Queen Myeongseong
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| Queen Myeongseong 명성왕후 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Queen Dowager of Joseon | |||||
| Tenure | 1674 – 1684 | ||||
| Predecessor | Queen Inseon | ||||
| Successor | Queen Inwon | ||||
| Queen Consort of Joseon | |||||
| Tenure | 1659 – 1674 | ||||
| Predecessor | Queen Inseon | ||||
| Successor | Queen Ingyeong | ||||
| Crown Princess of Joseon | |||||
| Tenure | 1651 – 1659 | ||||
| Predecessor | Crown Princess Jang | ||||
| Successor | Crown Princess Kim | ||||
| Born | 13 June 1642 Jangtongbang, Hanseong, Kingdom of Joseon | ||||
| Died | 21 January 1684 (aged 41) Jeoseung Hall, Changdeok Palace, Hanseong, Kingdom of Joseon | ||||
| Burial | Sungneung | ||||
| Spouse | King Hyeonjong of Joseon | ||||
| Issue |
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| House | Cheongpung Kim | ||||
| Father | Kim Woo-Myeong | ||||
| Mother | Lady Deokeun of the Eunjin Song clan | ||||
Queen Myeongseong (13 June 1642 – 21 January 1684) (명성왕후 김씨)[1] also known as Queen Dowager Hyeonryeol (현렬왕대비) was the wife and the Queen Consort of King Hyeonjong of Joseon, the 18th monarch of the Joseon Dynasty. She was of the Cheongpung Kim clan.
Biography
Lady Kim was born into the Cheongpung Kim clan in Jangtongbang (Hangul: 장통방, Hanja: 長通坊) on 13 June 1642 to Kim Woo-myeong and his wife, Lady Song of the Eunjin Song clan as the only daughter within their four sons.
In 1651, Lady Kim was arranged to marry the Crown Prince to which her status and title changed to Crown Princess Consort Kim (왕세자빈 김씨, 王世子嬪 金氏) or (빈궁 김씨, 嬪宮 金氏). Her parents also received royal titles; her father received the royal title of “Internal Prince Cheongpung” (Hangul: 청풍부원군, Hanja: 淸風府院君), and her mother received the royal title of “Lady Deokeun of the Eunjin Song clan, Princess Consort to the Internal Prince” (Hangul: 덕은부부인 송씨, Hanja: 德恩府夫人 宋氏). Through her younger brother, Kim Seok-yeon, Queen Hyoui is her great-great grandniece.
When her husband ascended the throne as King Hyeonjong of Joseon in 1659, her status and title were once again changed to Queen Consort of Joseon.
During her husband’s reign, she and King Hyeonjong had five children; only one died in infancy. Queen Myeongseong gave birth to an unnamed daughter in 1658, Princess Myeongseon in 1659, the future King Sukjong in 1661, Princess Myeonghye in 1663, and Princess Myeongan in 1665.
Queen Myeongseong was a wise and intelligent figure, but her fierce personality was said to be the reason why her husband did not have any concubine throughout his lifetime. When her husband died and her son was crowned as King Sukjong of Joseon in 1674, she became Royal Queen Dowager Hyeonryeol (현렬왕대비). Queen Myeongseong frequently intervened in the court, criticizing the Southerners (Namin) and framed Grand Prince Inpyeong’s sons (Princes Bokchang, Bokseon, and Bokpyeong) with the accusation of adultery with the palace maids. The reason was that she viewed them as threats to her son’s position.
However, there was no evidence to support her accusation and because of her claim, her father ended up being the suspect of initiating the slander against the princes. Queen Myeongseong took it up to herself and knelt outside her quarters, pleading for her son Sukjong to prove the princes’ crime. In the end, Sukjong exiled the three princes and the Southerners mocked her as a reincarnation of Queen Munjeong because of her intervention in the politics. Her father chose to confine himself in his house following the incident as he felt humiliated and he died because of severe depression.
After hearing about Sukjong’s relationship with a palace attendant (Lady Jang), Queen Myeongseong sent the attendant out of the palace since she apparently believed her low status would make the woman ignorant and wicked. However, the real reason was that the woman’s family background as Southerners made the queen believe that she entered the palace to become a spy for the Southerners. She set up a ceremony to pray for her son’s recovery after Sukjong fell unconscious. Queen Myeongseong was a firm believer of Shamanism and upon consulting with a shaman, decided to pray and get doused with water while wearing summer clothes despite it being winter. She was hit with a bad flu and died in the same year. Although the ministers urged for the shaman to be executed, Sukjong decided to exile her.
