From a Grand Prince's wife to a nation's queen, Queen Jeonghui/Jeonghee () witnessed the bloody uprising of her husband, Grand Prince Suyang, to the throne as Joseon's king Sejo. You were, unfortunately, correct. Despite this strong proclamation, it wasnt a threat or warning. When Jeongjo became Crown Prince, seeking allies was also difficult, as many of them supported his rise to the throne out of their own desire for power. Theres something even more disturbing about Injo that makes me hate his guts, but Ill get to that with the next king. After the discovery, he beat two of his fathers concubines (Jeong Gwi-in and Eom ) to death. So overall, a pretty likable guy.Alongside the sadness of his early death, his short two years in power saw a major power imbalance in the royal court. Can you imagine taking lessons from the King himself?Jeongjo had a strong rule but it was sadly cut short when he died at the age of 47. It was the first time Korea had muskets following the Imjin War, where many had been destroyed.Although Joseon remained a vassal state of Qing, the Empire began to look at Joseon with more respect. This entire mess upset Taejo (naturally) so much that he abdicated the throne after only six years.Six. He also forced people into involuntary labor, causing many commoners to create posters mocking him in Hangeul. Gyeongjong was able to produce small guns and reform land measurement systems during his reign. And as Korean historian Jihoon Suk pointed out to me, Yejong had a child at the age of 11!11!Monarch rating: 0.5/5 You probably shouldnt side with people who go around murdering everyone they dont like.Can we just pause for a moment and talk about how ridiculous it is that Yejong was played by Lee Sun-kyun () in a film when the actor was 42 years old? The Joseon Dynasty of Korea was a long-established tributary to the Qing Dynasty of China, meaning it was to some extent under China's authority.By the end of the 19th century, however, China was a frail shadow of its former self as the dominant power in Asia, while Japan had grown more powerful. The royal families of Korea often drew on dragon myths to increase public support. Hooray! After the Manchus seized power, Gwanghaegun was still able to sweet-talk his way with the Qing and avoid a war.Oh, were not done flattering this man yet.He also restored diplomatic relations with Japan only eleven years after they had all but decimated his kingdom. It was under Taejong that the construction of Changdeokgung () begin. Lets just take a breath.In a way, it was a blessing. Sejong is one of the most well-loved, respected figures of Korean history and undoubtedly the golden child of the Joseon monarchs. Not only were these fellas murdered, but Danjong and his wife were demoted in title even further, exiled to Yeongwol County (), and for one final blow, Sejo just decided it was best to have Danjong murdered.You know. Since he was far too young to rule, the power was split three ways: Princess Gyeonghye as his guardian, Chief State Councilor In Hwang-bo (), and Left State Councilor General Kim Jong-seo (). Danjong was given a poison to drink, which naturally he refused, so one of the soldiers just went and strangled him to death.Danjong didnt even receive his temple title for another 200 years, when King Sukjong finally restored his and his wifes place as King and Queen. It seems that the ministers and factions under each ruler are equally if not more culpable for the success or failure of the ruling monarch. Before anyone could have their sweet justice, Yi Gwal was murdered by his bodyguard.Despite Injo remaining on the throne, the country was now in ruins. At least you tried at the beginning? Hyeonjong eventually enforced a one-year mourning period, helping to keep the Westerners as a major faction and gain their support. Thumbs up.Perhaps the most interesting aspect of Sejos life was his interest in medicine. In honor of this, we've compiled some of the history of Joseon to help you learn about Korea's last dynasty. You can read more about this tragic experience and even walk in the footsteps of the King in our Kings Road Walking Tour. One of his greatest accomplishments is his close work with the Qing to define borders between the two kingdoms.If youre familiar with Sukjong, theres a very high chance youve heard of Queen Inhyeon (). I bet you want to know how he was murdered. He also was responsible for initiating battles with his powerful neighbors. Naturally, all seven older sons were furious. This came to be known as theFirst Literati Purge().It was only after all of this that he found out about his mothers poisoning let that sink in. However, due to years ravaged by war and internal conflicts, as well as external marriages, the Goryeo court was losing its influence.Taejo continued to rise in the military during the 1370s-80s. When Yejong become King, this guy called Ryu Ja-gwang(), accused Nam