The following is a list of queens, queens dowager and grand queens dowager of Joseon, and empresses and empresses dowager of the Korean Empire.
Title Joseon (also transcribed as Chosŏn or Chosun; ) was a Korean dynastic kingdom that lasted for five centuries. The Joseon king accepted Chinese suzerainty and acknowledged the Chinese emperor as their nominal overlordKang, Etsuko H. (1997). Diplomacy and Ideology in Japanese-Korean Relations: from the Fifteenth to the Eighteenth Century, p. 49. until the Kabo Reform in December 1894. The wife of the Joseon king bore the title wangbi (), translated as "queen". The title used in the court language was junggungjeon () or jungjeon (), translated as "central/middle palace". Wanghu (), the title for the wife of a king during the pre-Joseon era, became a posthumous title.
The title of daewangbi (), translated as "queen dowager", was given to the widow of a king. Daebi (), was originally was the short form of wangdaebi, but it became a lesser rank title during the reign of King Cheoljong. The widow of a king who lived through at least two subsequent reigns was called the daewangdaebi (), translated as "grand queen dowager".
After the Kabo Reform in December 1894, which proclaimed the severance of the subordinate relationship with China, royal titles also changed. The title changed from wangbi to wanghu and from wangdaebi to wangtaehu ().
In October 1897, King Gojong proclaimed Korea as an empire and assumed the title of emperor () in order to assert Korea's independence. Automatically, his wife held the title of empress () and a monarch's widow held the title of empress dowager (). Only Empress Sunjeonghyo held the rank of empress during her lifetime. The famous Empress Myeongseong died in 1895, two years before the Korean Empire was proclaimed.
List
Queens and empresses Joseon
King Queen Birth Became queen Ceased to be queen Death Posthumous name and maiden clan TitlesYi Dan,King TaejoQueen Sinui 133721 October 1391Queen Sindeok 12 July 135617 July 1392 15 September 1396 Yi Gyeong,King JeongjongQueen Jeongan 22 January 13555 September 1398 28 November 1400 2 August 1412Yi Bang-won,King TaejongQueen Wongyeong 29 July 136510 January 1401 9 September 1418husband’s abdication18 August 1420Yi Do,King SejongQueen Soheon 12 October 13959 September 1418 19 April 1446Yi Hyang,King MunjongQueen Hyeondeok 17 April 141810 August 1441Yi Hong-wi,King DanjongQueen Jeongsun 14401454 11 June 1455 7 July 1521Yi Yu,King SejoQueen Jeonghui 8 December 14181455 23 September 1468 6 May 1483Yi Hwang,King YejongHan Naeng-yi,Queen Jangsun 22 February 14455 January 1462Queen Ansun 18 April 14451468 31 December 1469 3 February 1499Yi Hyeol,King SeongjongHan Song-yi,Queen Gonghye 8 November 1456146930 April 1474 Queen 15 July 145514761479 29 August 1482Yun Chang-nyeon,Queen Jeonghyeon 21 July 146214801494 13 September 1530Yi Yung,Prince YeonsanQueen 15 December 14761494 2 September 1506 16 May 1537Yi Yeok,King JungjongQueen Dangyeong 7 February 148718 September 150625 September 150627 December 1557Yun Myung-hye,Queen Janggyeong 10 August 1491150716 March 1515Queen Munjeong 2 December 1501151729 November 15445 May 1565Yi Ho,King InjongQueen Inseong 7 October 15141544 8 August 1545 6 January 1578Yi Hwan,King MyeongjongQueen Insun 27 June 15321545 3 August 1567 12 February 1575Yi Yeon,King SeonjoQueen Uiin 5 May 155515695 August 1600 Queen Inmok 15 December 1584160216 March 160813 August 1632Yi Hon,Prince GwanghaeQueenof the Munhwa Yu clan 15 August 15761608 1623 31 October 1623Yi Jong,King InjoQueen Inyeol 16 August 1594162316 January 1636Queen Jangnyeol 16 December 1624December 163817 June 164920 September 1688Yi Ho,King HyojongQueen Inseon 9 February 1619164923 June 165919 March 1674Yi Yeon,King HyeonjongQueen Myeongseong 13 June 1642165917 September 167421 January 1684Yi Sun,King SukjongKim Ok-hye,Queen Ingyeong 25 October 1661167416 December 1680Queen Inhyeon 15 May 166716815 March 1688169416 September 1701Jang Ok-jeong,Queen 3 November 1659168816949 November 1701Queen Inwon 3 November 1687170212 July 172013 May 1757Yi Yun,King GyeongjongQueen Danui 11 July 168620 May 1696 8 March 1718Queen Seonui 14 December 1705172011 October 172412 August 1730Yi Geum,King YeongjoQueen Jeongseong 12 January 169330 November 17243 April 1757Queen Jeongsun 2 December 1745175922 April 177611 February 1805Yi San,King JeongjoQueen Hyoui 5 January 1754177618 August 180010 April 1821Yi Gong,King SunjoQueen Sunwon 8 June 1789180213 December 183421 September 1857Yi Hwan,King HeonjongQueen Hyohyeon 27 April 1828183718 October 1843Queen Hyojeong 6 March 1831184425 July 18492 January 1904Yi Byeon,King CheoljongQueen Cheorin 27 April 1837185116 January 186412 June 1878Yi Hui,Emperor/King GojongMin Ja-yeong,Empress Myeongseongtae 17 November 185120 March 18668 October 1895