Family
- Great-Great-Grandfather
- Kim Bi (김비, 金棐)
- Great-Grandfather
- Kim Heung-woo (김흥우, 金興宇)
- Great-Grandmother
- Lady Jo of the Pungyang Jo clan (풍양 조씨)
- Grandfather
- Kim Yuk (김육, 金堉) (23 August 1580 - 1 October 1658)
- Grandmother
- Lady Yun of the Papyeong Yun clan (파평 윤씨)
- Father
- Kim Woo-myeong (김우명, 金佑明) (1619 - 1675)[2]
- Uncle: Kim Jwa-myeong (김좌명, 金佐明) (1616 - 1671)
- Aunt: Lady Shin Ji-kang (신지강, 申止康) of the Pyeongsan Shin (평산 신씨) (1617 - ?)[3]
- Cousin: Kim Seok-ju (김석주, 金錫胄) (1634 - 20 September 1684)[4]
- Cousin: Lady Kim of the Cheongpung Kim clan (청풍 김씨)
- Aunt: Lady Kim of the Cheongpung Kim clan (청풍 김씨)
- Uncle: Hwang Do-myeong (황도명, 黃道明)
- Kim Woo-myeong (김우명, 金佑明) (1619 - 1675)[2]
- Mother
- Lady Deokeun of the Eunjin Song clan (덕은부부인 은진 송씨, 德恩府夫人 恩津 宋氏) (1621 - 1660)
- Maternal Grandfather: Song Guk-taek (송국택, 宋國澤)
- Maternal Grandmother: Lady Kang of the Jinju Kang clan (진주 강씨, 晋州 姜氏)
- Lady Deokeun of the Eunjin Song clan (덕은부부인 은진 송씨, 德恩府夫人 恩津 宋氏) (1621 - 1660)
- Brothers
- Older brother: Kim Man-ju (김만주, 金萬周)
- Younger brother: Kim Seok-ik (김석익, 金錫翼)
- Younger brother: Kim Seok-yeon (김석연, 金錫衍) (1648 - 17 August 1723)[5]
- Sister-in-law: Lady Yi of the Jeonju Yi clan (정경부인 전주 이씨)[6]
- Nephew: Kim Do-je (김도제, 金道濟)[7]
- Nephew: Kim Do-ham (김도함, 金道涵)
- Nephew: Kim Do-hub (김도흡, 金道洽)
- Grandnephew: Kim Seong-chae (김성채, 金聖采)
- Grandnephew: Kim Seong-hyu (김성휴, 金聖休); became the adoptive son of Kim Do-ham
- Nephew: Kim Do-hyeob (김도협, 金道浹); became the adoptive son of Kim Seok-dal
- Sister-in-law: Lady Yi of the Jeonju Yi clan (정경부인 전주 이씨)[6]
- Younger brother: Kim Seok-dal (김석달, 金錫達)
- Sister-in-law: Lady Yi of the Jeonju Yi clan (전주 이씨)[8]
- Husband
- King Hyeonjong of Joseon (현종, 顯宗) (14 March 1641 - 17 September 1674)
- Father-in-law: King Hyojong of Joseon (효종대왕, 孝宗大王) (3 July 1619 - 23 August 1659)
- Mother-in-law: Queen Inseon of the Deoksu Jang clan (인선왕후 장씨, 仁宣王后 張氏) (9 February 1619 - 19 March 1674)
- Brother-in-law: Yi Wang, Crown Prince Sohyeon (소현세자, 昭顯世子) (5 February 1612 - 21 May 1645)
- Sister-in-law: Crown Princess Minhoe of the Geumcheon Kang clan (민회빈 강씨, 愍懷嬪 姜氏) (1611 - 30 April 1646)
- Brother-in-law: Yi Yo, Grand Prince Inpyeong (인평대군, 麟坪大君) (10 December 1622 - 13 May 1658)[9]
- Sister-in-law: Lady Bukcheon of the Dongbok Oh clan (복천부부인 동복 오씨, 福川府夫人 同福 吳氏) (22 April 1622 - 6 August 1658)
- Brother-in-law: Yi Geun, Grand Prince Yongseong (용성대군, 龍城大君) (24 August 1624 - 22 December 1629)
- King Hyeonjong of Joseon (현종, 顯宗) (14 March 1641 - 17 September 1674)
- Daughters
- Unnamed daughter (1658 - 1658)
- Princess Myeongseon (명선공주, 明善公主) (1659 - 12 September 1673)
- Son-in-law: Maeng Man-taek (맹만택, 孟萬澤) of the Sinchang Maeng clan (신창 맹씨, 新昌 孟氏) (1660 - 1710)
- Princess Myeonghye (명혜공주, 明惠公主) (12 September 1663 - 11 June 1673)