of treason (he was high-key jealous of his appointment as Minister of War). Dates: 15 May 1397 8 April 1450Reign: 19 September 1418 8 April 1450. Well get to that in a moment.Yeongjo was a deeply Confucian man. Here's a post to list down mostly, if not all, the hats, headgears, and ornaments worn by the Joseon people. The other is Imin-oksa (), which followed similar outbreak reasons. For farmers in particular, he reinstated a Goryeo loan system that lent out the governments surplus grain to be paid back with nominal interest. For me, it makes a lot of sense and somehow feels kind of poetic.Unfortunately, many government officials were critical of the alphabet. Two years later, Japan stripped away Koreas judicial power. Im not really sure if the same can be said for his son Jeongjong, but Ill let you be the judge.From the start of his rule, Jeongjong didnt really favor Hanseong as the capital city. Unfortunately, those efforts appeared futile as the powerhouses erupted into theSino-Japanese War (1894-5) and the Russo-Japanese War (1905).Following the assassination of Queen Min in 1895, Gojong fled in the early dawn to seek asylum at the Russian Embassy in Seoul. Even Im surprised by my own rating. A monarch's virtuous rule would be benefit to the whole country and his achievements would be passed on to his . The yangban (, aristocracy) and officials were granted the right to farm, disrupting the peasant land ownership. Many officials were displaced and replaced, and the support given by his queens and concubines was always in flux. The Meiji Emperor forced Gojong to accept pro-Japanese advisors in court and to sign the Protectorate Treaty of 1905 that stripped Korea of its rights to an independent nation. Dates: 29 July 1790 13 December 1834Reign: 18001834Sunjo was 10 years old when his father died and made him heir. Labeled as the son of a murderer or son of a psychopath, he struggled to be accepted into adoption by other members of the royal family. Now your Thanksgiving dinner table is looking a bit cozier, eh?Through all this internal struggle, external powers were gaining an upper hand too. During the final decade of Goryeo (), Taejong even held a position in the government. Twenty-seven monarchs ruled over united Korea for more than 500 years. Ive never seen that show. List of monarchs of Korea - Wikipedia By the time Jungong realized the importance of the military, many of the countrys resources had already been depleted.It makes me sad to say it, but Jungjong never really got the chance to shine. In a rebellion against Injo, Yi Gwal gathered 12,000 (interestingly enough alongside 100 Japanese) troops to storm the capital. But exile? However, Yun Im (), an ally of Kim, was able to keep his nephew as Crown Prince, since Queen Munjeong () didnt have a son.Well, eventually she did. Having little power and handing most of what was left to the Kims, Cheoljong turned to the age-old classics: women and wine. Thankfully, Myeongjong was able to recognize her strength and follow in her footsteps rather than those of his uncle, Yun Won-Hyung.After the death of the Queen, Myeongjong stepped into power. What could it mean? Nam I was appointed as Minister of War. He also also assigned a group of Dynastic Foundation Merit Subjects (), scholars who advised the king as a Privy Council and codified the ideals of a Confuciangovernment, producing theAdministrative Code of Joseon() and theSix Codes of Governance( ). Which show has been your favorite? Dont let the fact that its a foreign language scare you I think you can probably learn the entire alphabet in two or three days.More than linguistics, Sejong considered himself a man of science and invention. It didnt help that Yejong didnt like Nam I very much either. A breath of fresh air.Seongjeong was only 13 when he ascended the throne, so his mother and grandmother, Queen Insu () and Queen Jeonghui (), ruled on his behalf until he reached the age of 20. Naturally, she was supported by three councilors that Sejo had personally picked, but she still remained an important figure in court.Despite Yejongs reign lasting only fourteen months, a lot of nonsense went down. The Royal Tombs of the Joseon Dynasty form a collection of 40 tombs scattered over 18 locations. For example, there are numerous Kim clans around the country but they are geographically separate and therefore not the same family. Im holding my breath right now you dont even understand.After Seongjong was long dead and gone, the letter was received by her heartbroken son and the rest was history.At the start of his reign, Yeongsangun wasnt actually so bad. Today, its the only extant law code from the Joseon dynasty and the longest-lasting code in Korean history. Rumors began to circulate that Sado was actually sneaking around to try and kill Yeongjo.You can see where the story is heading.According to court rules and Confucian ethics, a royal body could not be defiled. It wasnt until 1445, five years before Sejongs death, that the Crown Prince was able to take over limited duties. 