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Sejo of Joseon

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"Sejo" redirects here. For the father of Taejo of Goryeo, see Wang Ryung.
Not to be confused with Sejong of Joseon or Seonjo of Joseon.

Sejo
Unfinished reproduction of a state portrait, c. 1927
King of Joseon
Reign4 July 1455 – 1 October 1468
Enthronement3 August 1455
Geunjeongjeon Hall, Gyeongbokgung
PredecessorDanjong
SuccessorYejong
King Emeritus of Joseon
Tenure1 – 2 October 1468
PredecessorDanjong
SuccessorJungjong
Chief State Councilor
In Office20 November 1453 – 4 July 1455
PredecessorHwangbo In
SuccessorChŏng Inji
MonarchDanjong
Born11 November 1417
Hanseong, Joseon
Died2 October 1468(1468-10-02) (aged 50)
Suganggung, Hanseong, Joseon
Burial
Gwangneung, Namyangju, South Korea
Spouse
​
(m. 1428)​
Issue
Detail
Names
  • Yi Yu (이유; 李瑈)
  • Title: Grand Prince Suyang (수양대군; 首陽大君)[a]
Era dates
Adopted the era name of the Ming dynasty[b]
Posthumous name
  • Joseon: Great King Hyejang Jideok Yunggong Seongsin Myeongye Heumsuk Inhyo (혜장지덕융공성신명예흠숙인효대왕; 惠莊至德隆功聖神明睿欽肅仁孝大王)
  • Ming dynasty: Hyejang (혜장; 惠莊)
Temple name
Sejo (세조; 世祖)
ClanJeonju Yi
DynastyYi
FatherKing Sejong
MotherQueen Soheon
ReligionKorean Confucianism (Neo-Confucianism) → Korean Buddhism
Signature
Korean name
Hangul
세조
Hanja
世祖
Lit."Generational Progenitor"
RRSejo
MRSejo
Courtesy name
Hangul
수지
Hanja
粹之
RRSuji
MRSuji

Sejo (Korean: 세조; Hanja: 世祖; 11 November 1417 – 2 October 1468),[c] personal name Yi Yu, sometimes known as Grand Prince Suyang, was the seventh monarch of Joseon. He was the second son of Sejong the Great and the uncle of King Danjong, whom he forced to abdicate in 1455, after having previously led a coup d'état against him two years earlier. In his quest to seize power he ruthlessly killed rivals, including his younger brothers, Grand Prince Anpyeong and Grand Prince Geumseong. However, during his reign, he reformed administration, led campaigns against the Jurchens, revised land laws, promoted literature, and established court music. His Kyŏngguk Taejŏn became Joseon's foundational legal framework.

Biography

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Early life

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Born in 1417 as the fourth child and second son of Grand Prince Chungnyeong (future King Sejong) by his primary wife, Lady Sim of the Cheongsong Sim clan (future Queen Soheon), he showed great ability at archery, horse riding and martial arts, and was also a brilliant military commander, though he never went to the battlefront himself. He also possessed musical talent, which delighted his father, who claimed that the prince could achieve many great things if he put his mind to it.[1] In 1428, he received the title Grand Prince Suyang by which he is better known.

Rise to power

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Following the death of King Sejong in 1450, Suyang's ill brother, Yi Hyang (later known as King Munjong), took the throne but died two years later, and the crown passed to his 12-year-old son, Yi Hongwi (posthumously named King Danjong).[2] The new monarch was too young to rule the nation, and the government was controlled by Chief State Councillor Hwangbo In and General Kim Chongsŏ, who was the Left State Councillor. As Kim Chongsŏ and his faction used the chance to extend the power of court officials against royal family members, the tension between him and Suyang greatly increased not only Suyang himself, but his younger brother, Grand Prince Anpyeong, also sought an opportunity to take control of the country.[3]

In order to court the support of the Ming dynasty, Suyang became an ambassador in 1452. He also surrounded himself with trusted allies, including his famous tactician, Han Myŏnghoe, who advised him to take over the government in a coup. In 1453, Suyang killed Kim Chongsŏ and his faction, thereby taking the reins of power into his own hands. After the coup, he arrested his younger brother, Grand Prince Anpyeong, first sending him into exile, then sentencing him to death.[3]

Reign

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Finally, in 1455 Suyang forced the powerless king to abdicate, declaring himself the new ruler of Joseon (today known by the temple name "Sejo").[2]

After his younger brother Grand Prince Geumsung, and six scholars, including Sŏng Sammun, Pak P'aengnyŏn and Yi Kae, plotted to remove him from power in an attempt to put his nephew back on the throne, Suyang demoted the former king Danjong from "King Emeritus" (Sangwang, 상왕, 上王) to "Prince Nosan" (Nosan-gun, 노산군, 魯山君) and later ordered him to commit suicide by poison.

