Queen Insun


Queen Insun, of the Cheongsong Sim clan, was a posthumous name bestowed to the wife and queen consort of Yi Hwan, King Myeongjong. She was queen consort of Joseon from 1545 until her husband's death in 1567, after which she was honoured as Queen Dowager Uiseong. She served as regent of Korea during the minority of her adoptive son, king Yi Yeon, King Seonjo, from 1567 until 1568.

Biography

Early life

Lady Sim was born on 27 June 1532 to Sim Kang and Lady Yi of the Jeonju Yi clan. She was the eldest within 10 siblings, including Sim Ŭigyŏm.

Marriage

In April 1542, Lady Sim was arranged to marry Grand Prince Gyeongwon; the only son of King Jungjong and Queen Munjeong. Lady Sim was given the title of Princess Consort.

Queen

In 1545, when King Injong died, her husband was enthroned as the next king of Joseon as there were no heirs from Queen Inseong. The Princess Consort then became the next queen consort and had a son, Crown Prince Sunhoe, in 1551.
The Crown Prince died in 1563, leaving no heirs from King Myeongjong, who also died in 1567. This left Prince Haseong, the youngest son of Grand Internal Prince Deokheung and Grand Internal Princess Consort Hadong, to become the next crowned prince.

Regency and later life

The Queen Consort became queen regent in 1567 upon on the prince's enthronement as king because he was young. In 1568, she stepped down as regent and resumed being queen dowager. She was later given the title of Uiseong in 1569.
Her reign as queen dowager lasted 8 years as she died on 12 February 1575 within Changgyeonggung's Tongmyeongjeon Hall. Nearby where her mother-in-law, Queen Munjeong, is buried, the Queen is buried with her husband in Kangreung.

Family

Parent
  • Father − Sim Kang
  • Mother − Yi Hŭigyŏng, Internal Princess Consort Wansan of the Jeonju Yi clan
Sibling
  • Younger brother − Sim Ingyŏm
  • Younger brother − Sim Ŭigyŏm
  • Younger brother − Sim Yegyŏm
  • Younger sister − Lady Sim of the Cheongsong Sim clan
  • Younger brother − Sim Chi'gyŏm
  • Younger brother − Sim Sin'gyŏm
  • Younger sister − Lady Sim of the Cheongsong Sim clan ; Yu Hŭibal's first wife
  • Younger brother − Sim Ch'unggyŏm
  • Younger brother − Sim Hyogyŏm
  • Younger brother − Sim Chegyŏm
  • Younger sister − Lady Sim of the Cheongsong Sim clan
Consort and Issue
  1. Son - Yi Bu, Crown Prince Sunhoe
  2. #Daughter-in-law - Crown Princess Gonghoe of the Musong Yun clan
  3. Adoptive son - Seonjo of Joseon

    In popular culture