Taejo of Joseon facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Taejo of Joseon朝鮮太祖 조선 태조 |
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Portrait of King Taejo
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| Grand King Emeritus of Joseon | |||||||||
| Tenure | 5 September 1398 – 24 May 1408 | ||||||||
| Successor | Taejong | ||||||||
| King of Joseon | |||||||||
| Reign | 17 July 1392 – 5 September 1398 | ||||||||
| Coronation | Suchang Palace, Gaegyeong | ||||||||
| Predecessor | Dynasty established Gongyang as King of Goryeo |
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| Successor | Jeongjong | ||||||||
| Born | Yi Seong-gye (이성계, 李成桂) 11 October 1335 Ssangseong Prefectures, Yuan Empire (present-day Kŭmya County, South Hamgyŏng Province, North Korea) |
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| Died | 24 May 1408 (aged 72) Byeoljeon Hall, Gwangyeonru Pavilion, Changdeok Palace, Hanseong, Joseon |
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| Burial | Geonwonneung Mausoleum, Dongguneung Cluster, Guri, Gyeonggi Province, South Korea | ||||||||
| Spouse(s) |
Queen Sinui
(m. 1351; died 1391)Queen Sindeok
(died 1396) |
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| Issue | Jeongjong of Joseon Taejong of Joseon |
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| Clan | Jeonju Yi clan | ||||||||
| Dynasty | House of Yi | ||||||||
| Father | Yi Ja-chun | ||||||||
| Mother | Lady Choe of the Yeongheung Choe clan | ||||||||
| Religion | Korean Buddhism | ||||||||
| Signature |  |
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| Military career | |||||||||
| Allegiance |  Goryeo |
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| Years of service | 1356–1392 | ||||||||
| Rank | Commander-in-Chief of the Three Armies | ||||||||
| Battles/wars |
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| Korean name | |
| Hangul | |
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| Hanja | |
| Revised Romanization | Taejo |
| McCune–Reischauer | T'aejo |
| Birth name | |
| Hangul | |
| Hanja | |
| Revised Romanization | I Seonggye, later I Dan |
| McCune–Reischauer | Yi Sŏnggye, later Yi Tan |
| Courtesy name | |
| Hangul | |
| Hanja | |
| Revised Romanization | Junggyeol & Gunjin |
| McCune–Reischauer | Chunggyŏl & Kunjin |
| Art name | |
| Hangul | |
| Hanja | |
| Revised Romanization | Songheon & Songheongeosa |
| McCune–Reischauer | Songhŏn & Songhŏn'gŏsa |
Taejo of Joseon (born Yi Seong-gye, later Yi Dan) was the first king of the Joseon dynasty in Korea. He was born on October 11, 1335, and became king in 1392. He took the throne after playing a big role in ending the Goryeo dynasty.
King Taejo ruled until 1398, when he stepped down because of conflicts among his sons. He passed away in 1408. When he became king, he focused on keeping things stable rather than making huge changes. Many of the same powerful families and officials who served the old government continued to serve him. He also worked to improve relationships with Japan and Ming China.
Contents
About King Taejo's Life
Early Years and Family
Taejo's father, Yi Ja-chun, was a Korean official who worked for the Mongol-led Yuan dynasty. His mother, Lady Choe, came from a well-known Chinese family. She later moved to Hamgyong, a region in Goryeo.
Korea Before Joseon
By the late 1300s, the Goryeo dynasty, which had ruled Korea for about 400 years, was in trouble. Years of war and control by the weakening Mongol Empire had made it very weak. People also started to question if the royal family had the right to rule. This was because the kings weren't governing well, and there were arguments within the royal family.
At this time, powerful nobles, generals, and ministers fought for control of the government. This caused deep divisions. Korea also faced many attacks from Japanese pirates and the Red Turbans. Because of these threats, generals like Yi Seong-gye and Choe Yeong became very important. They were the ones who could fight off the invaders.
A Great Military Leader
Yi Seong-gye began his military career in 1360. He quickly moved up in the Goryeo army. In 1361, he helped recapture the capital city, Gaegyeong, from the Red Turbans. The next year, he defeated General Naghachu, who had invaded Goryeo.
General Yi became very powerful in the late 1370s and early 1380s. He pushed the remaining Mongol forces out of Korea. He also successfully fought off the Japanese pirates in many battles.
As the Ming dynasty grew stronger in China, the Yuan forces became weaker. This led to a big disagreement in the Goryeo court. One group, led by General Yi, supported the Ming dynasty. The other group, led by General Choe, supported the Yuan dynasty.
In 1388, the Ming dynasty demanded that Goryeo return some northern territory. General Choe saw this as a chance to invade the Liaodong Peninsula. He argued that this land was part of ancient Korea.
