Myeongjong of Goryeo (8 November 1131 – 3 December 1202), personal name Wang Ho, was the 19th king of Korea's Goryeo dynasty. He was the third son of King Injong. His reign marked the beginning of the century-long military rule of Korea known as the Goryeo military regime.
| Myeongjong of Goryeo 고려 명종 高麗 明宗 | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| King of Goryeo | |||||||||
| Reign | 1170–1197 | ||||||||
| Coronation | 1170 | ||||||||
| Predecessor | Uijong of Goryeo | ||||||||
| Successor | Sinjong of Goryeo | ||||||||
| Regent | Yi Ui-bang (1170–1174) Chong Chung-bu (1174–1179) Kyong Tae-sung (1179–1183) Yi Ui-min (1183–1196) Ch'oe Ch'ung-hŏn (1196–1197) | ||||||||
| Born | Wang Heun 8 November 1131 Yeondeok Palace?, Gaegyeong, Kingdom of Goryeo | ||||||||
| Died | 3 December 1202 (aged 71) Disputed between: Changrak Palace or Yanghwa Palace, Gaegyeong, Kingdom of Goryeo | ||||||||
| Burial | Jireung (지릉, 智陵) | ||||||||
| Spouse | |||||||||
| Concubine | Lady Myeongchun Lady Sunju | ||||||||
| Issue |
| ||||||||
| |||||||||
| House | Wang | ||||||||
| Dynasty | Goryeo | ||||||||
| Father | Injong of Goryeo | ||||||||
| Mother | Queen Gongye | ||||||||
| Korean name | |
| Hangul | 명종 |
|---|---|
| Hanja | |
| Revised Romanization | Myeongjong |
| McCune–Reischauer | Myŏngjong |
| Birth name | |
| Hangul | 왕흔, later 왕호 |
| Hanja | |
| Revised Romanization | Wang Heun, later Wang Ho |
| McCune–Reischauer | Wang Hŭn, later Wang Ho |
| Courtesy name | |
| Hangul | 지단 |
| Hanja | |
| Revised Romanization | Jidan |
| McCune–Reischauer | Chidan |
| Posthumous name | |
| Hangul | 광효대왕 |
| Hanja | |
| Revised Romanization | Gwanghyo Daewang |
| McCune–Reischauer | Kwanghyo Taewang |
Although it was intended that King Injong's second son should succeed his father, he was assassinated because Chong Chung-bu feared that he might become a threat to him in the future. Myeongjong was a weak king, and was merely on the throne to show the general populace they still had a king, as the true rulers were the military leaders who had lanuched a coup against Myeongjong's father and had established a military government.[1][2] Despite this, Myeongjong did attempt to play off the military leaders against each other to both secure his own survival but also in an attempt to regain royal authority.[3] His reign saw constant bloodshed as well as the deaths of the military rulers Chong Chung-bu, Yi Ui-bang, Kyong Tae-sung, and Yi Ui-min.
After twenty-seven years on the throne, he was sent into exile by the military ruler of the time, Ch'oe Ch'ung-hŏn. King Injong's fifth son, King Sinjong, was placed on the throne.
Family edit
- Father: Injong of Goryeo
- Grandfather: Yejong of Goryeo
- Grandmother: Queen Sundeok
- Mother: Queen Gongye
- Grandfather: Im Won-hu (임원후)
- Grandmother: Grand Lady of Jinhan State of the Bupyeong Yi clan (진한국대부인 부평 이씨)
- Consort and their Respective issue(s):
- Queen Uijeong of the Kim clan half second cousin once removed.
- Concubine Myeong-Chun (명춘; d. 1180)
- Concubine Sun-Ju (순주; d. 1179)
- Unknown
- Little Prince Wang Seon-sa (소군 왕선사)
- Little Prince Wang Hong-gi (소군 왕홍기)
- Little Prince Wang Hong-chu (소군 왕홍추)
- Little Prince Wang Hong-gyu (소군 왕홍규)
- Little Prince Wang Hong-gyun (소군 왕홍균)
- Little Prince Wang Hong-gak (소군 왕홍각)
- Little Prince Wang Hong-yi (소군 왕홍이)
- Royal Lady Wang (왕녀 왕씨) – married Yi Hwa-ryong (이화룡)
Popular culture edit
- Portrayed by Kim Byung-se in the 2003-2004 KBS TV series Age of Warriors.
Notes and references edit
- ^ 이, 한우 (September 6, 2009). "[Why] 고려 의종 때 '무신(武臣)의 난' 간신(奸臣) 무참하게 도륙했지만 문극겸 등 충신(忠臣)은 화 면해". Chosun Ilbo. Retrieved 28 January 2024.
- ^ 이, 승철 (November 7, 2012). "고려 18대 의종왕 추념식…의종왕의 폐왕무로 원혼 달래며". Geoje News. Retrieved 28 January 2024.
- ^ 김, 준태 (September 27, 2020). "[김준태의 호적수(6) 두경승과 이의민] 고려 무신정권 시기 명종의 생존법". The Economist (Korea). Retrieved 28 January 2024.
- 명종 (in Korean). Doosan Encyclopedia.