Queen Wongyeong

Lady Min was born on 29 July 1365, during King Gongmin of Goryeo’s 14th year of reign, as the third daughter and child within eight siblings, of Min Je from the Yeoheung Min clan and his first wife, Lady Song of the Yeosan Song clan. Her hometown was Kaegyeong or Songgyeong, Cheoldong (modern-day Kaeseong, North Korea).

Through her grandfather, Lady Min eventually became an ascendant to Queen Inhyeon, Princess Consort Min (Heungseon Daewongun’s mother), Grand Internal Princess Consort Sunmok (Heungseon Daewongun’s wife), Empress Myeongseong, and Empress Sunmyeong. She is also a first cousin once removed to Royal Noble Consort Hui-bi of the Paepyeong Yun clan, a Consort of King Chunghye of Goryeo.

She was later arranged to marry the fifth son of Yi Seong-gye and his first wife, Lady Han of the Anbyeon Han clan, Yi Bang-won of the Jeonju Yi clan in 1382 at the age of 17. Ten years later when the Joseon Dynasty was established in 1392, her husband was then given the royal title of Prince Jeongan; making her Princess Jeongnyeong of Joseon at the age of 27.

Because she was the wife of a prince, her mother was given the royal title of "Princess Consort Samhanguk of the Yeosan Song clan" (Hangul: 삼한국대부인, Hanja: 三韓國大夫人), and her father was given the royal title of "Internal Prince Yeoheung, Min Je" (Hangul: 여흥부원군 민제, Hanja: 驪興府院君 閔霽).

In 1394, the capital was established from Kaegyeong (modern-day Kaesong) to Hanseong (modern-day 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 Sinui, 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.

In 1398, Jeong Do-jeon, who was enjoying great power at the time, enforced the Enforcement Breakdown Act and returned all the private soldiers and weapons to the state, but Lady Min had hid the weapons and private soldiers, that belonged to her family, in her house. Shortly after Taejo fell ill, the Min clan took advantage of this opportunity to give the weaponry and resources to Yi Bang-won to which Lady Min tried to encourage his coup.[2]

Yi Bang-won then rose up with his brother-in-laws, Min Mu-gu and Min Mu-jil, and immediately revolted and raided the palace, killing Jeong Do-jeon, his followers, and the two sons of the late Queen Sindeok, Grand Prince Uian and Yi Bang-beon.

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, as the new ruler.

In early 1400, the Second Strife of Princes happened where Yi Bang-gan, Prince Hoean, the elder brother of the prince, launched an attack on Prince Jeongan. With Prince Jeongan, Lady Min and her family fought to bring down Prince Hoean and his supporters.[2]

On 4 March 1400, King Jeongjong pronounced his brother Yi Bang-won as heir presumptive and voluntarily abdicated. Which changed her royal title from Princess Consort Jeongnyeong to Crown Princess Consort Jeong of the Yeoheung Min clan (정빈 민씨), and was eventually given the royal title of Queen Consort Jeong of Joseon (정비, 靜妃; Jeongbi meaning Serene Consort)[3] on 10 January 1401. Thus becoming the Queen Consort of King Taejong of Joseon, the third king of Joseon.

Queen Jeong is described as smart and ambitious and with an astute political ambition, who frequently intervened in state affairs.[4] She assisted her spouse in his way to the throne and convinced him to appoint their eldest son Yangnyeong as crown prince.[4] When he replaced their son as crown prince with his younger brother, Queen Jeong was enraged and her interference finally resulted in King Taejong executing her younger brothers in order to keep her and her family's ambition in check.[4]

In 1406, Taejong had brought up the topic of abdicating but withdrew his statement later on. In the process, the Queen’s eldest younger brothers Min Mu-gu and Min Mu-jil had voiced that they were very pleased with the news of Taejong’s abdication, which caused the two men to be exiled to Jeju Island, where they were later killed in 1410. In 1408, Min Je, the Queen’s father, who had a hard time coping with the exile of his sons, died that same year.

It was during these times that the Queen’s relationship with her husband was worsening due to the concubines he brought to the palace. It worsened a lot more when Queen Jeong didn’t tell Taejong about the birth of their daughter, Princess Jeongseon, in 1404. It has been said that her attitude was why the king avoided her living quarters.

8 years later, in 1416, the Queen’s remaining younger brothers, Min Mu-hyul and Min Mu-hoe, had stated that Crown Prince Je (Grand Prince Yangnyeong), her eldest son, would take great care of their family as he and their family shared a close family relationship. Word spread and reached Taejong who saw it as a threat, which once again brought the brothers to be exiled and die by suicide poisoning. But it is also said that rumors had spread that Queen Jeong had abused Taejong's concubine Royal Noble Hyo of the Cheongpung Kim and her son Prince Gyeongnyeong.[2] In anger, Taejong exiled Min Mu-hyeol and Min Mu-hoe nearby the sea breeze and hung them to death nearby rather than dethroning Queen Jeong from her position.[5]

In 1418, her husband abdicated and gave the throne to their third son, Sejong of Joseon, but continued to rule with an iron fist for 3 years, deciding important matters and executing his son’s father-in-law Sim On in 1419 and two uncle-in-law’s in 1418.

Thus becoming Queen Dowager Hudeok while her husband became King Emeritus of Joseon. Her reign as Queen Dowager did not last long as it only lasted for 2 years from 9 September 1418 to her death; almost hitting the 3rd year.

Queen Dowager Hudeok, a tragic woman who made her husband king, but whose brothers were purged in return, died on 18 August 1420 at the age of 56 in Byeol Hall, Sugang Palace. King Taejong outlived her by two years and are buried together within Heonreung in Seoul, Seocho District.

It’s said that within the queens who were involved in Joseon Dynasty politics, Queen Wongyeong, along with Queen Munjeong, Queen Myeongseong, and Empress Myeongseong, were considered the most political, bold and broad-minded Queens.