Yeongjo of Joseon

King of Joseon from 1724 to 1776

Yeongjo

1900 copy portrait of the original portrait of King Yeongjo drawn in 1744

King of Joseon
Reign| 16 October 1724 – 22 April 1776
Enthronement| Injeongmun Gate, Changdeokgung, Hanseong
Predecessor| Gyeongjong
Successor| Jeongjo
Regent|

* Crown Prince Yi Seon (1749–1762)
* Grand Heir Yi San (1775–1776)

Regent of Joseon
Tenure| 4 December 1721 – 16 October 1724
Monarch| Gyeongjong

Born| 31 October 1694
Bogyeongdang Hall, Changdeokgung, Hanseong, Joseon
Died| 22 April 1776(1776-04-22) (aged 81)
Jipgyeongdang Hall, Gyeonghuigung, Hanseong, Joseon
Burial|

Wonneung Mausoleum, Dongguneung Cluster, Guri, South Korea

Spouse(s)|

Queen Jeongseong

(m. 1703; died 1757)​

Queen Jeongsun

(m. 1759⁠–⁠1776)​

Issue
among others...| Crown Prince Sado
| Names

Yi Geum (이금; 李昑)
Posthumous name

* Joseon: King Igmun Seonmu Huigyeong Hyeonhyo the Great → King Jeongmun Seonmu Huigyeong Hyeonhyo the Great (익문선무희경현효대왕 → 정문선무희경현효대왕; 翼文宣武熙敬顯孝大王 → 正文宣武熙敬顯孝大王)
* Qing dynasty: Jangsun (장순; 莊順)

Temple name
Yeongjong (영종; 英宗) → Yeongjo (영조; 英祖)[a]
Clan| Jeonju Yi
Dynasty| Yi
Father| Sukjong of Joseon
Mother|

* Royal Noble Consort Suk (biological)
* Queen Inwon (adoptive)

Religion| Korean Confucianism (Neo-Confucianism)
Korean name

Hangul|

영종, later 영조

Hanja|

英宗, later 英祖

RR| Yeongjong, later Yeongjo
MR| Yŏngjong, later Yŏngjo
Art name
Hangul|

양성헌

Hanja|

養性軒

RR| Yangseongheon
MR| Yangsŏnghŏn
Birth name
Hangul|

Hanja|

RR| I Geum
MR| I Kŭm
Courtesy name
Hangul|

Hanja|

RR| Gwangsuk
MR| Kwangsuk
Monarchs of Korea

Joseon monarchs
|  Taejo|  1392–1398

|

Jeongjong|  1398–1400
Taejong|  1400–1418
Sejong|  1418–1450
Munjong|  1450–1452
Danjong|  1452–1455
Sejo|  1455–1468
Yejong|  1468–1469
Seongjong|  1469–1494
Yeonsangun|  1494–1506
Jungjong|  1506–1544
Injong|  1544–1545
Myeongjong|  1545–1567
Seonjo|  1567–1608
Gwanghaegun|  1608–1623
Injo|  1623–1649
Hyojong|  1649–1659
Hyeonjong|  1659–1674
Sukjong|  1674–1720
Gyeongjong|  1720–1724
Yeongjo|  1724–1776
Jeongjo|  1776–1800
Sunjo|  1800–1834
Heonjong|  1834–1849
Cheoljong|  1849–1864
Gojong|  1864–1897

* v
* t
* e

Yeongjo (Korean: 영조; Hanja: 英祖; 31 October 1694 – 22 April 1776), personal name Yi Geum (이금; 李昑), was the 21st monarch of the Joseon dynasty of Korea. He was the second son of King Sukjong by his concubine, Royal Noble Consort Suk of the Haeju Choe clan. Before ascending to power, he was known as Prince Yeoning (연잉군; 延礽君). His life was characterized by political infighting and resentment due to his biological mother's low-born origins.

