuan Dynasty
The Yuan Dynasty , or Great Yuan Empire was a ruling dynasty founded by the Mongol leader Kublai Khan, who ruled most of present-day China, all of modern Mongolia and its surrounding areas, lasting officially from 1271 to 1368. It is considered both as a division of the Mongol Empire and as an...

 and Ming
Ming Dynasty
The Ming Dynasty, also Empire of the Great Ming, was the ruling dynasty of China from 1368 to 1644, following the collapse of the Mongol-led Yuan Dynasty. The Ming, "one of the greatest eras of orderly government and social stability in human history", was the last dynasty in China ruled by ethnic...

 Dynasties, the Joseon Dynasty encouraged the development of national identity which once was threatened by the Mongols
Mongols
Mongols ) are a Central-East Asian ethnic group that lives mainly in the countries of Mongolia, China, and Russia. In China, ethnic Mongols can be found mainly in the central north region of China such as Inner Mongolia...

. However, some scholars view him as a mere traitor to the old regime, paralleling him to a bourgeois apostate, and General Choe Yeong
Choe Yeong
Choe Yeong , also romanized as Choi Young, was a Korean general born in Cheorwon, Gangwon Province, in Goryeo .-Early years:...

 as a military elite, who conservatively served the old regime of Goryeo to death.

His diplomatic policy successes in securing 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...

 in the early modern period is notable.

Reign

Yi Seong-gye declared a new dynasty in 1392-1393 under the name of Joseon (meaning to revive an older dynasty also known as Joseon, founded nearly four thousand years previously) and renamed the country the "Kingdom of Great Joseon". An early achievement of the new monarch was improved relations with China; and indeed, Joseon had its origin in General Yi's refusal to attack China in response to raids from Chinese bandits. Shortly after his accession, the new monarch sent envoys to inform the Ming court at Nanjing that a dynastic change had taken place.

Envoys form the Ryūkyū Kingdom
Ryukyu Kingdom
The Ryūkyū Kingdom was an independent kingdom which ruled most of the Ryukyu Islands from the 15th century to the 19th century. The Kings of Ryūkyū unified Okinawa Island and extended the kingdom to the Amami Islands in modern-day Kagoshima Prefecture, and the Sakishima Islands near Taiwan...

 were received in 1392, 1394 and 1397. Siam sent an envoy in 1393. In this process of establishing the new dynasty's foreign relations, envoys were dispatched to Japan, seeking the re-establishment of amicable relations. The mission was successful; and Shogun
Shogun
A was one of the hereditary military dictators of Japan from 1192 to 1867. In this period, the shoguns, or their shikken regents , were the de facto rulers of Japan though they were nominally appointed by the emperor...

 Ashikaga Yoshimitsu
Ashikaga Yoshimitsu
was the 3rd shogun of the Ashikaga shogunate who ruled from 1368 to 1394 during the Muromachi period of Japan. Yoshimitsu was the son of the second shogun Ashikaga Yoshiakira....

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

In 1394, the capital was established at Hanseong (Seoul). When the new dynasty was promulgated and officially brought into existence, Taejo brought up the issue of which son would be his successor. Although Taejo's fifth son by Queen Sineui, Yi Bang-won, 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 prime minister Jeong Do-jeon and Nam Eun.

Both sides were fully aware of the mutual animosity that existed between each other 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), Grand Prince Uian (Yi Bang-seok) was appointed Prince Royal, or successor to the throne. 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 Jeong Do-jeon, 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, later King Jeongjong
Jeongjong of Joseon
King Jeongjong of Joseon , born Yi Bang-gwa, whose changed name is Yi Gyeong, was the second king of Joseon Dynasty . He was the second son of the founder and first king of the dynasty, King Taejo of Joseon....

, as the new ruler. In 1400, King Jeongjong immediately invested Yi Bang-won as heir presumptive and voluntarily abdicated. That same year, Yi Bang-won assumed the throne of Joseon at long last as King Taejong.

He died on May 24, 1408 in Changdeok Palace. He was buried at the tomb of Geonwonneung (건원릉, 健元陵) in the city of Guri
Guri
Guri is a city in Gyeonggi Province, South Korea. The name "Guri" is thought by some to mean "nine villages," which is reflected in the Hanja for the town. 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...

.

Family

  • Father: Yi Ja-chun
    Yi Ja-chun
    Yi Ja-chun was a minor military officer of the Yuan Dynasty and the father of Yi Seong-gye, the founder of the Joseon Dynasty...

