Queen Insun

For the Queen's husband's little sister with the same name who died at 2–3 years old, see Princess Insun.

Queen Insun 인순왕후
Queen dowager of Joseon
Tenure	1567–1575
Predecessor	Queen Dowager Gongui
Successor	Queen Dowager Soseong
Queen regent of Joseon
Tenure	1567 — 1568
Predecessor	Queen Munjeong
Successor	Queen Jeongsun
Queen consort of Joseon
Tenure	1545–1567
Predecessor	Queen Inseong
Successor	Queen Uiin
Born	27 June 1532 Hanseong, Kingdom of Joseon
Died	12 February 1575 (1575-02-13) (aged 42) Tongmyeong Hall, Changgyeong Palace, Kingdom of Joseon
Burial	Kangreung, Hwarang-ro, Nowon District, Seoul
Spouse	Yi Hwan, King Myeongjong ​ ​ (m. 1542⁠–⁠1567)​
Issue	Crown Prince Sunhoe
Posthumous name 선렬의성인순왕후
House	Cheongsong Sim
Father	Sim Kang
Mother	Yi Hui-gyeong, Internal Princess Consort Wansan of the Jeonju Yi clan

Queen Insun (인순왕후 심씨; 27 June 1532 – 12 February 1575), 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 (의성왕대비). 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 is the eldest within 10 siblings, including Sim Ui-gyeom. Through her mother, she is a 6th great-granddaughter of Queen Wongyeong and King Taejong; through her 5th great-grandfather, Grand Prince Hyoryeong.

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 (부부인).

Queen

In 1545, when King Injong passed away, her husband was enthroned as the next king of joseon as there wasn't any 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 future King Seonjo), a 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 became Queen Dowager. She was later given the title of Uiseong (의성, 懿聖) in 1569.

Her reign as Queen Dowager lasted 8 years as she died on 12 February 1575 within Changgyeong Palace's Tongmyeong Hall. Nearby where her mother-in-law, Queen Munjeong, is buried, the Queen is buried with her husband in Kangreung.

Trivia

Queen Insun eventually became the 5th great-grandaunt of Queen Danui, King Gyeongjong's first wife. She is also a 4th great-granddaughter of Sim On and a 3rd great-grandniece of Queen Soheon, King Sejong's wife.

Family

Parent

• Father − Sim Kang (1514 – 1567) (심강, 沈鋼)
  • 1) Grandfather − Sim Yeon-Won (1491 – 1558) (심연원)
    • 2) Great-Grandfather − Sim Sun-mun (심순문, 沈順門)
      • 3) Great-Great-Grandfather - Sim Won (심원, 沈湲)
        • 4) Great-Great-Great-Grandfather - Sim Hoe (심회, 沈澮) (1418 - 1493); younger brother of Queen Soheon
          • 5) Great-Great-Great-Great-Grandfather - Sim On (심온, 沈溫) (1375 – 18 January 1419); father of Queen Soheon
          • 5) Great-Great-Great-Great-Grandmother - Internal Princess Consort Sunheung of the Sunheung Ahn clan (순흥부부인 안씨) (? - 1444)
        • 4) Great-Great-Great-Grandmother - Lady Kim of the Wonju Kim clan (정경부인 원주 김씨, 貞敬夫人 原州 金氏)
      • 3) Great-Great-Grandmother - Lady Yi of the Jeonju Yi clan (증 정경부인 전주 이씨)
    • 2) Great-Grandmother − Lady Shin of the Pyeongsan Shin clan (증 정경부인 평산 신씨, 贈 貞敬夫人 平山 申氏)
  • 1) Grandmother − Lady Kim of the Gyeongju Kim clan (경주 김씨)
• Mother − Yi Hui-gyeong, Internal Princess Consort Wansan of the Jeonju Yi clan (1511 – 1559) (이희경 완산부부인 전주 이씨, 李希慶 完山府夫人 全州 李氏)
  • 1) Grandfather − Yi Dae, Prince Jeonseong (전성군 이대) (21 July 1488 - 29 October 1543)
  • 2) Grandmother − Lady Jeong of the Dongrae Jeong clan (동래 정씨) (? - 9 January 1557)