In 1720, a few months after the accession of his elder half-brother, Yi Yun (posthumously King Gyeongjong), as the 20th king, Yeoning became the crown prince. This induced a large controversy between the political factions. Nevertheless, four years later, at the death of Gyeongjong, he ascended to the throne.

Yeongjo is most remembered for his persistent attempts to reform the taxation system, and reconcile the various factions under his Tangpyeong policy (탕평; 蕩平; lit. 'Magnificent Harmony'). His reign of nearly 52 years was also marked by the highly controversial execution of his only surviving son, Crown Prince Sado, in 1762. However, in spite of this controversy, Yeongjo has earned a positive reputation in Korean history due to his efforts to rule by Confucian ethics.

## Biography

[edit]

### Succession to the throne

[edit]

In 1720, King Sukjong died and Crown Prince Yi Yun, Sukjong's eldest son, ascended to the throne as King Gyeongjong, at the age of 33. Before he died in 1720, Sukjong supposedly told Yi I-myeong to name Prince Yeoning as Gyeongjong's heir, but in the absence of a historiographer or scribe, no record exists. At this time, the Noron faction unsuccessfully tried to pressure the new king to step down in favor of his younger half-brother.

A few months after Gyeongjong's enthronement, Prince Yeoning was installed as Crown Prince Brother (Wangseje; 왕세제, 王世弟). This aggravated the power struggle and led to the Shinim literati purge [ko] of 1721. The Noron sent petitions to the king to no effect while the opposing Soron faction used this to their advantage — claiming the Noron were trying to usurp power and subsequently getting their rival faction removed from several offices.

Members of the Soron faction then came up with a plan to assassinate Yeoning under the pretence of hunting for a white fox said to be haunting the palace, but he sought shelter with his adoptive mother, Queen Dowager Hyesun. Afterwards, he told the king that he would rather go and live as a commoner.

On 11 October 1724, King Gyeongjong died. The Soron accused Yeoning of being involved in his brother's death due to the earlier attempt of the Noron faction to have him placed on the throne. Many historians, however, now believe that he could have died from food poisoning caused by contaminated seafood, as he displayed symptoms of the illness. Homer Hulbert described this in his book The History of Korea, where he said, "But we may well doubt the truth of the rumor, for nothing that is told of that brother indicates that he would commit such an act, and in the second place a man who will eat shrimps in mid-summer, that have been brought 30 miles from the sea without ice might expect to die".[1] On 16 October 1724, Prince Yeoning ascended the throne as King Yeongjo, the 21st ruler of Joseon.

### Reign

[edit]

He was a deeply Confucian monarch, and is said to have had a greater knowledge of the classics than his officials. During the reigns of Yeongjo and his grandson Jeongjo, Confucianization was at its height, as well as the economic recovery from the wars of the late 16th and early 17th centuries.[citation needed] His reign was referred to by American missionary Homer Hulbert as "one of the most brilliant" in Joseon's history.[2]

Yeongjo worried deeply for his people. The Annals of the Joseon dynasty record that one day in the 4th year of his reign, King Yeongjo woke up to the sound of early morning rain and said to his courtiers:

> Oh dear! We have had flood, drought and famines for the past four years because of my lack of virtue, and this year we even went through an unprecedented revolt by a traitor named Yi In-jwa. How can my poor people manage their livelihood under such hardship? There is an old saying, 'War is always followed by a lean year'. Fortunately, however, we haven't had a big famine for the past two years and we pin our hopes on a good harvest this year. Yet I am still nervous because, while the season for harvesting is around the corner, there is no way of knowing if there will be a flood or drought before then. Nobody knows whether a cold rain will pour suddenly and flood the fields awaiting harvest. My lack of goodness might bring upon us such awful things as I fail to win the sympathy of heaven. How can I earn the sympathy of heavens if I do not self-reflect and make efforts myself? I should start with reflecting on myself.[3]

As he worried that rain would ruin the harvest and force his unfortunate people to starve, the king ordered his courtiers to reduce the taxes and decrease the number of dishes in his own meals.

