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Concept
Taejong of Joseon
Summary
Taejong of Joseon (13 June 1367 – 8 June 1422), personal name Yi Bang-won (Korean: 이방원; Hanja: 李芳遠), was the third ruler of the Joseon dynasty of Korea and the father of King Sejong the Great. Before ascending to the throne, he was known as Prince Jeongan (Korean: 정안군; Hanja: 靖安君).
Born in 1367 as the fifth son of King Taejo and Queen Sinui, he qualified as an official of the Goryeo dynasty in 1382. During his early days, he helped his father in earning the support of the citizens and of many influential figures in the government. Yi Bang-won helped his father in the founding of the new dynasty by assassinating powerful officials such as Jeong Mong-ju, who remained loyal to Goryeo. He was called Prince Jeongan during the reign of King Taejo and was taught by Confucian scholars including Won Cheon-seok.
After helping in the overthrowing the previous dynasty and the establishment of Joseon, he expected to be appointed as the successor to the throne. However, his father and Chief State Councillor Jeong Do-jeon favored Taejo's eighth son and Yi Bang-won's half-brother (second son of Queen Sindeok), Yi Bang-seok, as the crown prince. This conflict arose chiefly because Jeong Do-jeon, as the principal architect of the ideological, institutional and legal foundations of the new dynasty, saw Joseon as a kingdom led by its ministers through appointment by the king. In contrast, Yi Bang-won sought direct rule through an absolute monarchy. These differences ultimately contributed to an environment of deep political tension. Following the sudden death of Queen Sindeok in 1398, Yi Bang-won led a coup d'état while King Taejo was in mourning for his second wife. This event led to the deaths of Jeong Do-jeon and his supporters, as well as the late Queen Sindeok's two sons including the crown prince. The incident became known as the "First Strife of Princes" (왕자의 난 in Korean).
Aghast at the fact that his sons were willing to kill each other for the crown, and psychologically exhausted from the death of his second wife, King Taejo abdicated and immediately crowned his second son (the oldest-surviving son) Yi Bang-gwa, or King Jeongjong, as the new ruler.
Official source
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