Deposed Queen Yun facts for kids

Deposed Queen Yun of the Haman Yun clan (born 15 July 1455 – died 29 August 1482) was an important figure in Joseon history. She was the second wife of King Seongjong. She was also the birth mother of Yi Yung, who later became King Yeonsan. Queen Yun served as the Queen of Joseon from 1476 until she was removed from her position in 1479. Her story is often remembered for the political problems that followed her removal and death.

Life as a Queen

Early Years

Lady Yun was born on 15 July 1455. Her father was Yun Gi-Gyeon of the Haman Yun clan. Her mother was Lady Shin of the Goryeong Shin clan. She was their only daughter. She also had several older half-brothers and one older brother.

Becoming Queen

Lady Yun first joined the royal palace as a concubine. A concubine was a royal consort, but not the main queen. She held the title Suk-ui, which was a junior rank. In 1473, King Seongjong's first queen, Queen Gonghye, passed away. She did not have any children.

Because the king needed an heir, his advisors suggested he choose a new queen. Lady Yun was chosen for her beauty. She became the new Queen on 8 August 1476, when she was 21 years old. A few months later, she gave birth to a son, Yi Yung. He would later become King Yeonsan.

Challenges in the Palace

The new Queen was known for her strong personality. She was also very jealous of the King's other royal consorts. In 1479, she had a very heated argument with the King. This argument caused an injury to the King's face. The King tried to hide the injury. However, his mother, Queen Dowager Insu, found out what happened. She then ordered Queen Yun to be removed from her position. Queen Yun was sent away from the palace.

After she was removed, some people tried to help her return to the palace. But powerful government officials asked for her to be punished further. Sadly, Deposed Queen Yun's life was ended by order of the court. She later became known as Deposed Queen Yun. In Korea, her name "Pyebi Yun-ssi" means "deposed consort of the Haman Yun family."

What Happened Next

After her death, court officials chose a new queen for King Seongjong. This was Royal Consort Suk-ui of the Paepyeong Yun clan. She became Queen Jeonghyeon.

Queen Yun's son, Prince Yeonsan, grew up believing Queen Jeonghyeon was his birth mother. But in 1494, the young king learned the truth about his biological mother. He tried to give her back her royal titles and position. However, many officials disagreed with him. This disagreement about his mother's death led to big political conflicts. King Yeonsan used this as a reason to remove officials who opposed him.

During his rule, King Yeonsan honored his mother. He gave her the special title "Queen Jeheon."

See also

• History of Korea
• Joseon Dynasty politics