Crown Prince Jeongseong

Not to be confused with the Mid-late Joseon Queen Consort as the first wife of Yeongjo of Joseon, Queen Jeongseong.

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Prince Jeongseong

Wang Seok

Prince Jeongseong
(정성군, 定城君)
Reign| 1388–1389
Coronation| 1388
Crown Prince of Goryeo
Reign| 1389 – July 1392
Coronation| 1389
Predecessor| Crown Prince Wang Jeong
Successor| Dynasty abolished
(Yi Bangu as the first Crown Prince of Joseon)
Monarch| King Gongyang (father)

Born| Wang Dan
Kingdom of Goryeo
Died| 1394
Samcheok-si, Gangwon-do, Kingdom of Joseon
Spouse|

Lady Yi

(m. 1391⁠-⁠1394)​

House| House of Wang
Father| Gongyang of Goryeo
Mother| Royal Consort Sun of the Gyoha No clan
Religion| Buddhism
Korean name
Hangul|

정성세자

Hanja|

定城世子

Revised Romanization| Jeongseong-seja
McCune–Reischauer| Ch'ŏngsŏng-seja
Birth name
Hangul|

왕단, later 왕석

Hanja|

王瑞, later 王奭

Revised Romanization| Wang Dan, later Wang Seok
McCune–Reischauer| Wang Tan, later Wang Sŏk
Childhood name
Hangul|

Hanja|

Revised Romanization| Wang Seo
McCune–Reischauer| Wang Sŏ

Crown Prince Jeongseong (died 1394) or known before as Prince Jeongseong, was the first son of King Gongyang and Consort Sun[1] who would eventually become the last Crown Prince of the Goryeo dynasty. After Yi Seonggye established the new dynasty, he was deposed from his throne along with his parent and got assassinated.[2] His birth name was Wang Dan (Korean: 왕단; Hanja: 王瑞), but later changed to Wang Seok (Korean: 왕석; Hanja: 王奭) whom he better known with it.

## Biography[edit]

### Early life[edit]

Born as Wang Dan (왕단, 王瑞), he was the only son of Wang Yo, Prince Jeongchang and Lady No.[3] Then, he changed his name into "Seok" (석, 奭) and given royal title as Prince Jeongseong (정성군, 定城君) in 1388.[1] Although his birth date was not clear, but it seems that he was born before 1388 since in that year he already held a royal title. One year later, following his father who ascended the throne under General Yi Seong-gye's command after deposed King Chang, Jeongseong then became the Crown Prince (왕세자, 王世子).[1]

### Palace life and marriage[edit]

In 1390, Seoyeon was opened, a "Sabu" (사부, 師傅) and a "Sihak" (시학, 侍學) were appointed and received Confucian education, there were also Jo Jun (조준) and Yi Seo (이서). The Crown Prince was said to engrossed in Buddhism and on 4 February 1391, he went to "Hoeam Temple" (회암사), where he and his parents prayed all night long. In the next day, Seok offered 1,200 linens (1,200필) to the monks.[1]

On 20 February 1391, there was held the Selection of the Crown Princess Consort (세자빈 간택) and the chosen one was Yi Won-goeng (이원굉)'s daughter from the Incheon Yi clan (인천 이씨).[1] Not long after that, the King gave her a dignitary as her gifts and the white crown bows. Lady Yi then became the Crown Princess Consort (왕세자빈, 王世子嬪) not long after their marriage in the same year.

Meanwhile, after a year since the King decided to move the capital to Hanyang, but changed to Gaegyeong after decided again. Wang Seok then visited "Yangneung" (양릉, 陽陵) and made a sacrifice in Hyosin Hall (효신전, 孝愼殿) to announce the moved capital back to Gaegyeong.

In March, Bongsungdogam (봉숭도감) was installed and he then followed the Crown Prince's Ceremony (세자 책봉례). However, his father tried to enforce the Ceremony inconsistent with the etiquette, so Gim Ja-su (김자수), an ambassador from Seonggyungwan, took issue with it. Finally, the Ceremony was postponed to August. Then, on 15th, the King delivered the Crown Prince's seal to Wang Seok through Seol Jang-su (설장수), a priest from Chanseong Temple (찬성사) and a feast was held after the ceremony. Also, on 25th, they announced that Seok already became the Crown Prince.