One early morning 25 years later (1753), the continuous rain reminded Yeongjo of the flood during the fourth year of his reign, when he had eaten less food:

> Oh! Floods and droughts really happen because I lack virtue. I am much older than that year, but how can my compassion for the people and will to work hard for them be less than back then?".[4]

Yet again, he ordered a reduction in the number of dishes on his dining table.

People around him described him as an articulate, bright, benevolent and kind monarch. He was penetrating in observation and quick of comprehension.[5]

### Yi In-jwa's Rebellion

[edit]

After the ascension of King Yeongjo to the throne, the position of the Noron faction was restored, and a coalition of the radical faction of the Namin and the excluded Soron faction instigated Yi In-jwa's Rebellion under the pretext of protecting King Gyeongjong.[6] Yeongjo pursued a policy of equal recruitment, believing that factional strife was detrimental to the country's development.[7] In response, the radical faction of the Soron group justified their rebellion by raising suspicions about the circumstances of King Gyeongjong's death and claiming that King Yeongjo was not the legitimate heir of King Sukjong, thereby securing their power. The rebellion began on March 15 when their leader, Yi In-jwa captured Cheongju Castle. The rebel forces, marching toward Hanyang (present-day Seoul), were defeated by the royal army, and the support from the Yeong and Honam regions was also suppressed by local forces, leading to the suppression of the rebellion and execution of Yi In-jwa and his family.[8]

### Policies

[edit]

Realising the detrimental effect on state administration of the factional strife, Yeongjo attempted to end it as soon as he ascended the throne. He reinstated the short-lived universal military service tax, and then went beyond the palace gates to solicit the opinions of officials, literati (scholars), soldiers and peasants. Yeongjo reduced the military service tax by half and ordered the variance be supplemented by taxes on fisheries, salt, vessels and an additional land tax. He also regularized the financial system of state revenues and expenses by adopting an accounting system. His pragmatic policies allowed payment of taxes on grain from the remote mountainous areas Gyeongsang Province, to the nearby port, with payment in cotton or cash for grain. The circulation of currency was encouraged by increasing coin casting.

Yeongjo's concern for improvement of the peasant's life was manifest in his eagerness to educate the people by distributing important books in the Korean script (Hangul), including the Book of Agriculture.

The pluviometer was again manufactured in quantity and distributed to local administration offices and extensive public work projects were undertaken. Yeongjo upgraded the status of posterity of the commoners, opening another possibility for upward social mobility and inevitable change. His policies were intended to reassert the Confucian monarchy and a humanistic rule, but they were unable to stem the tide of social change that resulted.

Mercantile activities rapidly increased in volume. The accumulation of capital through monopoly and wholesales expanded through guild organisations and many merchants were centred in Hanseong. The traditional division of government chartered shop, the license tribute goods suppliers and the small shopkeepers in the alley and streets were integrated and woven into a monopoly and wholesale system.

Regardless of status, many yangban aristocrats and commoners engaged in some kind of merchant activities. Thus Hanseong made great strides as a commercial and industrial city and hub in the 18th century. The popular demand for handicrafts and goods such as knives, mane hats, dining tables and brassware was ever-increasing. Restrictions on wearing the mane hat originally denoting yangban status, virtually disappeared.

Even bootlegging of books became commercialised as competition developed among the well-to-do yangban who engaged in the publication of collected literary works by their renowned ancestors. This also led to printing popular fiction and poetry. The people especially appreciated satire and social criticism. One example is the Chunhyangjeon (Tales of Chunghyang) about the fidelity of the gisaeng's daughter, which was widely read as a satire aimed to expose the greed and snobbery of government officials.[9]

#### Anti-corruption

[edit]

The King is also renowned for having treasured Park Mun-su, whom he appointed as secret royal inspector (Amhaengeosa; 암행어사). Park, who had earned great merit in putting down Yi In-jwa's rebellion in 1728, went around the nation arresting corrupt local officers in the name of the King.