- Son-in-law: Shin Yo-gyeong (신요경, 申堯卿) of the Pyeongsan Shin clan (평산 신씨, 平山 申氏)
- Yi Eun-hee, Princess Myeongan (이온희 명안공주, 李溫姬 明安公主) (30 January 1665 - 16 May 1687)
- Son-in-law: Oh Tae-ju (오태주, 吳泰周) of the Haeju Oh clan (해주 오씨, 海州 吳氏) (1668 - 1716)
- Adoptive grandson: Oh Won (오원, 吳瑗) (1700 - 1740); son of Oh Jin-ju (오진주, 吳晋周)
- Son-in-law: Oh Tae-ju (오태주, 吳泰周) of the Haeju Oh clan (해주 오씨, 海州 吳氏) (1668 - 1716)
- Son
- King Sukjong of Joseon (숙종대왕, 肅宗大王) (7 October 1661 - 12 January 1720)
- Daughter-in-law: Queen Ingyeong of the Gwangsan Kim clan (인경왕후 김씨, 仁敬王后 金氏) (25 October 1661 - 16 December 1680)
- Unnamed granddaughter (1677 - 1678)
- Unnamed granddaughter (1679 - 1679)
- Daughter-in-law: Queen Inhyeon of the Yeoheung Min clan (인현왕후 민씨, 仁顯王后 閔氏) (15 May 1667 - 16 September 1701)[10][11]
- Daughter-in-law: Queen Inwon of the Gyeongju Kim clan (인원왕후 김씨, 仁元王后 金氏) (3 November 1687 - 13 May 1757)[12]
- Daughter-in-law: Queen Ingyeong of the Gwangsan Kim clan (인경왕후 김씨, 仁敬王后 金氏) (25 October 1661 - 16 December 1680)
- King Sukjong of Joseon (숙종대왕, 肅宗大王) (7 October 1661 - 12 January 1720)
In popular culture
- Portrayed by Kim Hae-sook in the 1988 MBC TV series 500 Years of Joseon:Queen In Hyun.
- Portrayed by Kyeon Mi-ri in the 1995 SBS TV series Jang Hee Bin.
- Portrayed by Kim Young-ae in the 2002 KBS TV series Royal Story:Jang Hee Bin.
- Portrayed by Park Jung-soo in the 2010 MBC TV series Dong Yi.
- Portrayed by Lee Ga-hyun in the 2012 MBC TV series The King's Doctor.
- Portrayed by Kim Sun-kyung in the 2013 SBS TV series Jang Ok-jung, Living by Love.
References
- 명성왕후 (in Korean). Doosan Encyclopedia.
Notes
- ^ Not to be confused with another Myeongseong, with the same Sino-Korean syllable yet with different hanja, who came from his son Sukjong's second wife's great-great-great-grand-niece descendant thru her clan, (Yeoheung Min clan)
- ^ Became the great-great-great grandfather of Queen Hyoui
- ^ Lady Shin is the daughter of Princess Jeongsuk and the granddaughter of King Seonjo of Joseon
- ^ Kim Seok-ju and his younger sister are a fourth cousin of Queen Ingyeong’s father, Kim Man-gi (김만기, 金萬基) (1633 - 15 March 1687)
- ^ Became the great-great grandfather of Queen Hyoui
- ^ Lady Yi is a granddaughter of King Jungjong and his concubine, Royal Noble Consort Chang of the Ansan Ahn clan (창빈 안씨)
- ^ Became the great grandfather of Queen Hyoui
- ^ Lady Yi is the granddaughter of Grand Prince Inpyeong and a great-granddaughter of King Injo of Joseon
- ^ His granddaughter married Queen Myeongseong’s third younger brother
- ^ Through her eldest brother, Queen Inhyeon eventually became the great-great-great-grandaunt to the future Empress Myeongseong, and through her second older brother, the Queen is also a great-great-great-great-grandaunt to Empress Sunmyeong
- ^ No issue
- ^ No issue
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