Sibling

• Younger brother − Sim In-gyeom (심인겸, 沈仁謙) (1533 - 1580)
• Sister-in-law − Lady Lee (이씨)
  • Nephew − Sim Eom (심엄, 沈㤿); became the adoptive son of Sim Ui-gyeom
• Younger brother − Sim Ui-gyeom (심의겸, 沈義謙) (1535 - 1587)
• Sister-in-law − Lady Han of the Cheongju Han clan ( 정부인 청주 한씨, 貞夫人 淸州 韓氏)
  • Nephew − Shim Non (심논, 沈惀)
  • Niece − Lady Sim
• Younger brother − Sim Ye-gyeom (심예겸, 沈禮謙) (1537 - 1578)
• Sister-in-law − Lady Jeong of the Yeonil Jeong clan (연일 정씨)
• Younger brother − Sim Ji-gyeom (심지겸, 沈智謙) (1540 - 1568)
• Sister-in-law − Lady Lee (이씨)
• Sister-in-law − Lady Heo (허씨)
  • Nephew − Sim Gyeong (심경, 沈憬)
• Younger brother − Sim Shin-gyeom (심신겸, 沈信謙) (1542 - 1596)
• Sister-in-law − Lady Jeong (정씨)
  • Nephew − Sim Yool (심율, 沈慄)
  • Nephew − Sim Gak (심각, 沈恪)
  • Nephew − Sim Yi (심이, 沈怡)
  • Niece − Lady Sim
  • Niece − Lady Sim
  • Niece − Lady Sim
  • Niece − Lady Sim
• Younger brother − Sim Chong-gyeom (심충겸, 沈忠謙) (1545 - 1594)
• Sister-in-law − Lady Yi of the Jeonju Yi clan (증 정경부인 전주 이씨)
  • Nephew − Sim Heun (심흔, 沈忻)
  • Nephew − Sim Yeol (심열, 沈悅) (1569 - 1646); became the adoptive son of Shim Ye-gyeom
  • Nephew − Sim Jong (심종, 沈悰)
  • Niece − Lady Sim
  • Niece − Lady Sim
• Younger brother − Sim Hyo-gyeom (심효겸, 沈孝謙) (1547 - 1600)
• Sister-in-law − Lady Nam (남씨)
• Sister-in-law − Lady Lee (이씨)
  • Nephew − Sim Pib (심핍, 沈愊)
  • Nephew − Sim Cheok (심척, 沈惕)
  • Niece − Lady Sim
  • Niece − Lady Sim
• Younger brother − Sim Je-gyeom (심제겸, 沈悌謙) (1550 - 1589)
• Sister-in-law − Lady Shin (신씨)
  • Nephew − Sim Yu (심유, 沈愉)
  • Nephew − Sim Hyeob (심협, 沈協)
  • Niece − Lady Sim
  • Niece − Lady Sim
  • Niece − Lady Sim
• Younger sister − Lady Sim (청송 심씨)
• Brother-in-law − Im Yeong-ro (임영로, 任榮老) of the Pungcheon Im clan (풍천 임씨)
• Younger sister − Lady Sim (청송 심씨)
• Brother-in-law − Yi Byeok (이벽, 李鼊) of the Jeonju Yi clan (전주 이씨)

Consort and Issue

• Husband - Myeongjong of Joseon (3 July 1534 – 3 August 1567) (조선명종)

1. Son - Yi Bu, Crown Prince Sunhoe (1 July 1551 – 6 October 1563) (이부 순회세자)
   1. Daughter-in-law - Crown Princess Gonghoe of the Musong Yun clan (1550 – 14 April 1592) (공회빈 윤씨)
2. Adoptive son - Seonjo of Joseon (조선선조) (26 November 1552 - 16 March 1608)
   1. Adoptive daughter-in-law - Queen Uiin of the Bannam Park clan (의인왕후 박씨) (5 May 1555 - 5 August 1600)
   2. Adoptive daughter-in-law - Queen Inmok of the Yeonan Kim clan (인목왕후 김씨) (15 December 1584 - 13 August 1632)
      1. Adoptive granddaughter - Princess Jeongmyeong (정명공주) (27 June 1603 – 8 September 1685)
      2. Unnamed adoptive granddaughter (1604); died prematurely
      3. Adoptive grandson - Yi Ui, Grand Prince Yeongchang (이의 영창대군) (12 April 1606 – 19 March 1614)

Popular culture

• Portrayed by Jang Hee-jin in the 2016 JTBC TV series Mirror of the Witch.

References

• 인순왕후 (in Korean). Doosan Encyclopedia.