#### Catholicism

[edit]

Yeongjo was the first king to take action against Roman Catholic activities in the country. By the 18th century, Catholicism was beginning to acquire a following especially in the Gangwon and Hwanghae provinces. In 1758, Yeongjo officially outlawed Catholicism as an evil practice.

### Crown Prince Sado

[edit]

The only significantly dismal incident during Yeongjo's reign was the death of his son, Crown Prince Sado. History indicates Sado suffered from mental illness, randomly killing people in the palace and raping palace maids. Because Yeongjo could not execute his son without also implicating his daughter-in-law and grandson, he ordered Sado to climb into a wooden rice chest on a hot July day in 1762. After two days, King Yeongjo had the chest containing Sado tied with rope, covered with grass, and moved to the upper palace. Sado responded from inside the chest until the night of the seventh day; the chest was opened and he was pronounced dead on the eighth day.[10] During the 19th century, there were rumors that Crown Prince Sado had not been mentally ill, but had been victimised by a court plot. This, however, is contradicted by both the memoirs written by Sado's widow and the Annals of the Joseon Dynasty.

As a means to preserve the legitimacy of Sado's son as his own heir, Yeongjo decreed that the boy be registered as the son of the deceased Crown Prince Hyojang and Crown Princess Consort Hyosun.[11]

### Death

[edit]

Yeongjo had lived with poor health for much of his life, and was even infected with parasitic worms. Because of this, he took many precautions to stay healthy, which some speculate may have contributed to his death at a relatively old age.[12]

Fourteen years after Crown Prince Sado's death, his son and Yeongjo's grandson, Yi San (posthumously King Jeongjo), became King. The early part of the new King's years were marked by political intrigues and fear of court officials who were afraid that he would seek revenge on them for petitioning the punishment that caused the death of his father, Crown Prince Sado.

Yeongjo is buried with his second wife, Queen Jeongsun, in the royal tomb of Wonneung (원릉; 元陵) in Guri, Gyeonggi Province.

## Family

[edit]

* Father: King Sukjong of Joseon (조선의 숙종; 7 October 1661 – 12 July 1720)
* Grandfather: King Hyeonjong of Joseon (조선의 현종; 14 March 1641 – 17 September 1674)
* Grandmother: Queen Myeongseong of the Cheongpung Kim clan (명성왕후 김씨; 13 June 1642 – 21 January 1684)
* Biological mother: Royal Noble Consort Suk of the Haeju Choe clan (숙빈 최씨; 17 December 1670 – 9 April 1718)
* Grandfather: Choe Hyo-won (최효원; 23 February 1638 – 15 August 1672)
* Grandmother: Lady Hong of the Namyang Hong clan (남양 홍씨; 1639–1673)
* Adoptive mother: Queen Inwon of the Gyeongju Kim clan (인원왕후 김씨; 3 November 1687 – 13 May 1757)

