Difference between revisions of "Daewongun" - New World Encyclopedia

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Daewongun
Daewongun
Hangul:	흥선대원군
Hanja:	興宣大院君
Revised Romanization:	Heungseon Daewon-gun
McCune-Reischauer:	Hŭngsŏn Taewŏn'gun
Birth name
Hangul:	이하응
Hanja:	李昰應
Revised Romanization:	Yi Ha-eung
McCune-Reischauer:	Yi Ha'ŭng
Courtesy name
Hangul:	시백
Hanja:	時伯
Revised Romanization:	Sibaek
McCune-Reischauer:	Sibaek
Pen name
Hangul:	석파
Hanja:	石坡
Revised Romanization:	Seokpa
McCune-Reischauer:	Sŏkp'a

The Daewongun, or formally Heungseon Heonui Daewonwang, (1820–1898) was the title of Lee Ha-eung, who was the regent of the Joseon kingdom during much of the later 19th century. The Daewon-gun was the father of the penultimate Joseon monarch Gojong, and for ten years before Gojong reached adulthood, and even afterward, he effectively wielded royal power.

Daewon-gun literally translates as "prince of the great court," a title customarily granted to the father of the reigning monarch when that father did not reign himself. While there have been three other Daewon-gun in Joseon Dynasty, so dominant a role did Yi Ha-eung play in the last years of the Joseon dynasty that the term Daewongun usually refers specifically to him.

From obscurity to the throneroom

Yi Ha-eung, best known by his title as regent to King Gojong, Daewongun, was an obscure descendant of Yeongjo, the 21st Joseon King. When King Cheoljong, the 25th king, died without an heir Daewongun approached the Dowager Queen Sinjeong, recommending his son Yi Myeongbok as the next king. Myeongbok was only 12 years old at the time, and the Dowager agreed with Daewongun's strategy of choosing Myeongbok over his elder brother, because it meant a longer period of regency.

Wielding royal power

Yi Myeongbok was crowned King Gojong of Joseon in 1864, and Daewongun stood as the main administrator of the nation, with Dowager Queen Sinjeong in the position of regent.

Daewongun instituted many noteworthy reform measures. One of the most sweeping was the elimination of all but a handful of the thousands of Sowons located throughout the nation. The Sowons were Confucianist academies which had become breeding grounds for rival political factions, and many of which were operating large farming enterprises with slave labor, in abuse of the tax-exempt status they had been granted centuries earlier as instututes of learning.

Selecting a new Queen

He was engaged in recurrent power struggles with Empress Myeongseong, the wife of the king. She had him sent into exile in 1882, but he returned four years later and was able briefly to regain power in 1895 with Japanese aid.

In 1908, he was raised to the rank of Imperial Prince by his grandson, Emperor Sunjong, with the title of Heungseon Heoneu Daewon-wang.

Credits

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-The '''Daewon-gun''', or formally '''Heungseon Heonui Daewon-wang''', (1820–1898) was the title of [[Lee Ha-eung]], who was the [[regent]] of [[Joseon Dynasty|Joseon]] during much of the later [[19th century]]. ''Daewon-gun'' literally translates as "prince of the great court," a title customarily granted to the father of the reigning monarch when that father did not reign himself. While there have been three other Daewon-gun in Joseon Dynasty, so dominant a place did Lee Ha-eung have in the history of the late Joseon dynasty that the term Daewon-gun usually refers specifically to him.
+The '''Daewongun''', or formally '''Heungseon Heonui Daewonwang''', (1820–1898) was the title of [[Lee Ha-eung]], who was the [[regent]] of the [[Joseon Dynasty|Joseon]] kingdom during much of the later [[19th century]]. The Daewon-gun was the father of the penultimate Joseon monarch [[Gojong of Korea|Gojong]], and for ten years before Gojong reached adulthood, and even afterward, he effectively wielded royal power.
+''Daewon-gun'' literally translates as "prince of the great court," a title customarily granted to the father of the reigning monarch when that father did not reign himself. While there have been three other Daewon-gun in Joseon Dynasty, so dominant a role did Yi Ha-eung play in the last years of the Joseon dynasty that the term Daewongun usually refers specifically to him.
+==From obscurity to the throneroom==
+Yi Ha-eung, best known by his title as regent to King Gojong, Daewongun, was an obscure descendant of Yeongjo, the 21st Joseon King.  When King Cheoljong, the 25th king, died without an heir Daewongun approached the Dowager Queen Sinjeong, recommending his son Yi Myeongbok as the next king.  Myeongbok was only 12 years old at the time, and the Dowager agreed with Daewongun's strategy of choosing Myeongbok over his elder brother, because it meant a longer period of regency.
+==Wielding royal power==
+Yi Myeongbok was crowned King Gojong of Joseon in 1864, and Daewongun stood as the main administrator of the nation, with Dowager Queen Sinjeong in the position of regent.
+Daewongun instituted many noteworthy reform measures.  One of the most sweeping was the elimination of all but a handful of the thousands of Sowons located throughout the nation.  The Sowons were Confucianist academies which had become breeding grounds for rival political factions, and many of which were operating large farming enterprises with slave labor, in abuse of the tax-exempt status they had been granted centuries earlier as instututes of learning.
+==Selecting a new Queen==
-The Daewon-gun was the father of the penultimate Joseon monarch [[Gojong of Korea|Gojong]], and for many years during Gojong's minority, and even afterward, he effectively wielded royal power.
 He was engaged in recurrent power struggles with [[Empress Myeongseong]], the wife of the king.  She had him sent into exile in 1882, but he returned four years later and was able briefly to regain power in 1895 with Japanese aid.