     (이자춘)
  • Mother: Queen Uihye of the Yeongheung Choe clan (의혜왕후 최씨)
  • Consorts and their Respective Issue:
  1. Queen Shin-ui of the Anbyeon Han clan (신의왕후 한씨, September 1337–September 12, 1391)
    1. Yi Bang-woo, the Grand Prince Jinan (이방우 진안대군, 1354–1393), 1st Son
    2. Yi Bang-gwa, the Grand Prince Yeongan
      Jeongjong of Joseon
      King Jeongjong of Joseon , born Yi Bang-gwa, whose changed name is Yi Gyeong, was the second king of Joseon Dynasty . He was the second son of the founder and first king of the dynasty, King Taejo of Joseon....

       (이방과 영안대군), 2nd Son
    3. Yi Bang-ui, the Grand Prince Ik-an (이방의 익안대군 , 1360–1404), 3rd Son
    4. Yi Bang-gan, the Grand Prince Hoean (이방간 회안대군, 1364–1421), 4th Son
    5. Yi Bang-won, the Grand Prince Jeong-an
      Taejong of Joseon
      King Taejong was the third king of the Joseon Dynasty in Korea and the father of King Sejong the Great.-Founding of Joseon:...

       (이방원 정안대군), 5th Son
    6. Yi Bang-yeon, the Grand Prince Deokan (이방연 덕안대군), 6th Son
    7. Princess Gyeongsin (경신공주), 1st Daughter
    8. Princess Gyeongseon (경선공주), 2nd Daughter
  2. Queen Shindeok of the Goksan Kang clan (신덕왕후 강씨, June 14, 1356-August 13, 1396)
    1. Yi Bang-beon, the Grand Prince Muan (이방번 무안대군, 1381–1398), 1st Son
    2. Yi Bang-seok, the Grand Prince Uian (이방석 의안대군, 1382–1398), 2nd Son
    3. Princess Gyeongsun (경순공주, ?-1407), Only Daughter
  3. Sincere Consort of the Wonju Won clan (성비 원씨, ?-December 29, 1449) - No issue.
  4. Princess Jeonggyeong of the Ryu clan (정경궁주 유씨) - No issue.
  5. Princess Hwaui of the Kim clan (화의옹주 김씨, ?-1428)
    1. Princess Sookshin (숙신옹주, ?-1453), Only Daughter
  6. Anonymous Concubine of the Seong clan (성씨 미상)
    1. Princess Uiryeong (의령옹주), Only Daughter

His full posthumous name

  • Emperor Taejo Gangheon Jiin Gyeun Eungcheon Jotong Gwanghun Yeongmyeong Seongmun Sinmu Jeongeui Gwangdeok Go of Korea
  • 태조강헌지인계운응천조통광훈영명성문신무정의광덕고황제
  • 太祖 康獻至仁啓運應天肇通光勳永命聖文神武正義光德高皇帝

Legacy

The tomb of his Umbilical cord is in Man-In-san, Geumsan-gun, South Chungcheong Province in the Republic of Korea.

See also

  • 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...

  • Goryeo Dynasty
  • Choe Yeong
    Choe Yeong
    Choe Yeong , also romanized as Choi Young, was a Korean general born in Cheorwon, Gangwon Province, in Goryeo .-Early years:...

  • Korean Imperial Household
    Korean Imperial Household
    The House of Yi, also called the Korean Imperial Household, was the household of the Joseon Dynasty and Korean Empire, consisting of the descendants of the Yi Seong-gye, the founder of the Joseon Dynasty. Yi Seong-gye is known as Taejo: The Great Ancestor...

  • List of Korean monarchs
  • Joseon missions to Imperial China
    Joseon missions to Imperial China
    Joseon missions to Imperial China were Joseon diplomatic ventures which were intermittently sent in the years 1392-1910. These represent a significant aspect of the international relations of mutual Joseon-Chinese contacts and communication.-Joseon diplomacy:...

  • Joseon missions to Japan
    Joseon missions to Japan
    Joseon missions to Japan represent a crucial aspect of the international relations of mutual Joseon-Japanese contacts and communication. In sum, these serial diplomatic ventures illustrate the persistence of Joseon's kyorin diplomacy from 1392 to 1910.The chronology of one side in a bilateral...

  • List of Korea-related topics
The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
x
OK