Consort(s) and their respective issue

* Queen Jeongseong of the Daegu Seo clan (정성왕후 서씨; 12 January 1693 – 3 April 1757)
* Queen Jeongsun of the Gyeongju Kim clan (정순왕후 김씨; 2 December 1745 – 11 February 1805)
* Royal Noble Consort Jeong of the Hamyang Yi clan (정빈 이씨; 1694 – 16 November 1721)
* Princess Hwaeok (화억옹주; 22 April 1717 – 8 April 1718), first daughter
* Yi Haeng, Crown Prince Hyojang (효장세자 이행; 4 April 1719 – 16 December 1728), first son
* Princess Hwasun (화순옹주; 8 March 1720 – 17 January 1758), second daughter
* Royal Noble Consort Yeong of the Jeonui Yi clan (영빈 이씨; 15 August 1696 – 23 August 1764)
* Princess Hwapyong (화평옹주; 27 April 1727 – 24 June 1748), third daughter
* Fourth daughter (3 August 1728 – 18 February 1731)
* Fifth daughter (12 December 1729 – 21 March 1731)
* Six daughter (1 January 1732 – 12 April 1736)
* Princess Hwahyeop (화협옹주; 7 March 1733 – 27 November 1752), seventh daughter
* Yi Seon, Crown Prince Sado (사도세자 이선; 13 February 1735 – 12 July 1762), second son
* Princess Hwawan (화완옹주; 9 March 1738 – 17 May 1808), ninth daughter
* Royal Consort Gwi-in of the Pungyang Jo clan (귀인 조씨; 16 October 1707 – 1780)
* Eighth daughter (19 September 1735 – 3 September 1736)
* Princess Hwayu (화유옹주; 29 September 1740 – 21 May 1777), tenth daughter
* Royal Consort Suk-ui of the Nampyeong Mun clan (숙의 문씨; ? – 1776)
* Princess Hwaryeong (화령옹주; 1753–1821), eleventh daughter
* Princess Hwagil (화길옹주; 1754–1772), twelfth daughter
* Court Lady Yi (상궁 이씨)

## Ancestry

[edit]

Ancestors of Yeongjo of Joseon

|  |  |  |  |  |  |  | King Hyojong of Joseon

|
|
|
|
|
|
|

| King Hyeonjong of Joseon|

|  |  |
| Queen Inseon of the Deoksu Jang clan

| King Sukjong of Joseon|

|  |  |  |  |
| Kim U-myeong

| Queen Myeongseong of the Cheongpung Kim clan|

|  |  |
| Lady Song of the Eunjin Song clan

| King Yeongjo of Joseon|
|  |  |  |  |  |  |
| Choe Tae-il

| Choe Hyo-won|

|  |  |
| Lady Jang of the Pyeonggang Jang clan

| Royal Noble Consort Choe of the Haeju Choe clan|

|  |  |  |  |
| Hong Gye-nam

| Lady Hong of the Namyang Hong clan|

|  |  |
| Lady Kim of the Gangneung Kim clan

|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |

## In popular culture

[edit]

* Portrayed by Kim Sung-won in the 1988 MBC TV series 500 Years of Joseon: The Memoirs of Lady Hyegyeong.
* Portrayed by Park Geun-hyung in the 1998 MBC TV series The King's Road.
* Portrayed by Choi Bool-am in the 1998 MBC TV series Hong Guk Young.
* Portrayed by Jo Min-ki in the 2002 MBC TV series Inspector Park Moon So.
* Portrayed by Lee Tae-ri in the 2002–3 KBS2 TV series Royal Story: Jang Hui-bin.
* Portrayed by Kim Sung-gyum in the 2007 CGV TV series Eight Days, Assassination Attempts against King Jeongjo.
* Portrayed by Lee Soon-jae in the 2007 MBC TV series Lee San, Wind of the Palace.[13]
* Portrayed by Lee Hyung-suk and Lee Seon-ho in the 2010 MBC TV series Dong Yi.
* Portrayed by Jeon Gook-hwan in the 2011 SBS TV series Warrior Baek Dong-soo.
* Portrayed by Han Suk-kyu in the 2014 SBS TV series Secret Door.[14]
* Portrayed by Yoo Yeon-seok in the 2014 film The Royal Tailor.
* Portrayed by Song Kang-ho in the 2015 film The Throne.
* Portrayed by Yeo Jin-goo in the 2016 SBS TV series The Royal Gambler.
* Portrayed by Ryu Tae-joon in the 2017 film The Age of Blood.
* Portrayed by Jung Il-woo in the 2019 SBS TV series Haechi.[15][16]
* Portrayed by Lee Deok-hwa in the 2021 MBC TV series The Red Sleeve.