Despite having snatched the throne from his young nephew and killing many people in the process, Sejo proved himself one of the ablest rulers and administrators in Korean history. First, he continued King Taejong's legacy of strengthening the monarchy by weakening the power of the State Council and bringing the officials directly under the king's control. He also further developed the administrative system, which had also been introduced by Taejong, enabling the government to determine exact population numbers and to mobilize troops effectively (this caused Yi Si-ae's Rebellion, which he suppressed). Just like Taejong, Sejo was a hardliner concerning foreign policy and attacked the Jurchens on the northern front in 1460 (오랑캐; 兀良哈) and 1467 (호리개; 胡里改). He also revised the land ordinance to improve the national economy and encouraged the publication of history, economy, agriculture, and religion books.

Sejo himself compiled a number of books based on his interests. One of them is Seokbosangjeol, a biography of Gautama Buddha.[4] The others are Worinseokbo (월인석보; 月印釋譜) and Yeokdaebyeongyo (역대병요; 歷代兵要). One of his crowning achievements was the cultural progress Joseon made during his reign, such as the establishment of Jongmyo court music.[1] His father, King Sejong, had always wanted to use Korean music rather than Chinese music for ancestral ritual, but conservative court officials thought that Chinese music was far superior to Korean music and stopped Sejong's efforts. However, when King Sejo rose to the throne, he modified the ritual music composed by his father and used it for royal ancestral rituals, which is now inscribed as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage for Humanity.[1]

Most importantly, he compiled the Grand Code for State Administration, which became the cornerstone of dynastic administration and provided the first form of written constitutional law in Korea.

Death

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Sejo died in 1468, and the throne passed to his sickly second son, Yi Hwang (Yejong of Joseon). His tomb is known as Gwangneung (광릉) and is located in Namyangju, South Korea.

Worship

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In Korean shamanism, Sejo is worshiped as a wangshin (왕신; 王神; lit. ''king god'').[5][6]

Family

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  • Father: King Sejong of Joseon (조선의 세종대왕; 15 May 1397 – 8 April 1450)
  • Mother: Queen Soheon (소헌왕후), of the Cheongsong Shim clan (청송 심씨; 20 October 1395 – 28 April 1446)
    • Grandfather: Shim On (심온), Internal Prince Cheongcheon (청천부원군; 1375 – January 1419)
    • Grandmother: Grand Madame of Samhan State (삼한국대부인), of the Sunheung An clan (순흥 안씨; ?–1444)
Consort(s) and their respective issue
  • Queen Jeonghui (정희왕후), of the Papyeong Yun clan (파평 윤씨; 17 December 1418 – 15 May 1483)
    • Princess Uiryeong (의령공주), personal name Se-hui (세희), first daughter[d]
    • Yi Jang (이장), Crown Prince Uigyeong (의경세자; 12 October 1438 – 29 September 1457), first son
    • Princess Uisuk (의숙공주; 1441 – 15 January 1478), second (first) daughter
    • Yi Hwang (이황), King Yejong of Joseon (조선의 예종대왕; 23 January 1450 – 9 January 1470), third son
  • Concubine Geun (근빈), of the Seonsan Park clan (선산 박씨; 1425–?)
    • Yi Seo (이서), Prince Deokwon (덕원군; 7 April 1449 – 18 August 1498), second son
    • Yi Seong (이성), Prince Changwon (창원군; 1458 – 14 September 1505), fourth son
  • Soyong (소용), of the Park clan (박씨; ? – 3 October 1465)[e]
    • Yi A-ji (이아지; 1459–1463), fifth son
  • Sugwon (숙원), of the Goryeong Shin clan (고령 신씨)

