Deposed Queen Yun

Deposed Queen Yun
Queen Consort of Joseon
Tenure5 September 1476 – 30 June 1479
PredecessorQueen Gonghye
SuccessorQueen Jeonghyeon
Born24 July 1455
Hanseong, Joseon
Died7 September 1482(1482-09-07) (aged 27)
Hanseong, Joseon
Burial
Hoemyo, Seosamneung Cluster, Goyang, South Korea
Spouse
​
​
(m. 1476; dep. 1479)​
Issue
Detail		3 sons
Posthumous name
Queen Jeheon (제헌왕후; 齊獻王后)[a]
Clan
DynastyYi
FatherYun Gi-gyeon, Internal Prince Haman
MotherInternal Princess Consort Jangheung, of the Goryeong Shin clan
Korean name
Hangul
폐비 윤씨
Hanja
廢妃 尹氏
RRPyebi Yunssi
MRP'yebi Yunssi

Deposed Queen Yun[1] (Korean: 폐비 윤씨; Hanja: 廢妃 尹氏; 24 July 1455 – 7 September 1482), of the Haman Yun clan, was the second wife of King Seongjong, the ninth monarch of Joseon, and the biological mother of the tyrannical Yeonsangun. Remembered as one of the most infamous women in Korean history, she was queen of Joseon from 1476 until her deposition in 1479. Her ousting and subsequent forced suicide by poisoning became a source of recurrent political turmoil, culminating in the Second Literati Purge.

Biography

Early life

Lady Yun was born during the reign of King Sejo, as the only daughter and youngest child among four sons and one daughter. Her father was Yun Gi-gyeon and her mother was his second wife, a lady from the Goryeong Shin clan. Three of her elder brothers were born to her father's first wife.

Lady Yun's natal Haman Yun clan and the prolific Papyeong Yun clan (파평 윤씨) that produced many Joseon royal consorts, including Queen Jeonghui and Queen Jeonghyeon, both trace their ancestry to the Goryeo general Yun Gwan.

Through her maternal line, she was a first cousin once removed of Shin Suk-ju.

Her grandniece married Yi Ryang and became the maternal aunt-in-law of Queen Insun.

Life in the palace

As Queen Han (posthumously Queen Gonghye), the first wife of King Seongjong, was physically weak and unable to become pregnant, concubines had to be brought into the palace.

In 1473, at the age of 18, Lady Yun was appointed as a royal consort of the junior second rank (숙의; sugui). She was favored by Seongjong, who was her junior by two years, due to her frugal and gentle demeanor, and gained the trust of the three dowager queens (Jaseong, Insu and Inhye). The following year, Queen Han died of illness. Once the mourning period ended, Lady Yun was chosen as the new queen and officially invested in 1476.

Several months later, she gave birth to Yi Yung (later known as Yeonsangun). She had already given birth to a son in 1474, but the child didn't survive infancy. There was also a third son who died soon after Lady Yun's deposition in 1479.

It is said Lady Yun was selected as queen because her father was already dead and her family had declined into poverty, which meant there was no risk of powerful in-laws rising to prominence and influencing politics; her pregnancy and seemingly simple personality also played a role.

In 1477, Grand Queen Dowager Jaseong issued an edict to discuss Lady Yun's deposition. One of the triggers behind her action was the appearance of an anonymous letter in the residence of Gwiin Gwon (귀인 권씨), a consort of Seongjong's late father, Crown Prince Uigyeong; the letter claimed that Seongjong's two favored consorts, Sukyong Jeong (숙용 정씨) and Sukui Eom (숙의 엄씨), were planning to harm the queen and her son. Subsequently, the letter was submitted to the palace and after investigation, it was revealed that Lady Yun had instructed her mother and palace ladies to fabricate the story. Furthermore, a book about shamanistic rituals, which described how to prevent pregnancy and cause paralysis, and dried persimmons coated in arsenic were discovered in Lady Yun's chambers. Using her moral failings as justification, King Seongjong summoned his officials to deliberate over Lady Yun's deposition and her demotion to a royal consort of the senior first rank (빈; bin), but the matter had to be abandoned due to the officials' strong opposition.

Nonetheless, the marital relationship had completely broken down. Lady Yun's disrespectful conduct and aggressive speech, such as describing to Seongjong how she wished to "gouge out those eyes, erase even [his] footprints, and cut off those arms" and telling palace maids who commited transgressions that "...even though I cannot punish you now, I will exterminate your entire family in the future", steeled Seongjong's resolve to depose her. The deposition edict was finally issued in 1479 with the support of Grand Queen Dowager Jaseong and Queen Dowager Insu. Although officials protested the decision on the grounds that Lady Yun was the crown prince's biological mother, Seongjong asserted his will by citing the precedent of Emperor Renzong of Northern Song and Empress Guo. Lady Yun was banished from the palace and Sugui Yun became Seongjong's third queen (posthumously Queen Jeonghyeon) in 1480. Yeonsangun, who was raised by the new Queen Yun, presumably grew up believing her to be his biological mother.

Death and aftermath

In 1482, King Seongjong order the execution of Lady Yun, stating that she continued to show no remorse for her sins. In all likelyhood, Seongjong primarily sought to prevent the issue of her deposition from once again becoming the subject of public debate as the crown prince grew older.

