Taejong of Joseon
Encyclopedia
King Taejong was the third 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...

 in 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...

 and the father of King Sejong the Great
Sejong the Great of Joseon
Sejong the Great was the fourth king of the Joseon Dynasty of Korea. During his regency, he reinforced Korean Confucian policies and executed major legal amendments . He also used the creation of Hangul and the advancement of technology to expand his territory...

.

Founding of Joseon

He was born as Yi Bangwon in 1367 as the fifth son of King Taejo
Taejo of Joseon
Taejo of Joseon , born Yi Seong-gye, whose changed name is Yi Dan, was the founder and the first king of the Joseon Dynasty of Korea, and the main figure in overthrowing the Goryeo Dynasty...

, and was qualified as an official of Goryeo Dynasty in 1382. During his early days, he helped his father to extend his support with the citizenry and many influential figures of the government. Taejong helped his father
Taejo of Joseon
Taejo of Joseon , born Yi Seong-gye, whose changed name is Yi Dan, was the founder and the first king of the Joseon Dynasty of Korea, and the main figure in overthrowing the Goryeo Dynasty...

 found a new dynasty by assassinating powerful officials such as 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 remained loyal to 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.

Strife of Princes

In 1392, he helped his father to overthrow Goryeo and establish a new dynasty, Joseon. He expected to be appointed as the successor to the throne for he contributed most to the founding of Joseon, but his father Taejo and prime minister Jeong Dojeon favored Taejo's eighth son and Yi Bangwon's half-brother (second son of Queen Sindeok) Yi Bangseok as the crown prince in 1392. This conflict arose chiefly because Jeong Dojeon, who shaped and laid down ideological, institutional, and legal foundations of the new dynasty more than anyone else, saw Joseon as a kingdom led by ministers appointed by the king while Yi Bangwon wanted to establish the absolute monarchy ruled directly by the king. Both sides were well aware of each other's great animosity and were getting ready to strike first. After the sudden death of Queen Sindeok, and while King Taejo was still in mourning for his second wife, Yi Bangwon struck first by raiding the palace and killed Jeong Do-jeon and his supporters as well as Queen Sindeok's two sons including the crown prince in 1398. 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 abdicated and immediately crowned his second son Yi Bang-gwa, or 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. One of King Jeongjong's first acts as monarch was to revert the capital to Gaeseong, where he is believed to have been considerably more comfortable. Yet Yi Bangwon retained real power and was soon in conflict with his disgruntled older brother Yi Bang-gan, who also yearned for power. In 1400, General Bak Po, who was disappointed by Yi Bangwon for not rewarding him enough for his action in the First Strife of Princes, allied with Bangwon's older brother Yi Bang-gan (Prince Hoean) and rebelled against him in what to be known as the Second Strife of Princes. Yi Bangwon successfully defeated his brother's forces, then executed Bak Po and sent Yi Bang-gan into exile. King Jeongjong, who was afraid of his powerful brother, named Yi Bangwon as crown prince and abdicated in the same year. Yi Bangwon assumed the throne of Joseon at long last as King Taejong, the third king of Joseon.

Consolidation of royal power

In the beginning of Taejong's reign, the Grand King Former, Taejo, refused to relinquish the royal seal that signified the legitimacy of any king's rule. Taejong began to initiate policies he believed would prove his qualification to rule. One of his first acts as king was to abolish the privilege enjoyed by the upper echelons of government and the aristocracy to maintain private armies. His revoking of such rights to field independent forces effectively severed their ability to muster large-scale revolts, and drastically increased the number of men employed in the national military. Taejong's next act as king was to revise the existing legislation concerning the taxation of land ownership and the recording of state of subjects. With the discovery of previously hidden land, national income increased twofold.

He also initiated the system of hopae
Hopae
Hopae were identification tags carried by Koreans during the Joseon Dynasty, recording the bearer's name, place of birth, status, and residence.-History:...

, an early form of identification recording the bearer's name and residence, used to control the movement of people. He also set a big drum in front of his court, so that the common people, when they had some problems, could come to palace and consult the king.

Absolute monarchy

In addition, he created a strong central government and an absolute monarchy. In 1399, Taejong had played an influential role in scrapping the Dopyeong Assembly, a council of the old government administration that held a monopoly in court power during the waning years of the Goryeo Dynasty, in favor of the State Council of Joseon
State Council of Joseon
The State Council of Joseon or Uijeongbu was the highest organ of government under the Joseon Dynasty of Korea. It was led by three officials known as the High State Councillors...

 (의정부), a new branch of central administration that revolved around the king and his edicts. After passing the subject documentation and taxation legislation, King Taejong issued a new decree in which all decisions passed by the State Council could only come into effect with the approval of the king. This ended the custom of court ministers and advisors making decisions through debate and negotiations amongst themselves, and thus brought the royal power to new heights. Shortly thereafter, Taejong installed an office, known as the Sinmun Office, to hear cases in which aggrieved subjects felt that they had been exploited or treated unjustly by government officials or aristocrat
Aristocracy (class)
The aristocracy are people considered to be in the highest social class in a society which has or once had a political system of Aristocracy. Aristocrats possess hereditary titles granted by a monarch, which once granted them feudal or legal privileges, or deriving, as in Ancient Greece and India,...

s.