30,000 soldiers stormed the capital (with Injo fleeing to Ganghwa Island, if you didnt think he was chicken enough already). He did make a lot of choices that I can appreciate. It was later namedHangeul(). Alas, I am only one woman. He died at the early age of 40, but remains in our memories as one of the bravest and most noble rulers of the Joseon Dynasty.Monarch Ruling: 4/5 We love you, Hyojong! Despite his early death, Jeongjos memory lives on through his numerous on-screen adaptions in Korean film and television.Monarch Rule: 4/5 In terms of his reign, Jeongjos time was indeed too short. Choi, the sneaky snake, naturally used this to rile up further anti-Ming sentiment and ordered Taejo and his soldiers to be the ones to attack Ming in the Liaodong Peninsula. It was even more sinful to be defiled by ones own family. Dates: 16 April 1488 29 November 1544Reign: 15061544You might be wondering how Jungjong took the throne from Yeonsangun. Dates: 25 July 1831 16 January 1864Reign: 28 July 1849 16 January 1864Cheoljong was a distant relative of the royal family, but as Heonjong had no heirs, he was selected as the next King of Joseon. Sweet justice.In a very Game of Thrones-esque series of moves, Taejo placed and removed several men on the throne before ultimately claiming it himself. When he was finished, there were only 242 temples left in the kingdom.Taejong also initiated the system of hopae (), aka identification tags that were basically used to control the movement of the people (early GPS? He endeavored to restore the country and the documents that were lost during the wars. He was constantly called as Hongun throughout the rest of Joseon era, literally the confused prince. This argument went on even after Hyeonjongs death. He lived, breathed, and slept those Confucian ethics. He was very devoted to improving the lives of commoners and continued to fix many of the reforms that had undergone damage (no thanks to Yeonsangun). By 1350, the Ming Dynasty was able to seize power in China, limiting the power of Yuan and allowing Goryeo to regain its independence. Infuriated and turning his back on his own kingdom, Gang encouraged the Manchus to invade Joseon. He opened up government positions to those who had formerly never had the opportunity to participate in the tests. He regularly asked his ministers for permission for the Crown Prince to help him run the kingdom, which was repeatedly rejected. Although many people scoff when I say Jeongjo is one of the most interesting kings, I stand by my opinion. 8 Korean Mythical Creatures | KoreabyMe "joseon dynasty" Movies The Movie Database (TMDB) Thus, we know were in for a bumpy ride.Interestingly, during the Japanese Invasions, Gwanghaegun was actually a strong leader. Showing some respect for his old man, he continued to work on the reforms that Taejo had been preparing. I mean, this guy really made some huge changes in a time when politics were disgustingly out of control. The College of Assembled Worthies (es. He destroyed a huge residential area in Hanyang and evicted 20,000 residents just to build hunting grounds. The Most Regal Korean Actors As Emperors, Kings, And Princes In K Unsurprisingly, Seongjong divorced her, removing her title as Queen. The names given to the monarchs of Joseon were created after their death. 15 Best Historical K-Dramas, Ranked The government was overthrown the following year by Danjongs uncle, the future King Sejo. He and his father suffered from a series of ailments, and Sejo was determined to do as much as he could to discover remedies. These meetings greatly inspired him and started his dreams of a more technological and scientific future for Joseon. He did so with the help of many Neo-Confucian liberal officials. He also worked tirelessly to reform the corruption of the palace as well as to restore the titles of wrongly executed Confucian scholars.Where did it all go wrong?The scholars that Seonjo had called to office, naturally, split into two factions: Sim () and Kim (). He falls in love for the first time and for that woman he takes risks. List of Joseon people - Wikipedia He greatly enjoyed a healthy debate, particularly on liberal political reforms, as well as discussions on etiquette, geography, and general knowledge. His reign is a Golden Age in Korean history, full of intellectual and cultural accomplishments.Its not really up for debate: Sejongs biggest and most influential achievement was creating the Korean alphabet, first known asHunmin Jeong-um(), the correct sounds for the instruction of the people. Ive read the memoirs of Lady Hyegyeong as well as other material. The unification of the Japanese states under Toyotomi Hideyoshi made Seonjo fear greatly that Japan would take control of Joseon and he had a right to be worried.