## See also

[edit]

* History of Korea
* List of monarchs of Korea
* Dong Yi (TV series)

## Notes

[edit]

1. ^ Bestowed in 1776 and 1889, respectively.

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Hulbert, Homer B. (1905). The History of Korea. Vol. 2\. Seoul: The Methodist Publishing House. p. 164\. ISBN 9780700707003. Retrieved 10 September 2013. `{{cite book}}`: ISBN / Date incompatibility (help)
2. ^ Hulbert, Homer (1905). "The history of Korea". Seoul: Methodist Pub. House. Retrieved 4 June 2014.
3. ^ Yeongjo Sillok, 27 July 1728 (4th year of his reign)
4. ^ Yeongjo Sillok, 23 July 1753 (29th year of his reign)
5. ^ The Memoirs of Lady Hyegyong Pag. p.250
6. ^ Jackson, Andrew (2016). The 1728 Musin Rebellion: Politics and Plotting in Eighteenth-Century Korea. University of Hawaii Press. pp. 18–27.
7. ^ 이인좌의 난 [Yi In-jwa's Rebellion] (in Korean). KBS World. Retrieved 19 November 2023.
8. ^ 이인좌의 난 (李麟佐의 亂) [Yi In-jwa's Rebellion] (in Korean). Encyclopedia of Korean Culture. Retrieved 19 November 2023.
9. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 26 December 2015. Retrieved 18 January 2013.`{{cite web}}`: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
10. ^ Kim Haboush, JaHyun (2013). The Memoirs of Lady Hyegyŏng: The Autobiographical Writings of a Crown Princess of Eighteenth-Century Korea (2 ed.). Berkeley: University of California Press. pp. 281–282\. ISBN 978-0-520-20055-5.
11. ^ Kim Haboush, JaHyun (2013). The Memoirs of Lady Hyegyŏng: The Autobiographical Writings of a Crown Princess of Eighteenth-Century Korea (2 ed.). Berkeley: University of California Press. p. 18\. ISBN 978-0-520-20055-5.
12. ^ 이, 상곤 (23 October 2013). 영조, 뱃속 회충을 이렇게 길들였다!. Pressian (in Korean). Retrieved 18 September 2023.
13. ^ '해치' 이순재→송강호→정일우, 영조 캐릭터 변천사. Ilgan Sports (in Korean). 2 March 2019. Archived from the original on 16 May 2021. Retrieved 7 March 2019.
14. ^ Baek, Byung-yeul (18 August 2014). "Same role, different actors". The Korea Times. Retrieved 9 November 2014.
15. ^ "SBS announces the cast of 'Haechi'". Korea JoongAng Daily. 9 November 2018.
16. ^ "After serving his country, Jung Il-woo is back: The actor once again dons hanbok for an upcoming SBS drama". Korea JoongAng Daily. 29 January 2019.

Yeongjo of Joseon

House of Yi

Born: 13 September 1694 Died: 5 March 1776

Regnal titles
Preceded by

Gyeongjong

|  King of Joseon
1724–1776  | Succeeded by

Jeongjo

* v
* t
* e

House of Yi

* List of Monarchs
* Kings of Joseon
* Emperor of Korea
* King Yi
* Genealogy
* Jeonju Yi clan
* Royal Family Association

* Kingdom of Joseon and Korean Empire (1392–1910)

Posthumous[note 1]|

* Mokjo (1392)
* Ikjo (1392)
* Dojo (1392)
* Hwanjo (1392)
* Deokjong (1475)
* Wonjong (1634)
* Jinjong (1776)
* Jangjo (1899)
* Munjo (1834)