However, Taejong kept Jeong Dojeon's reforms intact for the most part. He promoted Confucianism, which was more like political philosophy rather than a religion, thus demoting Buddhism, which was far from daily living and decayed from the power given by Goryeo kings back then. He closed many temples that were established by Goryeo kings, and seized their large possessions and added them to the national treasury. Meanwhile, he honored Jeong Mon-ju with the posthumous title of Chief State Councillor (equivalent to Prime Minister) even though it was he who assassinated Jeong – leading to irony of history, in which Jeong Dojeon was vilified throughout the Joseon dynasty while Jeong Mong-ju was honored despite his opposition to its birth.

In foreign policy, he was a straight hardliner—he attacked 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...

 on the northern border and Japanese pirates on the southern coast. Taejong is also known for being responsible for the Oei Invasion
Oei Invasion
The , known as the Gihae Eastern Expedition in Korea, was the 1419 military expedition from Joseon against pirate bases on Tsushima Island, which is located in the middle of the Korea Strait between the Korean Peninsula and Kyushu....

 of Tsushima Island
Tsushima Island
Tsushima Island is an island of the Japanese Archipelago situated in the middle of the Tsushima Strait at 34°25'N and 129°20'E. The main island of Tsushima was once a single island, but the island was divided into two in 1671 by the Ōfunakosiseto canal and into three in 1900 by the Manzekiseto canal...

 in 1419. He also promoted publications, commerce and education. He also founded and encouraged Uigeumbu, the royal guard and secret police at the same time. In 1418, he abdicated and gave the throne to Sejong the Great of Joseon
Sejong the Great of Joseon
Sejong the Great was the fourth king of the Joseon Dynasty of Korea. During his regency, he reinforced Korean Confucian policies and executed major legal amendments . He also used the creation of Hangul and the advancement of technology to expand his territory...

 but continued to rule with iron fist, deciding important matters and executing Sejong's father-in-law Shim On and Shim's brother.

Taejong executed or exiled many of his supporters who helped him ascend on the throne in order to strengthen the royal authority. To limit influence of in-laws, he also killed all four brothers of his Queen Won-gyeong and his son Sejong's in-laws. Taejong remains a controversial figure who killed many of his rivals (including 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...

 and Jeong Do-jeon) and relatives to gain power and yet ruled effectively to improve the populace's lives, strengthen national defense, and lay down a solid foundations for his successor Sejong's rule. Taejong was known for his passion for hunting, considered unseemly in a ruler.

Family

  • Father: King Taejo
    Taejo of Joseon
    Taejo of Joseon , born Yi Seong-gye, whose changed name is Yi Dan, was the founder and the first king of the Joseon Dynasty of Korea, and the main figure in overthrowing the Goryeo Dynasty...

     (태조)
  • Mother: Queen Shin-ui of the Anbyeon Han clan (신의왕후 한씨, September 1337–September 12, 1391)
  • Consorts and their Respective Issue:
  1. Queen Wongyeong of the Yeoheung Min clan (원경왕후 민씨, July 11, 1365-July 10, 1420)
    1. Yi Je, the Grand Prince Yangnyeong (이제 양녕대군)
      Prince Yangnyeong
      Grand Prince Yangnyeong was the Grand Prince and first-born son of King Taejong of Joseon Dynasty and his consort Queen Wonkyeong.-Biography:...

