Queen Sundeok

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For other uses, see Princess Yeondeok.
Queen Sundeok
순덕왕후
Grand Queen Mother Mungyeong
(문경왕태후, 文敬王太后)
Queen consort of Goryeo
Tenure1114–1118
Coronation1114
PredecessorQueen Gyeonghwa
SuccessorLady Yeondeok
Born15 April 1094
Goryeo
Died21 September 1118 (aged 24)
Goryeo
Burial
Sureung tomb
Spouse
​
​
(m. 1108⁠–⁠1118)​
IssueInjong of Goryeo
Princess Seungdeok
Princess Heunggyeong
Regnal name
Princess Yeondeok (연덕궁주, 延德宮主; 1108–1114)
Posthumous name
  • Queen Mother Mungyeong
    (문경태후, 文敬太后)
  • Grand Queen Mother Jajeong Mungyeong
    (자정문경왕태후, 慈靖文敬王太后; given in 1140)
HouseGyeongwon Yi clan
FatherYi Cha-gyŏm
MotherLady Ch'oe of the Haeju Ch'oe clan

Queen Sundeok of the Gyeongwon Yi clan (Korean: 순덕왕후 이씨; Hanja: 順德王后 李氏; 15 April 1094[1] – 21 September 1118[2]) or formally called as Queen Mother Mungyeong (문경태후; 文敬太后), was a Korean Goryeo queen consort as the second wife of Yejong of Goryeo and the mother of his successor, Injong of Goryeo.[citation needed]

Biography[edit]

Early life[edit]

The future Queen Sundeok was born on 15 April 1094 as the second daughter of Yi Cha-gyŏm and Lady Ch'oe, the second daughter of Choe Sa-chu from the Haeju Choe clan.[citation needed] She had six brothers, one older sister, and two younger sisters. Since King Munjong's reign, the Gyeongwon Yi clan was already produced many queen consorts or wives for the Goryeo royal family, so it can said that she was came from a noble family.

Marriage and Palace life[edit]

She firstly entered the palace in 1108 (3rd year reign of Yejong of Goryeo) at 15 years old and was given the royal title as Princess Yeondeok (연덕궁주; 延德宮主) and was put to live in Yeondeok Palace (연덕궁; 延德宮).[3] One year later, she gave birth to their first son, Wang Hae (the future King Injong)[4] and when learning that the baby was a boy, the King sent an envoy to issue a decree and expressed his joy by giving her silverware (은기; 銀器), silk (비단), horses (말), wood (포목; 布木) and grain (곡식) while putting up a token (표; 表) to pay their respects on her.[5][6]

In 1114, she formally became his queen consort. It was said after his first wife died, he was very sad and after marrying Lady Yi, he loved and favored her very much due to her docile, intelligent, wise, soft and gentle character. Her mother, Lady Ch'oe, was formally called as "Grand Lady of the Joseon State" (조선국대부인; 朝鮮國大夫人). While her grandmother, Lady Kim was formally called as "Grand Lady of the Tongui State" (통의국대부인; 通儀國大夫人).[7]

According to Chaebongmun after entering the palace, she set an example of marital harmony, never made a private request and gave birth to a son for generations to come. She was also praised for her virtues as she took care of her husband by advising him to wake up when a rooster crows. While she was bedridden, Yejong, who was grieve-stricken, brought out medicine and food himself for the queen. However, she died at the age of 24 on 21 September 1118 due to her own illness, which caused Yejong to wept many times and even heard the admonition from her servants that he was too polite.

Besides Prince Wang Hae, they also had 2 daughters (Princess Seungdeok and Princess Heunggyeong).[8][9]

Later life[edit]

Yejong personally enshrined and went out to Sinbong Gate (신봉문; 神鳳門) to see her funeral procession in Sureung Tomb (수릉, 綏陵) even though the officials told him not to do that.[10][11]

For in memory of her, the King was said to prepared a private room (혼당; 魂堂) to enshrined her portrait at Anhwa Temple (안화사; 安和寺)[12][13][14] and always visited between February and August in the following year, while also visiting their Wedding Hall several times.[15] The king went there again to bow down, to which the officials strongly discouraged him, but he chose to go against them and said,

"The memorial ceremonies were even held by the Song Dynasty's ruler. I just imitated it! Also, what's going to happen if I go to the wedding hall once?"
"조제의 예식은 송나라 임금도 한 적 있다. 나는 그 일을 본받은 것 뿐이다! 그리고 혼당 한번 간다고 무슨 큰일이 나는가?"

While also saying that he did what he wanted to do.

