Yi Pangsŏk, Grand Prince Ŭian
| Yi Pangsŏk 이방석 | |
|---|---|
| Crown Prince of Joseon | |
| Tenure | 7 September 1392 – 6 October 1398 |
| Successor | Yi Panggwa |
| Born | 1382 Gaegyeong (now Kaeseong, Kaesong Industrial Region), Goryeo |
| Died | 6 October 1398 (aged 16–17) Hanseong, Joseon |
| Burial | |
| Spouse | Deposed Crown Princess Consort Hyeon of the Ryu clan
(died 1393)Crown Princess Consort Hyeon of the Cheongseong Shim clan
(m. 1397–1398) |
| Issue | Yi Won-sun |
| Father | Taejo of Joseon |
| Mother | Queen Sindeok |
| Korean name | |
| Hangul | 의안대군 |
| Hanja | 宜安大君 |
| RR | Uian daegun |
| MR | Ŭian taegun |
| Birth name | |
| Hangul | 이방석 |
| Hanja | 李芳碩 |
| RR | I Bangseok |
| MR | I Pangsŏk |
Grand Prince Ŭian (Korean: 의안대군; Hanja: 宜安大君; 1382 – 26 August 1398), birth name Yi Pangsŏk (이방석; 李芳碩), was a Korean crown prince. Born of Queen Sindeok, he was the eighth and youngest son of Taejo of Joseon and the first crown prince of Joseon.
Grand Prince Ŭian was appointed as the first crown prince of the Joseon Dynasty in 1392, but was subsequently deposed following the First Strife of Princes. He was exiled and was later assassinated in October 1398 at a young age. He was later given the posthumous title Sodo (소도; 昭悼).
Biography
[edit]Early life
[edit]He was the second son of Goryeo General Yi Song-gye and his second wife, Queen Sindeok, and the younger brother of Prince Muan. Yi Song-gye had two wives, both of whom were his legal wives. In July 1392, Yi Song-gye founded the Joseon Dynasty and became its first king.
Crown prince
[edit]He was elected crown prince on 7 September 1392 in the first year of King Taejo's reign. In this way, he overcame his older brothers. Later, Yi Pangwŏn and others claimed that Chŏng Tojŏn and his supporters chose him as crown prince. No evidence confirms that Yi Pangsŏk was elected crown prince by Chŏng Tojŏn.
During his reign as crown prince, his wife Hyeonbin Ryu and eunuch Yi Man (이만, 李萬) committed adultery, which resulted in punishment for both.[1] Hyeonbin Ryu was deposed and banished from the palace whereas Yi Man was beheaded in 1393. Hyeonbin Shim was chosen as the crown prince's new wife in 1397.[2]
On 15 September 1396, the crown prince's mother, Queen Sindeok, died.
First Strife of Princes
[edit]On 6 October 1398, the First Strife of Princes began under the leadership of Prince Jeongan Yi Bang Won. The crown prince personally led the army against Prince Jeongan's forces stationed in front of Gwanghwamun Gate, but he refused to confront the rebels after officer Bong Won-ryang (봉원량, 奉元良) reported, “From Gwanghwamun to Namsan, the elite cavalry is fully equipped".[3]
After killing enemies such as Chŏng Tojŏn, Nam Ŭn (남은, 南誾; 1382–1398), Shim Hyosaeng (심효생, 沈孝生; 1348–1398), and Park Wi (박위, 朴葳; ?-1398), Prince Jeongan chose Yi Panggwa, Prince Yeongan, his older brother, as crown prince.
The deposed Crown Prince Yi Bang Seok, who was to be exiled, was later sent from Gyeongbokgung Palace through the Yeongchumun Gate. With the approval of the Dopyeonguisasa assembly, Prince Jeongan's supporters, including Yi Geo-yi (이거이, 李居易; 1348–1412), commissioned assassins to assassinate the deposed crown prince. He was then known as Deposed Crown Prince Yi Bang-seok (폐세자 이방석, 廢世子 李芳碩), but was posthumously just titled as Sodo (소도, 昭悼).
After death
[edit]His body was buried in Gwangju, Gyeonggi Province, and he was given the title of Duke Ohwon (오원공五原公). On 14 September 1406, King Taejong gave Yi Bang-seok the posthumous title of Prince Sodo (소도군, 昭悼君) or Duke Sodo (소도공), and gave Yi Bang-beon the posthumous title of Prince Gongsun (공순군, 恭順君) or Duke Gongsun (공순공).
274 years later on 21 August 1680, King Sukjong granted Yi Bang-seok the posthumous title of Grand Prince Ŭian (의안대군, 宜安大君) and Bang-beon the title of Grand Prince Muan (무안대군, 撫安大君).
His tomb is located in the city of Gwangju at the Grand Prince Uian Cemetery. On 13 April 1998, his mausoleum was designated as a historical heritage site of Gyeonggi Province and registered with number 166.
Family
[edit]- Father: Taejo of Joseon (1335 – 1408)
- Mother: Queen Sindeok (1356 – 1396)
- Older sister: Princess Gyeongsun (1375–1407)
- Older brother: Yi Bang-beon (1381 – 1398)
Consorts and their issue:
- Deposed Crown Princess Hyeon of the Yu clan (폐세자빈 현빈 유씨; b.1384)
- Grand Lady Samhanguk of the Buyeo Shim clan (삼한국대부인 부유 심씨; 1380 – 1448)[a]
- Yi Won-sun (원손; 25 May 1398 – 26 August 1398), 1st son
In popular culture
[edit] |
- Portrayed by Yang Hee-seok in the 1996–1998 KBS 1TV series Tears of the Dragon.
- Portrayed by Park Joon-mok in the 2014 KBS 1TV series Jeong Do-jeon.
- Portrayed by Lee Seung-woo and Jung Yoon-seok in the 2015–2016 SBS TV series Six Flying Dragons.
- Portrayed by Kim Min-ho and Lee Hyo-je in the 2019 JTBC TV series My Country: The New Age.
- Portrayed by Jang Jae-ha and Kim Jin-sung in the 2021 KBS 1TV series The King of Tears, Yi Bang-won.
- Portrayed by Park Si-won in the 2025 tvN series The Queen Who Crowns.
Notes
[edit]- ^ Before her husband was killed, she was called Crown Princess Hyeon (현빈)
References
[edit]- ^ [1]《Annals of the Joseon Dynasty》 Volume 3 of the Annals of King Taejo, the second year of King Taejo reign (1393). On this day, Crown Princess Yu was deposed and Yi Man was beheaded.
- ^ Volume 12 of King Taejo Annals, the sixth year of King Taejo reign (1397). The process of appointing Hyeonbin Shim as Crown Princess is briefly described.[2]
- ^ Volume 14 of King Taejo Annals, the seventh year of King Taejo reign (1398). Based on Bong Won Riang's account, it can be assumed that the number of forces mobilized in the First Strife of Princes was very large. However, later in the annal's, there is a report that lists the number of soldiers accompanying Prince Jeongan as only a few dozen person, which can be seen as evidence show that King Taejo annal was written in favor of King Taejong.[3]