Ancestry

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Ancestors of Sejo of Joseon
Yi Ja-chun, King Hwanjo
(환조대왕 이자춘)
King Taejo
(태조대왕)
Queen Uihye
(의혜왕후)
King Taejong
(태종대왕)
Han Gyeong, Internal Prince Ancheon
(안천부원군 한경)
Queen Sinui
(신의왕후)
Grand Madame of Samhan State, of the Saknyeong Shin clan
(삼한국대부인 삭녕 신씨)
King Sejong
(세종대왕)
Min Byeon
(민변)
Min Je, Internal Prince Yeoheung
(여흥부원군 민제)
Lady, of the Yangcheon Heo clan
(양천 허씨)
Queen Wongyeong
(원경왕후)
Song Seon
(송선)
Grand Madame of Samhan State, of the Yeosan Song clan
(삼한국대부인 여산 송씨)
Lady, of the Dalseong Ha clan
(달성 하씨)
Yi Yu, King Sejo
Shim Yong
(심용)
Shim Deok-bu
(심덕부)
Lady, of the Kim clan
(김씨)
Shim On, Internal Prince Cheongcheon
(청천부원군 심온)
Mun Pil-dae
(문필대)
Lady, of the Incheon Mun clan
(인천 문씨)
Queen Soheon
(소헌왕후)
An Cheon-bo, Duke Soui
(소의공 안천보)
Grand Madame of Samhan State, of the Sunheung An clan
(삼한국대부인 순흥 안씨)
Lady, of the Yeongju Kim clan
(영주 김씨)
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Sejo was a prominent character in The Ume Tree in the Midst of the Snow (설중매), the third installment of MBC's monumental series 500 Years of Joseon. Moon Ki-hoon of The Korean Herald labelled the depiction "a creative betrayal of the historical record", arguing that it attempted to rehabilitate Sejo's status as an usurper. Moon linked the depiction to political coercion from president Chun Doo-hwan, who gained his position from a coup in 1979.[7]

The 2026 film The King's Warden depicts Danjong's exile and death. Though Sejo is not seen onscreen, the popularity of the film led to Sejo's royal tomb being review-bombed on several navigation apps.[7]

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ From 1445 to 1455. Previously, Grand Prince Jinpyeong (진평대군; 晉平大君) from 1428 to 1433; Grand Prince Hampyeong (함평대군; 咸平大君) in 1433; and Grand Prince Jinyang (진양대군; 晉陽大君) from 1433 to 1445.
  2. ^ Gyeongtae (Jingtai) (경태; 景泰): 1455–1457
    Cheonsun (Tianshun) (천순; 天順): 1457–1464
    Seonghwa (Chenghua) (성화; 成化): 1465–1468
  3. ^ In the Korean calendar (lunisolar), he was born on the 24th day of the 9th lunar month and died on the 8th day of the 9th lunar month.
  4. ^ She is only mentioned in an unofficial history (야사; 野史) called Kŭmgye p'ildam (금계필담; 錦溪筆談) written in 1873 by Seo Yu-yeong (서유영). The sole reference at her existence in an official document is a passage from the Veritable Records of the Joseon Dynasty, where Grand Prince Suyang (as Sejo was still known at the time) is recorded as having "one son and two daughters" [Sejong Sillok, year 28].
  5. ^ Demoted to palace maid (내인), then executed by hanging following a second offense.

References

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  1. ^ a b c "King Sejo and Music". KBS World. 17 July 2019. Retrieved 17 January 2024.
  2. ^ a b An, Seung-jun (11 March 2014). "Forgotten story of Princess Gyeonghye". Korea Times. Retrieved 17 January 2024.
  3. ^ a b 세조. terms.naver.com (in Korean). Retrieved 4 February 2022.
  4. ^ "Life History and Sermon of Buddha Abstracted from Buddhist Scriptures". World Digital Library. 1447. Retrieved 24 May 2013.
  5. ^ Kim, Taegon (1995). "왕신" [Wangshin]. Encyclopedia of Korean Culture (in Korean).
  6. ^ Kim, Heon-seon (1995). "세조대왕신" [Sejo Daewangshin]. Encyclopedia of Korean Culture (in Korean).
  7. ^ a b Ki-hoon, Moon (12 March 2026). "The people's king: How "The King's Warden" became Korea's biggest film in years". The Korea Herald. Retrieved 7 April 2026.
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