King of Joseon
(1392–1897)|

* Taejo (1392–1398)
* Jeongjong (1398–1400)
* Taejong (1400–1418)
* Sejong (1418–1450)
* Munjong (1450–1452)
* Danjong (1452–1455)
* Sejo (1455–1468)
* Yejong (1468–1469)
* Seongjong (1469–1494)
* Yeonsan# (1494–1506)
* Jungjong (1506–1544)
* Injong (1544–1545)
* Myeongjong (1545–1569)
* Seonjo (1569–1608)
* Gwanghae# (1608–1623)
* Injo (1623–1649)
* Hyojong (1649–1659)
* Hyeonjong (1659–1674)
* Sukjong (1674–1720)
* Gyeongjong (1720–1724)
* Yeongjo (1724–1776)
* Jeongjo (1776–1800)
* Sunjo (1800–1834)
* Heonjong (1834–1849)
* Cheoljong (1849–1864)
* Gojong (1864–1897)

Emperor of Korea
(1897–1910)|

* Gojong (1897–1907)
* Sunjong (1907–1910)

Crown Prince[note 2]|

* Yi Bang-seok (1392–1398)
* Grand Prince Yangnyeong (1404–1418)
* Uigyeong (1455–1457)
* Yi Hwang (1502–1506)
* Sunhoe (1557–1563)
* Yi Ji (1608–1623)
* Sohyeon (1625–1645)
* Hyojang (1725–1728)
* Sado (1736–1762)
* Uiso (1751–1752)
* Munhyo (1784–1786)
* Hyomyeong (1812–1830)
* Uimin (1907–1910)

Daewongun[note 3]|

* Deokheung (1569)
* Jeongye (1849)
* Heungseon (1864)

Rival king|

* Heungan (1624)

* Korea under Japanese rule (1910–1945)

King Yi[note 4]
(1910–1947)|

| King Emeritus
(Deoksugung)|

* Yi Hui (1910–1919)

|

King
(Changdeokgung)|

* Yi Cheok (1910–1926)
* Yi Un (1926–1947)

Crown Prince|

* Yi Un (1910)
* Yi Ku (1931)

* Post-World War II (1945–present)

Director of the
Royal Family Association
(1957–)|

| In office|

* Yi Un (1966)
* Yi Ku (1973)
* Yi Won (2007)

|

Posthumous
recognition|

* Yi Kang

Pretenders|

* Yi Seok (2005–2021/2022)
* Andrew Lee (entrepreneur) (2021/2022-present)
* Yi Hae-won (2006–2020)

* # denotes that the king was deposed and never received a temple name.

1. ^ Those who were listed were not reigning monarchs but posthumously recognized; the year following means the year of recognition.
2. ^ Only the crown princes that did not become the king were listed; the former year indicates when one officially became the heir and the latter one is that when one died/deposed. Those who ascended to the throne were excluded in the list for simplification.
3. ^ The title given to the biological father, who never reigned, of the kings who were adopted as the heir to a precedent king.
4. ^ The de jure monarch of Korea during the era was the Emperor of Japan, while the former Korean emperors were given nobility title "King Yi" instead.

* v
* t
* e

Political factions of the Joseon dynasty

Southerners|

* Yu Sŏngnyong
* Yun Sŏndo
* Yun Hyu
* Hŏ Mok
* Hŏ Chŏk
* Huibin Jang
* Chae Je-gong
* Chŏng Yagyong
* Gisa Hwanguk
* Gapsul Hwanguk
* Catholic Persecution of 1801

Soron|

* Yun Jeung
* King Gyeongjong
* Sinchuk Hwanguk
* 1728 Yi In-jwa's Rebellion
* Eulhae Purge
* Queen Inwon

Noron|

* Song Si-yŏl
* Kim Seok-ju
* Queen Inhyeon
* Sukbin Choe
* King Yeongjo
* Queen Jeongsun

Authority control databases

International|

* ISNI
* VIAF
* FAST
* WorldCat

National|

* Germany
* United States
* France
* BnF data
* Netherlands
* Korea
* Israel

Other|

* IdRef

*[m.]: married
*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template
*[lit.]: literal translation