Deokheung Daewongun (Korean: 덕흥대원군; Hanja: 德興大院君; 2 April 1530 – 14 June 1559;[2] lit.'Grand Internal Prince Deokheung'), known before as Prince Deokheung (덕흥군; 德興君) before becoming Daewongun, personal name Yi Cho (이초; 李岹)[citation needed] was a royal family member of the Joseon period and the first Daewongun in Korean. He was the second son of Jungjong of Joseon and Royal Noble Consort Chang of the Ansan An clan,[3] also the biological father of Seonjo of Joseon.[4][5]
Biography
Early life
The future Grand Internal Prince Deokheung was born on 2 April 1530 as the 9th son of Jungjong of Joseon and his second son with Royal Noble Consort Chang of the Ansan An clan, the daughter of An Tan-Dae (안탄대) who was the member of Uijeongbu (의정부). He was firstly named Yi Hwan-su (이환수) and later was changed into Yi Cho (이초). Then, on 1538 (33rd year reign of his father), he honoured as Prince Deokheung (덕흥군; 德興君).[6]
Marriage and later life
In 1542, the grandson of Jeong In-Ji (정인지), Jeong Se-Ho (정세호)'s daughter, Lady of the Hadong Jeong clan (하동 정씨) (the future Hadong Budaebuin)[7] went to his house in Dojeong Palace, Sajik-dong, Hanseong-bu and then they were married. Later, in March 1554, both of his house and his father in-law's house were impeached by some of Ministers, but his half younger brother, King Myeongjong defeated them. Deokheung and his wife had 3 sons and 1 daughter. He also had one concubine named Sun-Dan (순단) and with her, he had one daughter whom named Yi Hye-Ok (이혜옥).
Seonjo's ascension to the throne
During his lifetime, based on Myeongjong's Annals, he was criticized for being ignorant. In 1567, his third son, Yi Yeon, Prince Haseong (이연 하성군) succeeded Myeongjong who died without any royal heir as the 14th King of Joseon.[4] Meanwhile, those servants who were negative about Myeongjong did not object to the success of Yi-Yeon and immediately agreed.
In 1 November 1569 (2nd year reign of his son), he and his wife, as the biological parents of the King were given royal title from Prince Deokheung become Grand Internal Prince Deokheung (덕흥대원군; 德興大院君) and from Princess Consort Hadong become Grand Internal Princess Consort Hadong (하동부대부인; 河東府大夫人). After that, the family shrine was established in Dojeong Palace (도정궁) and under the support from Jamjeo (잠저).
After the death of Crown Prince Sunhoe, the only son of King Myeongjong, he decided to choose a successor for the throne and the chosen was among the sons of Deokheung Daewongun. Myeongjong also selected Han Yun-Myeong (한윤명) and Jeong Ji-Yeon (정지연) as the teachers for Deokheung's sons.[15] In the other hand, Yun Won-hyeong (윤원형) expected a successor from among his sons and forced him to marry his daughter with the son of Deokheung. At first, Deokheung accepted it, but Myeongjong objected and eventually collapsed.
^Daughter of Jeong Se-Ho, Duke Hyogan (정세호 효간공) and Lady, of the Gwangju Yi clan (정경부인 광주 이씨).
^Married firstly with Princess Consort Namyang of the Namyang Hong clan (남양군부인 남양 홍씨; 1544–1569), the daughter of Hong-Seom, Prince Gangnyeong (홍섬 강녕군; 1504–1585); had 3 sons and 1 daughter. After her death, he remarried again with Princess Consort Sinan of the Seongju Yi clan (신안군부인 성주 이씨; 1556–1616), the daughter of Yi Ui-Ro (이의로).
^Married with An-Hwang, Prince Gwangyang (안황 광양군; 1549–1593) from the Gwangju An clan (광주 안씨) and had son, An Eung-Won (안응원).
^Married with Princess Consort Pyeongsan of the Pyeongsan Sin clan (평산군부인 평산 신씨), the daughter of Sin Yeo-Jong (신여종) and become the adoptive parents of Prince Yeongje (영제군; 1568–1623) who was the 3rd son of his older brother, Prince Hawon (하원군).
^Become the 14th King of Joseon in 1567 when he was about 15 years old and then married firstly with Queen Uiin of the Bannam Bak clan (의인왕후 박씨; 5 May 1555 – 5 August 1600) but had no issue. Later, after her death, he remarried again with Queen Inmok of the Yeonan Gim clan (인목왕후 김씨; 15 December 1584 – 13 August 1632), had 1 son and 1 daughter.
# denotes that the king was deposed and never received a temple name.
^Those who were listed were not reigning monarchs but posthumously recognized; the year following means the year of recognition.
^Only the crown princes that did not become the king were listed; the former year indicates when one officially became the heir and the latter one is that when one died/deposed. Those who ascended to the throne were excluded in the list for simplification.
^The title given to the biological father, who never reigned, of the kings who were adopted as the heir to a precedent king.
^The de jure monarch of Korea during the era was the Emperor of Japan, while the former Korean emperors were given nobility title "King Yi" instead.
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