Seongjong of Joseon

Seongjong was the 9th King of the Joseon period of Korea. He was born as the second son of Crown Prince Uigyeong and Crown Princess Su of the Cheongju Han clan. His father however died few months after his birth.[1] In 1461, he became Prince Jasan (자산군) but he became Prince Jalsan (잘산군) in 1468.[2] In 1467, as Prince Jasan, he married with daughter of Han Myeong-hoe.[1] When he accessed to the throne, his father (1438–1457) was elevated to the status of King Deokjong and his mother (1437–1504) to Queen Insu.

When Yejong of Joseon died without any more sons, Queen Jeonghui decided him as the successor for the throne.[1]

Since Seongjong was only 12 when he was crowned, his grandmother Queen Jeonghui ruled the nation in his name, along with his mother Queen Insu, and Queen Ansun. All of the queens except Queen Jeonghui survived until the reign of Yeonsangun of Joseon, which brought confusion later. As Seongjong started to reign, he gave a posthumously as a king to his father.[1] He made deers, which lived in the palace, to live in father's grave.[3] In 1476, at the age of 19, he began to govern the country in his own name. Paper, written in hangul, notifying Seongjong's govern was given to his officials.[1]

When he started the reign, his queen was vacant since his first wife died before. He decided to marry with Queen Yun. Seongjong was not negligent about learning when he was young, which made him to have a conference with his officials three times a day, which was a tradition of Joseon but not was followed well.[1]

His reign was marked by the prosperity and growth of the national economy, based on the laws laid down by kings Taejong, Sejong, and Sejo. He himself was a gifted ruler. In 1474, the code of law, first ordered by King Sejo, was completed and put into effect. Seongjong also ordered revisions and improvements to the code.

Besides the law, he also encouraged Confucian scholars; He greatly expanded Hongmungwan (홍문관; 弘文館), the royal library and advisory council to the king at the same time, and strengthened so-called Three Offices (Hongmungwan, Office of Inspector General, Office of Censors) as check and balance on the Royal Court. For the first time since King Sejong, he brought many liberal Confucian scholars to his court, whose political views went against those of the conservative officials (members of the nobility) who had helped kings Taejong and Sejo to power. In this way he made his rule more effective by appointing able administrators regardless of their political views. His policy resulted in many positive innovations, increasing his number of supporters. The king himself was an artist and scholar, and liked to argue about the finer points of politics with more liberal scholars. He encouraged scholars to publish numerous books about geography and social etiquette, for example, as well as areas of knowledge that benefited the common people.

It was under Seongjong's reign that the Widow Remarriage Ban (1477) was enacted, which strengthened pre-existing social stigma against women who remarried by barring their sons from public office.[4] In 1489, Seongjong condemned a woman of the royal clan, Yi Guji, when it was discovered that she had cohabited with her slave after being widowed.[5]

He also sent several military campaigns against the Jurchens on the northern border in 1491, like many of his predecessors. The campaign, led by Gen. Heo Jong (허종; 許琮), was successful, and the defeated Jurchens led by Udige (兀狄哈) retreated to the north of Amrok River. King Seongjong was succeeded by his son, Yeonsangun and thereafter by another of his sons, Jungjong.