Chapter 15 - Dowager Queens and Royal Succession in Premodern Korea

Summary

WHEN THE EIGHTH king, Yejong (r. 1468– 1469), of the Chosŏn dynasty of Korea (1392– 1910) unexpectedly passed away, Queen Dowager Chŏnghŭi (1418– 1483) was with him in the king's quarter, or Kangnyŏng chŏn (Hall of Health and Peace). The queen dowager was his biological mother, who was the first wife and the first queen of the seventh Chosŏn king, Sejo (r. 1455– 1468). She called the highest-ranked ministers into the Kangnyŏng chŏn and, at the same time, convened a meeting of the other civil officials at the king's office, or Sajŏng chŏn (Hall of Thinking and Governing). The officials in the Kangnyŏng Hall asked her to “determine the chief mourner of the late king,” though in fact the aim was to select a Crown prince and set him on the throne. Her orders and the ministers’ responses, seemingly written down, were passed back and forth several times between both buildings. According to the Chosŏn wangjo sillok 朝鮮王朝實錄 (Annals of the Chosŏn Dynasty, 1392– 1863: hereafter the Sillok), she continued to discuss with the officials in the Kangnyŏng chŏn who should be “selected (to serve) as the chief mourner” but the officials kept demanding her decision. Finally, she designated as the “chief mourner” Prince Chaŭlsan (1457– 1495), third in line to the throne, and proclaimed him as the ninth king, Sŏngjong (r. 1469– 1494). Although Chaŭlsan was never made Crown prince, the queen dowager's decision and announcement legitimized his succession and established his authority fully.

Queen Dowager Chŏnghŭi was the first queen dowager and the first queen regent of Chosŏn. She was not proclaimed as Crown princess but two consecutive administrations, of her son, King Yejong, and her grandson, King Sŏngjong, honoured her with the official titles of queen mother and queen dowager respectively. Her family members, or the affinal (male) family members of King Sejo and the maternal (male) family members of King Yejong, had little involvement in politics.