Deposed Crown Princess Park


Deposed Crown Princess Park of the Miryang Park clan was the primary wife of Deposed Crown Prince Yi Ji, eldest son of Gwanghaegun of Joseon and Deposed Queen Yu.

Biography

The future Crown Princess was born in 1598, although her family jokbo says 1602, as the eldest child and only daughter of seven younger brothers. Her father was Park Ja-heung of the Miryang Park clan, and her mother was Lady Yi of the Gwangju Yi clan.
Through her father, Lady Park was a 29th great-granddaughter of King Gyeongmyeong of Silla and Queen Jangsataek through their eldest son, Park Eon-chim, Grand Prince Milseong who became the founder of Miryang Park clan.
Her maternal eldest aunt married a 6th great-grandson of Grand Prince Yangnyeong, Yi Sang-hang. Both would later be executed due to their involvement in Kim Gae-si's schemes.
On 2 August 1611, the 3rd year reign of Gwanghaegun of Joseon, the 13-year-old Lady Park was chosen as the Crown Princess Consort and married Gwanghaegun's son, Crown Prince Yi Ji. Later, on 5 July 1614, she gave birth to their first son but he died sometime in the winter.
Sometime after her marriage, her maternal grandfather became involved in the political palace turmoil. He was known to work with Kim Gae-si, her father-in-law's concubine, and Gwon Sin.
Meanwhile, on 13 March 1623, Park was deposed from her position along with her in-law's and got exiled to Ganghwa Island. Because of her father-in-law's tyranny and her maternal grandfather's political involvement with Kim Gae-si, her family was exiled too and some of them were beheaded as execution.
While in exile, the deposed couple fasted or tried to commit suicide by hanging themselves, but failed. In the end, about two months later in April, Yi Ji was digging a tunnel to escape. When his wife and him tried to escape the island, they were caught by the royal soldiers. The deposed crown princess committed suicide in June 1623 the third day after her husband was arrested. She was 26 years old. Then on 22 July, a month after his late wife's death, her husband died from hunger.
Park didn't receive a posthumous name because she was deposed from her position.

Family