Queen Uiin

Queen Uiin 의인왕후
Queen consort of Joseon
Tenure	1569 – 1600
Born	5 May 1555 Kingdom of Joseon
Died	5 August 1600 (1600-08-06) (aged 45) Deoksu Palace, Kingdom of Joseon
Spouse	Yi Yeon, King Seonjo ​ ​ (m. 1569⁠–⁠1600)​
Posthumous name 장성휘열정헌경목의인왕후
House	Bannam Park
Father	Park Eung-sun, Prince Banseong
Mother	Princess Wansan of the Jeonju Yi clan

Queen Uiin (의인왕후) (5 May 1555 – 5 August 1600), of the Bannam Park clan, was a posthumous name bestowed to the wife and first queen consort of Yi Yeon, King Seonjo, the 14th Joseon monarch. She was Queen consort of Joseon from 1569 until her death in 1600.

Life

The future queen was born on 5 May 1555 during the reign of King Myeongjong. Her father, Park Eung-sun, was member of the Bannam Park clan. Her mother was member of the Jeonju Yi clan. She also had a younger brother.

She became queen consort at the age of 15 in 1569 when she married to King Seonjo, where her mother was given the royal title of "Princess Consort Wansan" (완산부부인, Wansan Bubu-in) and her father being given the title of "Internal Prince Banseong" (반성부원군, Banseong Buwongun). But being unable to bear children had caused her to be alienated by her husband who went to concubines to produce heirs.

The Queen faced an unfortunate fate as she was infertile and she could not bear children. She built Buddhist temples all over the country for her to pray in and made frequent donations to the temples, including Geonbongsa and Beopjusa. After the Imjin War, Seonjo fled to Uiju to seek protection, bringing his concubine, Kim Inbin of the Suwon Kim clan (인빈 김씨, 仁嬪 金氏) and the Queen with him. But the Queen got separated on their way to their seek shelter, and so the Queen fled to Pyeonganam Island, Pyeongan Province. The King and Kim Inbin returned to the capital, but the Queen decided to stay in Haeju. When the Second Invasion happened, Seonjo once again fled with Kim In-Bin but this time, the Queen fled together with the Crown Prince Gwanghae. Queen Uiin died at the age of 45 without any issue. Her health deteriorated because of the constant moving from one place to another, and the Queen died at the age of 46 without any issue. She posthumously honoured as Queen Uiin (의인왕후).

Titles

• 5 May 1555 - 1569: Lady Park, daughter of Park Eung-sun
• 1569 - 1600: The Queen Consort

Family

Parent

• Father − Park Eung-sun (박응순, 朴應順) (1526 - 1580)
  • 1) Grandfather − Park So (박소, 朴紹) (1493 - 1534); was prime minister
    • 2) Great-Grandfather − Park Jo-nyeon (박조년, 朴兆年)
      • 3) Great-Great-Grandfather − Park Im-jong (박임종, 朴林宗)
    • 2) Great-Grandmother − Lady Yun of the Papyeong Yun clan (정경부인 파평 윤씨, 貞敬夫人 坡平 尹氏)
  • 1) Grandmother − Lady Hong of the Namyang Hong clan (정경부인 남양 홍씨, 貞敬夫人 南陽 洪氏) (1494 - 1578)
    • 2) Great-Grandfather − Hong Sa-bu (홍사부, 洪士俯)

• Mother − Lady Wansan of the Jeonju Yi clan (완산부부인 전주 이씨, 完山府夫人 全州 李氏) (? - 1595)
  • 1) Grandfather − Yi Su-gab (문천수 이수갑, 文川守 李壽甲) (1495 - ?)
    • • • 4) Great-Great-Great-Grandfather − Yi Jong, Prince Gyeyang (이증 계양군, 李璔 桂陽君) (1427 - 1464)
        • 4) Great-Great-Great-Grandmother − Princess Jeongseon of the Cheongju Han clan (정선군부인 청주 한씨, 旌善郡夫人 淸州韓氏) (1426 - 1480)

Sibling

• Younger brother − Park Dong-yeon (박동언, 朴東彦) (1553 - 1605)
• Sister-in-law − Lady Jeong of the Gwangsan Jeong clan (정부인 광산 정씨, 貞夫人 光山 鄭氏)
  • Unnamed nephew

Consort

• Yi Yeon, King Seonjo (선조, 宣祖) (1552 - 1608)
  • Mother-in-law ÷ Grand Internal Princess Consort Hadong of the Hadong Jeong clan (하동부대부인 하동 정씨, 河東府大夫人 河東 鄭氏) (1522 - 1567)
  • Father-in-law − Grand Internal Prince Deokheung (덕흥대원군, 德興大院君) (1530 - 1559)

Issue

• Adoptive son − King Gwanghae (광해군, 光海君) (1575 - 1641); son of concubine Gongbin Kim of the Gimhae Kim clan (공빈 김씨, 恭嬪 金氏) (1553 - 1577)
• Adoptive daughter-in-law − Queen of the Munhwa Ryu clan (폐비 류씨, 廢妃 柳氏) (1576 - 1623)

Popular culture

• Portrayed by Lee Hyo-choon in the 2003-2004 SBS TV series The King's Woman.
• Portrayed by Hwang Mi-seon in the 2004-2005 KBS TV series Immortal Admiral Yi Soon Shin.
• Portrayed by Im Ji-eun in the 2014 KBS2 TV series The King's Face.
• Portrayed by Hwang In-young in the 2015 KBS TV series Jingbirok.
• Portrayed by Kang Han-na in the 2016 JTBC TV series Mirror of the Witch.

Notes

• "Royal Ladies of Joseon Dynasty". The Talking Cupboard.
• 의인왕후 (in Korean). Doosan Encyclopedia.