### Affairs with the Ming dynasty[edit]

Meanwhile, the Crown Prince was said to be distracted by the issue of joined and made alliance with the Ming dynasty. There were voices of concern that the Ming mightn't rebuke him. The Ming sent their first envoy in April after King Gongyang ascended the throne and demanded that 10,000 horses (1만필) be sold in Goryeo, but Goryeo could not meet the number and only sent 1,500 horses in June (1,500필만).[4] At this time, Wang was reprimanded for not meeting the deadline after sent to the Ming Dynasty, but there was no way for him to respond. Meanwhile, merchants who traded sheep were participate in the envoy to Ipjo and the ambassadors, such as Heo-Eung (허응) filed an appeal in September, insisted that the merchants be excluded from the party.

From September until December, Wang, along with Seol Jang-su (설장수) and others, were left the Ming and went back to Goryeo. On 10 March 1392, while Yi Hyeon (이현, 李玄) already arrived in Goryeo and reports the Crown Prince's expected return date, Wang then returned safely on the 26th and got such as greeting the new year and receiving a golden robes (금직문기의복, 金織文綺衣服).[4]

He was loved by the Ming's Emperor and he treated him to a western tea while honoured Wang as "Marquess" (후, 侯) and "Duke" (공, 公), those made the Emperor also held banquets and feasts five times for several days during the Civil War and was given away the 2 Jeong (2정, 錠) gold, 10 jeong (10정) silver, and 100 pieces of silks (견단 100필) for him.

While returned home in the following years, he was welcomed by the Goryeo official who came out in Sodae Gate (서대문), Gaegyeong. However, all of Ming's given on him, returned to the national treasury by him own and it was said that he stole some of it and secretly bought a gun and gave it to his lover. In April, Wang went back to Jeokgyeong-won (적경원, 積慶園) in Hyosin Hall and he then met Yi Seong-gye in Hwangju, but in the next day, he visited Yi again who was injured after falling off a horse while hunting.

### Deposition from the throne and death[edit]

In July 1392, Yi Seong-gye eventually deposed King Gongyang and following this, Wang then became Deposed Crown Prince (폐세자, 廢世子) while they exiled to Wonju, but later moved to Goyang, Gyeonggi-do. On 4 March 1394, they were moved again to Samcheok-si and was killed in there.[5] Yi, who was now the new King of the new Joseon dynasty, reported this news to the Ming and after received this news, the Ming finally understood that Wang didn't return safely to Goryeo and instead got killed.

## Family[edit]

* Father: King Gongyang of Goryeo
* Grandfather: Wang Gyun, Prince Jeongwon
* Grandmother: Princess Boknyeong
* Mother: Consort Sun of the Gyoha No clan
* Grandfather: No-Jin, Prince Changseong
* Grandmother: Consort Myeongui
* Younger sister: Princess Suknyeong; husband: Wang Jib.
* Younger sister: Princess Jeongsin; husband: U Seong-beom.
* Younger sister: Princess Gyeonghwa; husband: Gang Hoe-gye.[6]
* Wife: Crown Princess consort, of the Incheon Yi clan[7] – No issue.

## References[edit]

1. ^ a b c d e "공양왕 왕자 세자 왕석". Goryeosa (in Korean). Retrieved August 7, 2021.
2. ^ 한국 무예 사료 총서, vol. 3 [A Collection of Korean Martial Arts Materials, vol. 3] (in Korean). University of Michigan: National Folklore Museum. 2005. p. 801.
3. ^ "왕의 일가를 책봉하고 사면령을 내리다". Goryeosa (in Korean). Retrieved September 17, 2021.
4. ^ a b "명에 세자를 하정사로 보내다". Goryeosa (in Korean). Retrieved August 7, 2021.
5. ^ Lee Han-woo (2018). 이한우의 태종실록 재위 8년: 새로운 해석, 예리한 통찰 [Hanwoo Lee's 8th year of reign in the Annals of Taejong: New interpretations, sharp insights] (in Korean). Book21 Publishing Group. ISBN 9788950976309.
6. ^ Younger brother of Gang Hoe-baek (강회백) and uncle of Gang Seok-deok (강석덕) who became one of Sim On (심온)'s son-in-law. Sim was the father of King Sejong of Joseon's primary wife, Queen Soheon.
7. ^ Daughter of Yi Won-goeng, Prince Yeonsan (이원굉 연산군), 12th generation descendant of Yi Heo-gyeom (이허겸). After her husband died, she remarried again and just called as "Lady Yi" (부인 이씨).

## External links[edit]

* Crown Prince Jeongseong on Encykorea (in Korean).

Crown Prince Jeongseong

House of Wang

Regnal titles
Preceded by

Crown Prince Wang Jeong

|  Crown Prince of Goryeo
1389–1392  |  Succeeded by

Dynasty abolished
*[m.]: married