In 1120, after finishing the mourning of the queen, Yejong summoned the Crown Prince, his father-in-law and land governor Yi Cha-ryang to be comforted and to gave him goods.[16]

After her husband's death in 1146, their only son, Wang Hae ascended the throne and married her younger sisters,[citation needed] which made two of them become her sisters and daughter in-laws at the same time. Their brothers were all occupied one place at the time of Injong's reign. However, after their father, Yi Cha-gyŏm's deposition and exiled, her two younger sisters were deposed from their position too as a result.[17]

Posthumous name[edit]

After her death, she was posthumously honoured as Queen Sundeok (순덕왕후; 順德王后) and Grand Queen Mother Mungyeong (문경왕태후; 文敬王太后) after her only son ascended the throne in 1122.

In her father's record on Goryeosa, she was called as an "Empress consort" (황후; 皇后).[18]

Benefits for Gyeongwon Yi clan[edit]

Queen Sundeok, a woman born into the highest aristocratic family of that time, was chosen to become the Queen consort and Mother of the nation. She gave birth to a son who later ascended the throne and received a lot love and affection from her husband, which can be said that she lived a faithful life to the virtues demanded of her time. But, their marriage greatly enhanced the authority of Yi Cha-gyŏm and the King's favor towards her also became the source of interest and power for Yi who later tried to rebel.

Family[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ 《고려사》권14〈세가〉권14 - 예종 10년 3월 - 왕비의 생일이라 곡연을 베풀다
  2. ^ In the Korean calendar (lunar), she was born on March 28, 1094, and died on September 5, 1118 《순덕왕후애책문(順德王后哀冊文)》
  3. ^ 韓國女性關係資料集: 中世篇(中) [Collection of Korean Women's Relations: Middle Ages (Part 2)] (in Korean). Ewha Womans University Press: Ewha Womans University Women's Research Institute. 1985. p. 29. ISBN 9788973000432.
  4. ^ "고려시대 史料 Database". Goryeosa (in Korean). Retrieved September 9, 2021.
  5. ^ 국역 "고려사".: 열전. 20-28 Volume 9 [National "History of Goryeo".: Biographies. 20-28 Volume 9] (in Korean). University of Michigan: National culture. 2006. p. 192. ISBN 9788982080951.
  6. ^ "이자겸의 자녀에게 곡식을 하사하다". Goryeosa (in Korean). Retrieved April 21, 2022.
  7. ^ Kim Ki-duk (1995). "국대부인(國大夫人)". Encyclopedia of Korean Culture (in Korean). Retrieved July 3, 2021.
  8. ^ "고려시대 史料 Database". Goryeosa (in Korean). Retrieved September 9, 2021.
  9. ^ "고려시대 史料 Database". Goryeosa (in Korean). Retrieved September 9, 2021.
  10. ^ 京畿道史資料集: 고려 편 III-IV Volume 3 [Gyeonggi Province History Data Collection: Goryeo letter III-IV Volume 3] (in Korean). University of Michigan: Gyeonggi Province. 1998. p. 336.
  11. ^ Yi, Kwangsu (1962). Yi Kwang-su chŏnjip, Volume 19 (in Korean). University of Wisconsin - Madison. p. 235.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  12. ^ [1][2] "왕이 초제를 지내고 순덕왕후 진당을 찾다" (The King visited Queen Sundeok's shrine after Celebrating a Festival) on Goryeosa (in Korean).
  13. ^ "문경태후의 기일에 왕이 분향하다". Goryeosa (in Korean). Retrieved November 10, 2021.
  14. ^ "고려사절요 > 고려사절요 권9 > 인종공효대왕(仁宗恭孝大王) > 인종(仁宗) 4년 > 4월 > 왕이 안화사에 가다". Goryeosa (in Korean). Retrieved April 21, 2022.
  15. ^ [3][4][5] "왕이 순덕왕후 혼당에 가다" (The King went to his Wedding Hall with Queen Sundeok) on Goryeosa (in Korean).
  16. ^ "순덕왕후의 상이 끝나자 잔치를 베풀다". Goryeosa (in Korean). Retrieved November 10, 2021.
  17. ^ "예종 후비 문경태후 이씨". Goryeosa (in Korean). Retrieved September 9, 2021.
  18. ^ "고려사 > 권127 > 열전 권제40 > 반역(叛逆) > 이자겸 > 내시 김찬 등이 이자겸의 제거를 모의하였으나 이자겸과 척준경이 궁궐을 불태우다". Goryeosa (in Korean). Retrieved April 21, 2022.

External links[edit]

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