General Yi Seong-gye was chosen to lead this invasion. However, when he reached Wihwa Island on the Amrok River, he made a huge decision. This event is known as the Wihwado Retreat. He knew he had support from officials and the public. So, he decided to turn his army around and march back to Gaegyeong to take control of the government.
Yi Seong-gye was the last Korean ruler with a military background until the 20th century.
Taking Control of the Government
General Yi led his army from the Amrok River straight to the capital. He defeated the king's forces, led by General Choe, and removed him from power. This was like a coup d'état. But Yi Seong-gye didn't become king right away.
Instead, he put King U's eight-year-old son, King Chang, on the throne. Later, after an attempt to bring back the old king failed, both King U and King Chang were killed. Yi Seong-gye was now the real power behind the throne. He then made a distant royal relative, Wang Yo, the new king. This new king was a puppet, meaning Yi Seong-gye controlled him.
During this time, one of Yi Seong-gye's sons, Yi Bang-won, invited a famous scholar named Jeong Mong-ju to a party. Jeong Mong-ju was very loyal to the old dynasty and refused to support Yi Seong-gye. After the party, Jeong Mong-ju was killed by five men on the Seonjuk Bridge. This bridge is now a national monument. People say a brown spot on one of the stones is Jeong Mong-ju's bloodstain, which turns red when it rains.
Becoming King and His Rule
In 1392, Yi Seong-gye forced King Gongyang to give up his throne. He then sent the king away and secretly had him and his family executed. Yi Seong-gye then crowned himself as the new king, ending Goryeo's 475 years of rule. In 1393, he named his new dynasty "Joseon."
One of his first big achievements was improving relations with the Ming dynasty in China. He sent messengers to tell the Ming court about the new dynasty. He also sent envoys to Japan to restart friendly relations. This was successful, and the Japanese Shōgun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu was impressed. King Taejo also received messengers from the Ryukyu Kingdom and Siam.
In 1394, the new capital city was set up in Hanseong, which is now Seoul.
After the new dynasty was official, the question of who would be the next king came up. Yi Bang-won, Taejo's fifth son, had helped his father the most to gain power. However, he strongly disliked two of Taejo's important allies, Jeong Do-jeon and Nam Eun.
Both sides knew they hated each other and felt threatened. Even though Yi Bang-won seemed like the best choice for the throne, Jeong Do-jeon convinced the king to choose the son he loved most, not the one who was best for the kingdom.
In 1392, King Taejo's eighth son, Yi Bang-seok, was named crown prince. After the sudden death of Queen Sindeok in 1396, Jeong Do-jeon began to plan to kill Yi Bang-won and his brothers. This was to protect his own power.
In 1398, Yi Bang-won found out about this plan. He immediately started a revolt, attacked the palace, and killed Jeong Do-jeon, his followers, and the two sons of Queen Sindeok. This event is called the "First Strife of Princes." King Taejo was horrified that his sons were killing each other for the throne. He was also very sad about his wife's death. So, he quickly made his second son, Yi Bang-gwa, the new king.
After this, King Taejo went to the Hamhung Royal Villa and kept his distance from Yi Bang-won. It's said that Yi Bang-won sent messengers many times, but the former king killed them to show he wouldn't meet his son. This story led to the saying "Hamhung Chasa", meaning someone who never comes back. However, recent studies suggest Taejo didn't actually kill the messengers. They were killed during revolts that happened in the Hamhung area.
In 1400, King Jeongjong named his younger brother Yi Bang-won as the next king and willingly gave up his throne. That same year, Yi Bang-won became King Taejong.
King Taejo died ten years after he stepped down, on May 24, 1408, at Changdeok Palace. He was buried at Geonwonneung in Guri, Gyeonggi Province, South Korea.
King Taejo's Family
King Taejo had two main wives and several other consorts. He had many children, including eight sons and five daughters.
- His first wife was Queen Sinui of the Cheongju Han clan.
- Their sons included Yi Bang-gwa (who became King Jeongjong) and Yi Bang-won (who became King Taejong).
- His second wife was Queen Sindeok of the Goksan Gang clan.
- They had two sons, Yi Bang-beon and Yi Bang-seok.
King Taejo's Impact
Even though King Taejo overthrew the old Goryeo dynasty, many people see him as a strong and important ruler. They believe he saved the nation from foreign attacks and conflicts by replacing a weak government.
He helped Korea become safer, which allowed Koreans to rebuild and develop their culture. During a time when the Yuan dynasty and Ming dynasty were rivals, Joseon encouraged a strong national identity. However, some scholars, especially in North Korea, view Taejo as a traitor to the old government.
His success in foreign policy helped secure Korea's place in the early modern period.
See also
In Spanish: Taejo de Joseon para niños
- List of monarchs of Korea
- House of Yi
Images for kids
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King Taejo's signature
