Princess Suan (Myeongjong)


Princess Suan or called as Royal Princess of the Suan Palace was a Goryeo Royal Princess as the second and youngest daughter of King Myeongjong and Queen Uijeong. She was the youngest sister of King Gangjong and Princess Yeonhui.

Biography

Early life and marriage

The Princess's birth date was unknown, but she was the youngest child and daughter of King Myeongjong of Goryeo and Queen Uijeong.
In 25 April 1173, she and her elder sister, Princess Yeonhui was honoured as a Princess and she became Royal Princess of the Suan Palace. Then, in 1179, she married Wang U, and later honoured as Marquess Changhwa. They later went out from the palace in 1180 and had a nice life together. His mother, Princess Yeonghwa was the Princess's aunt, so they two were a foreign cousin. After King Sinjong's ascension, Wang-U then assigned in Sangju State.

Palace life

Around 1170, her mother died. Ten years later, in 1180, after the death of Myeongjong's favourite and beloved Palace woman Myŏng-ch'un, he couldn't bear his sorrow and among his concubines, there was no one he liked and loved. Then he invited his youngest daughter, Princess Suan, to take charge of various royal and court affairs, kept her from leaving his side day and night and sometimes slept with one blanket, covering her with great affection and loves her so much. Couldn't resist this order, the Princess's husband, Wang U living alone for several months, so he tried to divorce her.
When his father-in-law, King Myeongjong, heard if he wanted to divorce, Myeongjong then summoned Wang U and made him live in the Queen Mother's palace which located on the east side of "Suchang Palace". Every day, the Princess would go out in casual clothes and talk with him, then go back to her father's palace. It was not until November that Myeongjong returned them to their house.

Death

Later, on the 24th day, 4th month, 1199 of the Korean calendar, had been observed that the moon and Saturn violate each other. Seeing this phenomenon, a man named Jeong Tong-won gave a fortune telling and said,
Also, on 23 June 1199, the Princess died.

Family

In popular culture