Lady Yun was buried within Hoemyo (회묘), today part of the Seosamneung Cluster in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province. The tomb was originally situated in Jangdan County and was relocated a number of times, the last instance being in 1969. During Yeonsangun's reign, her tomb was elevated to Hoereung (회릉) and she briefly received the posthumous name Jeheon (제헌; lit. ''orderly dedication''), but both honors were revoked following the Jungjong coup.

After Yeonsangun discovered his mother's fateful outcome upon his accession to the throne, he attempted to restore her title and position, but was met with resistance from the officials. Ultimately, Lady Yun's death became Yeonsangun's pretext to purge the court of opponents and critics. In 1504, anyone remotely involved in Lady Yun's matter was arrested, interrogated, and executed, and meritorious subjects such as Han Myeong-hoe faced posthumous mutilation. This event came to be known as the Second Literati Purge, and the misfortune suffered by the Hungu faction laid the groundwork for the eventual coup d'état.

In the subsequent centuries, various rumors spread via unofficial histories, novels, and film/television; some purport Lady Yun had scratched King Seongjong's face in a fit of jealousy and later entrusted her mother to deliver the bloodstained skirt she wore during her execution to Yeonsangun, thus causing his descent into madness; others claim Lady Yun's downfall was orchestrated by Queen Dowager Insu conspiring with royal consorts and court officials. Nevertheless, those rumors are contradicted by extant historical records (for instance, the Veritable Records of the Joseon Dynasty).

Titles

  • During the reign of King Sejo (r. 1455–1468):
    • Lady, of the Haman Yun clan (함안 윤씨; 咸安尹氏)
      • Yun Gi-gyeon's daughter (윤기견의 딸)
      • Lady Yun (윤씨; 尹氏)
  • During the reign of King Seongjong (r. 1470–1495):
    • Sugui[b] (숙의; 淑儀; from 24 April 1473), royal consort of the junior second rank
    • Queen (왕비; 王妃; from 5 September 1476)
    • Commoner (서인; 庶人; from 30 June 1479)
  • During the reign of Yeonsangun (r. 1495–1506):
    • Queen Jeheon (제헌왕후; 齊獻王后; from 1504)
  • During the reign of King Jungjong (r. 1506–1544):
    • Commoner (서인; 庶人; from 1506)

Family

  • Father: Yun Gi-gyeon (윤기견), Internal Prince Haman (함안부원군)
  • Stepmother: Lady, of the Yangseong Yi clan (양성 이씨)[c]
  • Mother: Internal Princess Consort Jangheung (장흥부부인), of the Goryeong Shin clan (고령 신씨; ?–1504)
  • Sibling(s)
    • Brother: Yun U (윤우)[d]
    • Brother: Yun Hae (윤해)[d]
    • Brother: Yun Hu (윤후)[d]
    • Brother: Yun Gu (윤구; ?–1513)
  • Husband: King Seongjong (성종대왕; 28 August 1457 – 29 January 1495)
    • Biological father-in-law: King Deokjong (덕종대왕; 12 October 1438 – 29 September 1457)
    • Adoptive father-in-law: King Yejong (예종대왕; 23 January 1450 – 9 January 1470)
    • Biological mother-in-law: Queen Sohye (소혜왕후), of the Cheongju Han clan (청주 한씨; 16 October 1437 – 21 May 1504)
    • Adoptive mother-in-law: Queen Ansun (안순왕후), of the Cheongju Han clan (청주 한씨; 27 April 1445 – 12 February 1499)
  • Issue
    • Unnamed son (1474–1475)[e]
    • Yi Yung (이융), Yeonsangun (연산군; 2 December 1476 – 30 November 1506), first son
    • Unnamed son (1479)

Ancestry

Ancestors of Deposed Queen Yun
Yun Hui
(윤희)
Yun Deuk-ryong
(윤득룡)
Yun Eung
(윤응)
Yun Gi-gyeon, Internal Prince Haman
(함안부원군 윤기견)
Gwon Min-su
(권민수)
Gwon So
(권소)
Lady, of the Pungsan Kim clan
(풍산 김씨)
Lady, of the Andong Gwon clan
(안동 권씨)
Deposed Queen Yun
Shin Deok-rin
(신덕린)
Shin Po-si
(신포시)
Lady, of the Gwangju Jeong clan
(광주 정씨)
Shin Pyeong
(신평)
Kim Chung-han
(김충한)
Lady, of the Gyeongju Kim clan
(경주 김씨)
Internal Princess Consort Jangheung, of the Goryeong Shin clan
(장흥부부인 고령 신씨)
Ma Yeong
(마영)
Ma Cheon-mok
(마천목)
Lady, of the Pyongsan Shin clan
(평산 신씨)
Lady, of the Jangheung Ma clan
(장흥 마씨)
Yi Bin
(이빈)
Lady, of the Gyeongju Yi clan
(경주 이씨)

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ From 1504 to 1506.
  2. ↑ lit. 'Lady of Warm Deportment''
  3. ↑ Yun Gi-gyeon's first wife.
  4. 1 2 3 Half-brother.
  5. ↑ His childhood name was Hyo-shin (효신).

References

  1. ↑ Oh, Young Kyun (24 May 2013). Engraving Virtue: The Printing History of a Premodern Korean Moral Primer. BRILL. ISBN 978-9004251960.
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