Taejong of Joseon

Taejong of Joseon
Hangul:	태종
Hanja:	太宗
Revised Romanization:	Taejong
McCune-Reischauer:	T'aejong
Birth name
Hangul:	이방원
Hanja:	李芳遠
Revised Romanization:	I Bang-won
McCune-Reischauer:	I Pangwŏn

Taejong (1367-1422, r. 1400-1418) was the third king of the Joseon Dynasty in Korea and the father of King Sejong the Great.

Early life

He was born as Yi Bangwon in 1367 as the fifth son of King Taejo, 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. He was sent to the Ming Dynasty of China in 1388. Taejong helped his father found a new dynasty by disposing of powerful Confucian officials such as Jeong Mong-ju, who remained loyal to the Goryeo kings.

In 1392, he helped his father to overthrow Goryeo and establish a new dynasty, Joseon. He thought he would be appointed as the successor to the throne, but his little half-brother, Yi Bangsuk was favored more by Taejo and Prime Minister Jeong Dojeon, who were afraid of Taejong's strong leadership and hard-line policy against noble families. In 1398, he led a coup against Jeong Dojeon and Bangsuk, exterminating Jeong's faction and murdering Bangsuk, his siblings and the queen. He then gave a push to his older brother, Jeongjong of Joseon, as a crown prince. Disappointed, Taejo abdicated in 1399, and Jeongjong succeeded to the throne.

In 1400, General Park Po, who was disappointed by Taejong for not rewarding him for his action in the 1398 coup, allied with Bangwon's older brother Yi Bang-gan and rebelled against him. Bangwon successfully defeated his brother's forces, then executed Park Po and sent Bang-gan into exile. King Jeongjong, who was afraid of his brother's harsh action, appointed him as crown prince and abdicated in the same year, thus Taejong became the third king of Joseon Dynasty. ^{[citation needed]}

Reign

First in his reign, he banned private armies and absorbed the soldiers who were privately owned by many nobles and princes into the official army, and removed opposition from the government. He also changed the political system, creating a strong central government and an absolute monarchy. He promoted Confucianism, which was more like political philosophy rather than religion; thus demoting Buddhism, which was far from daily living and decayed from the power given by Goryeo kings back then. He closed many temple that were established by Goryeo kings, and seized their large possessions and added them to the national treasury. He also initiated the system of hopae, 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.^{[citation needed]}

In foreign policy, he was straight hardliner-he attacked the Jurchens on the northern border and Japanese Pirates on the southern coast. Taejong is also known for being responsible for the Oei Invasion of Tsushima Island 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 1404, He moved the capital back to Hanyang, and abdicated in 1418-giving the throne to King Sejong the Great.^{[citation needed]}

Taejong was known for his passion for hunting, considered unseemly in a ruler.

Family

• Father: King Taejo (태조)
• mother: Queen Sin-ui (신의왕후)
• Consorts:

1. Queen Wongyeong (원경왕후)
2. Royal Noble Consort Hyo from the Kim clan (효빈 김씨)
3. Royal Noble Consort Myeong from the Kim clan (명빈 김씨)
4. Royal Noble Consort Sin from the Sin clan (신빈 신씨)
5. Royal Noble Consort Seon from the Ahn clan (선빈 안씨)
6. Royal Noble Consort Ui from the Gwon clan (의빈 권씨)
7. Royal Noble Consort Soh from the Roh clan (소빈 노씨)

• Children:

1. Grand Prince Yangnyeong (양녕대군), 1st Son of Queen Wongyeong.
2. Grand Prince Hyoryeong (효령대군), 2nd Son of Queen Wongyeong.
3. Grand Prince Chungnyeong (충녕대군), 3rd Son of Queen Wongyeong. later King Sejong the great.
4. Grand Prince Seongnyeong (성녕대군), 4th Son of Queen Wongyeong.

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 Cho Sa-Wei Revolt 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 purges, 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 and his second-born son joined the priesthood, deferring the position to the third-born son.

Death of Jong Mongju

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-weon (later King Taejong), threw a party for the renowned scholar, poet and statesman Jeong Mong-ju, 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-weon 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, and a brown spot on one of the stones is said to be a bloodstain of his which turns red when it rains.

See also

• List of Korea-related topics
• Rulers of Korea
• Cheonsang Yeolcha Bunyajido

External Links

• Cultural Heritage: Classification Treasures 272. Retrieved August 8, 2007.
• Welcome to Gumi: History. Retrieved August 8, 2007.

Preceded by: Jeongjong

Rulers of Korea (Joseon Dynasty) 1400–1418

Succeeded by: Sejong

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