Prince Gyeongnyeong


Prince Gyeongnyeong was a Royal Prince of the Joseon period as the fourth son of King Taejong and his concubine, Royal Noble Consort Hyo of the Cheongpung Kim clan. He served as a government official for his father, his brother Sejong the Great, his nephews Munjong and Sejo, and grandnephew Danjong.

Biography

Yi Bi was born on 15 January 1396 to King Taejong and Lady Kim of the Cheongpung Kim clan. Prior to becoming the king's concubine, Lady Kim was originally a maid at the Min household who had been serving Queen Wongyeong before she became crown princess consort in 1392.
The prince was born after his mother entered the palace when Queen Wongyeong and King Taejong ascended the throne in 1401. According to Taejong’s statement, when Lady Kim gave birth, she was persecuted or threatened by the Queen and her brothers. This later prompted the King, in the process of purging Queen Wongyeong's younger brothers, Min Mu-hyul and Min Mu-hoe, to hold them accountable for "endangering the lives of Prince Gyeongnyeong and his mother.”
His mother was later given the royal title of Princess Hyosun.
It said that he was kind-hearted and had strong filial piety. Yi was excellent at academics and taught his younger brothers how to write.
It was said that his legal mother, Queen Wongyeong, and his biological mother did not get along after his birth. Rumors that had spread throughout the palace said Queen Wongyeong had been mistreating the Prince and his mother. So in anger and retaliation, Taejong exiled Min Mu-hyeol and Min Mu-hoe, the brothers of Queen Wongyeong, where they were later either forced to commit suicide or hung as execution.
But despite this, Yi Bi had a good relationship with his older brother, Yi Do as well as his legal mother, who helped the young prince with his education.
In governmental affairs, when there were difficulties in the royal family and in state affairs, the Prince tried to solve them with allegiance. For five generations, including Taejong, Sejong, Munjong, Danjong, and Sejo, he was loyal to and cooperated with the government.
In February 1416, the 16th year of King Taejong, the 13-year-old prince and his younger half-sister, the 12-year-old Princess Jeongseon, married. The prince married Lady Kim of the Cheongpung Kim clan, daughter of Kim Gwan and a relative from his mother’s clan, while the princess married Nam Hui. He later remarried twice and had a concubine; with his four consorts, he had thirteen children.
In 1419, the 1st year of King Sejong, he became a teacher at the order of King Taejong, and went to Beijing in the Ming dynasty. He came back with gifts.
During the mourning period after Queen Wongyeong died in 1420, it is said that the prince scolded and argued with his father for having an affair with a kisaeng named Il Jeom-hong. Rather than punishing the prince, King Sejong felt touched that his older brother reprimanded their father during a time of grief.
After King Sejo ascended to the throne, he moved to Chungju to spend the rest of his life there. In August 1458, the 4th year of King Sejo’s reign, he participated in the Eumbokyeon held at Geunjeongjeon Hall, and died in Chungju on September 9, a month later. When Prince Gyeongnyeong died, King Sejo suspended all court meetings and writing for three days, and bestowed a condolence gift of 100 seok of rice and beans, 200 volumes of paper, 40 rolls of Jeongpo, and 3 rolls of Baekjeopo to his family.
In 1872, during King Gojong’s 9th reign of year, his mother’s royal title changed to First Senior Consort, and was entitled as Royal Noble Consort Hyo.
The cemetery is located in Hwanggeumsan, Eumdong Village, Sarak-ri, Judeok-eup, Chungju, North Chungcheong Province. In front of the cemetery is Myeongdeoksa, a shrine that houses the memorial tablet of Prince Gyeongnyeong.

Family

  • Father: King Taejong of Joseon
  • * Grandfather: Taejo of Joseon
  • * Grandmother: Queen Sinui of the Anbyeon Han clan
  • Mother: Royal Noble Consort Hyo of the Cheongpung Kim clan
  • * Uncle: Kim Hwa-sang
  • Wives and their issues:
  • * Princess Consort Cheongwon of the Cheongpung Kim clan ; eldest daughter of Kim Gwan
  • ** Son: Yi Jil, Prince Goyang
  • ** Son: Yi Chi, Prince Ohseong
  • ** Son: Yi Chan, Prince Euncheon
  • ** Son: Yi Ri
  • ** Son: Yi Yeong, Prince Bokseong
  • ** Daughter: Lady Yi of the Jeonju Yi clan
  • ** Son: Yi Chu, Prince Garim
  • * Princess Consort Ma of the Mokcheon Ma clan
  • ** Son: Yi Jik, Prince Moyang
  • * Princess Consort Choe of the Jeonju Choe clan
  • ** Son: Yi Su
  • * Unnamed concubine
  • ** Son: Yi Geo
  • ** Son: Yi Jeok
  • ** Daughter: Lady Yi of the Jeonju Yi clan
  • ** Daughter: Lady Yi of the Jeonju Yi clan

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