      , 1st Son
    2. Yi Bo, the Grand Prince Hyoryeong (이보 효령대군, 1396-1486), 2nd Son
    3. Yi Do, the Grand Prince Chungnyeong (이도 충녕대군), 3rd Son
    4. Yi Jong, the Grand Prince Seongnyeong (이종 성녕대군, 1405-1418), 4th Son
    5. Princess Jeongsoon (정순공주, 1385-1460), 1st Daughter
    6. Princess Gyeongjeong (경정공주, ?-1455), 2nd Daughter
    7. Princess Gyeong-an (경안공주, 1393-1415), 3rd Daughter
    8. Princess Jeongseon (정선공주, 1404-1424), 4th Daughter
  2. Royal Noble Consort Hyo of the Cheongpung Kim clan (효빈 김씨, ?-1454)
    1. Yi Bi, the Prince Gyeongnyeong (이비 경녕군, 1395-1458), Only Son
  3. Royal Noble Consort Shin of the Yeongwol Shin clan (신빈 신씨, ?-1453)
    1. Yi In, the Prince Hamnyeong (이인 함녕군, ?-1467), 1st Son
    2. Yi Jeong, the Prince Onnyeong (이정 온녕군, 1407-1453), 2nd Son
    3. Princess Jeongshin (정신옹주), 1st Daughter
    4. Princess Jeongjeong (정정옹주), 2nd Daughter
    5. Princess Sukjeong (숙정옹주), 3rd Daughter
    6. Princess Sook-nyeong (숙녕옹주), 4th Daughter
    7. Princess Sookgyeong (숙경옹주), 5th Daughter
    8. Princess Sookgeun (숙근옹주, ?-1450), 6th Daughter
    9. Princess Soshin (소신옹주), 7th Daughter
  4. Royal Noble Consort Seon of the Ahn clan (선빈 안씨, ?-1468)
    1. Yi Ji, the Prince Hyeryeong (이지 혜령군, 1407-1440), 1st Son
    2. Yi Chi, the Prince Ik-nyeong (이치 익녕군, 1422-1464), 2nd Son
    3. Princess Sosook (소숙옹주), 1st Daughter
    4. Princess Gyeongshin (경신옹주), 2nd Daughter
  5. Royal Noble Consort Ui of the Kwon clan (의빈 권씨)
    1. Princess Jeonghye (정혜옹주), Only Daughter
  6. Royal Noble Consort So of the No clan (소빈 노씨, ?-1479)
    1. Princess Sookhye (숙혜옹주, ?-1464), Only Daughter
  7. Royal Noble Consort Myeong of the Andong Kim clan (명빈 김씨)
    1. Princess Sook-an (숙안옹주), Only Daughter
  8. Royal Noble Consort Jeong of the Go clan (정빈 고씨, ?-1426)
    1. Yi Nong, the Prince Geunnyeong (이농 근녕군), Only Son
  9. Choi Suk-ui (숙의 최씨)
    1. Yi Ta, the Prince Huiryeong (이타 희령군), Only Son
  10. Princess Deoksook of the Lee clan (덕순옹주 이씨)
    1. Yi Gan, the Prince Huryeong (이간 후령군), Only Son
    2. Princess Sooksoon (숙순옹주), Only Daughter
  11. Lady Sookgong of the Kim clan (숙공궁주 김씨)
  12. Lady Uijeong of the Jo clan (의정궁주 조씨)
  13. Lady Hyesoon of the Lee clan (혜순궁주 이씨)
  14. Lady Shinsoon of the Lee clan (신순궁주 이씨)
  15. Princess Hyeseon of the Hong clan (혜선옹주 홍씨)
  16. Princess Soonhye of the Jang clan (순혜옹주 장씨)
  17. Princess Seo-gyeong of the Geum clan (서경옹주 금씨)

His full posthumous name

  • King Taejong Gongjeong Seongdeok Sin-gong Geoncheon Chegeuk Daejeong Gye-u Munmu Yecheol Seongnyeol Gwanghyo the Great
  • 태종공정성덕신공건천체극대정계우문무예철성렬광효대왕
  • 太宗恭定聖德神功建天體極大正啓佑文武叡哲成烈光孝大王

Modern depiction

"Tears of the Dragon," a popular KBS television historical drama that aired from 1996-8, portrayed Taejong's life. It depicts him as being committed to the stability of the kingdom, a commitment that translated into affection and devotion towards his father and heir (originally Taejong's firstborn son), although these feelings were not reciprocated due to anger about the 1398 assassinations. The anger culminated in the retired Taejo's efforts to remove Taejong by backing the Jo Sawi's rebellion and personally shooting an arrow at him during a reconciliation meeting. According to the series, Taejong grew to become perpetually suspicious of others around him (especially his in-laws), resulting in purge
Purge
In history, religion, and political science, a purge is the removal of people who are considered undesirable by those in power from a government, from another organization, or from society as a whole. Purges can be peaceful or violent; many will end with the imprisonment or exile of those purged,...

s, a typical example being his execution of the queen's influence-peddling-but-loyal oldest brothers and naїvely-innocent youngest brothers. In disgusted response, his Crown Prince rejected the throne to become a playboy
Playboy
Playboy is an American men's magazine that features photographs of nude women as well as journalism and fiction. It was founded in Chicago in 1953 by Hugh Hefner and his associates, and funded in part by a $1,000 loan from Hefner's mother. The magazine has grown into Playboy Enterprises, Inc., with...

 and his second-born son joined the Buddhist priesthood, deferring the position to the third-born son.

King Taejong is also depicted in the 2008 KBS historical drama King Sejong the Great (TV series)
King Sejong the Great (TV series)
Daewang Sejong is a new South Korean Historical Drama airing on KBS, following after Dae Jo Yeong long epic 134 episodes.-Plot:...

 about his third son and successor, King Sejong, and also shortly in the 2011 SBS drama Deep Rooted Tree
Deep Rooted Tree
Tree With Deep Roots is a 24-episode television series currently airing on SBS. It is based on the novel by Lee Jeong-myeong . The drama stars Jang Hyuk, Shin Se-kyung and Han Suk-kyu...

.

See also

  • List of Korea-related topics
  • Rulers of Korea
  • Cheonsang Yeolcha Bunyajido
    Cheonsang Yeolcha Bunyajido
    Cheonsang Yeolcha Bunyajido is a 14th century Korean star map, copies of which were spread nationwide in the Joseon Dynasty. The name is sometimes translated as "chart of the constellations and the regions they govern."...

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