Korean Empire
Emperor Empress Birth Became empress Ceased to be empress Death Posthumous name and maiden clan TitlesYi Cheok,Emperor SunjongEmpress Sunmyeonghyo 20 November 18725 November 1904Yun Jeung-sun,Empress Sunjeonghyo 19 September 189420 July 190729 August 19103 February 1966
Queens and empresses dowager Joseon
King Relationship with queen dowager Queen dowager Clan Husband Tenure Death Honorific name Posthumous nameYi Bang-won,King Taejong Queen Dowager SundeokQueen JeonganGyeongju KimYi Gyeong,King Jeongjong28 November 1400 – 2 August 14122 August 1412Yi Do,King Sejong Queen Dowager HudeokQueen WongyeongYeoheung MinYi Bang-won,King Taejong9 September 1418 – 18 August 142018 August 1420Yi Yu,King Sejo Queen Dowager UideokQueen JeongsunYeosan SongYi Hong-wi,King Danjong1455 – 14577 July 1521Yi Hwang,King Yejong Queen Dowager JaseongQueen JeonghuiPapyeong YunYi Yu,King Sejo1468 – 14696 May 1483Yi Hyeol,King Seongjong Queen Dowager InhyeQueen AnsunCheongju HanYi Hwang,King Yejong1469 – 14943 February 1499 Queen Dowager InsuQueen SohyeCheongju HanYi Jang, Crown Prince Uigyeong1474 – 149411 May 1504Yi Yung,Prince Yeonsan Queen Dowager JasunQueen JeonghyeonPapyeong YunYi Hyeol,King Seongjong1494 – 13 September 153013 September 1530Yi Yeok,King Jungjong Yi Ho,King Injong Queen Dowager SeongryeolQueen MunjeongPapyeong YunYi Yeok,King Jungjong1544 – 15455 May 1565Yi Hwan,King Myeongjong Queen Dowager GonguiQueen InseongBannam ParkYi Ho,King Injong1545 – 6 January 15786 January 1578Yi Yeon,King Seonjo Queen Dowager UiseongQueen InsunCheongsong ShimYi Hwan,King Myeongjong1567 – 12 February 1575 12 February 1575 Yi Hon,Prince Gwanghae Queen Dowager SoseongQueen InmokYeonan KimYi Yeon,King Seonjo1608 – 162413 August 1632Yi Ho,King Hyojong Queen Dowager JauiQueen JangnyeolYangju JoYi Jong,King Injo1649 – 165920 September 1688Yi Yeon,King Hyeonjong Queen Dowager HyosukQueen InseonDeoksu JangYi Ho,King Hyojong1659 – 19 March 167419 March 1674Yi Sun,King Sukjong Queen Dowager HyeonryeolQueen MyeongseongCheongpung KimYi Yeon,King Hyeonjong1674 – 21 January 168421 January 1684Yi Yun,King Gyeongjong Queen Dowager HyesunQueen InwonGyeongju KimYi Sun,King Sukjong1720 – 11 October 172411 October 1724Yi Geum,King Yeongjo Queen Dowager GyeongsunQueen SeonuiHamjong EoYi Yun,King Gyeongjong1724 – 12 August 173012 August 1730Yi San,King Jeongjo Queen Dowager YesunQueen JeongsunGyeongju KimYi Geum,King Yeongjo27 April 1776 – 18 August 180011 February 1805Yi Gong,King Sunjo NoneQueen HyouiCheongpung KimYi San,King Jeongjo18 August 1800 − 10 April 182110 April 1821Yi Hwan,King Heonjong Queen Dowager MyeonggyeongQueen SunwonAndong KimYi Gong,King Sunjo183421 September 1857 Queen Dowager HyoyuQueen SinjeongPungyang JoYi Yeong,Crown Prince Hyomyeong1834 – 18574 June 1890Yi Byeon,King Cheoljong Queen Dowager MyeongheonQueen HyojeongNamyang HongYi Hwan,King Heonjong25 July 1849 – 1857()1857 – 13 October 1897()2 January 1904Yi Hui,King Gojong Queen Dowager MyeongsunQueen CheorinAndong KimYi Byeon,King Cheoljong1863 – 12 June 187812 June 1878
Korean Empire
Emperor Relationship with empress dowager Empress dowager Clan Husband Tenure Death Honorific name Posthumous nameYi Hui,Emperor Sunjong Empress Dowager MyeongheonQueen HyojeongNamyang HongYi Hwan,King Heonjong13 October 1897 – 2 January 19042 January 1904
Grand queens dowager
King Relationship with grand queen dowager Grand queen dowager Clan Husband Tenure Death Honorific name Posthumous nameYi Hyeol,King Seongjong Grand Queen Dowager JaseongQueen JeonghuiPapyeong YunYi Yu,King Sejo1469 – 6 May 14836 May 1483Yi Yung,Prince Yeonsan Grand Queen Dowager InhyeQueen AnsunCheongju HanYi Hwang,King Yejong1494 – 3 February 14993 February 1499 Grand Queen Dowager InsuQueen SohyeCheongju HanYi Jang,Crown Prince Uigyeong1494 – 11 May 150411 May 1504Yi Hwan,King Myeongjong Grand Queen Dowager SeongryeolQueen MunjeongPapyeong YunYi Yeok,King Jungjong1545 – 5 May 15655 May 1565Yi Jong,King Injo Grand Queen Dowager MyeongryeolQueen InmokYeonan KimYi Yeon,King Seonjo1624 – 13 August 163213 August 1632Yi Yeon,King Hyeonjong Grand Queen Dowager JauiQueen JangnyeolYangju JoYi Jong,King Injo1659 – 20 September 168820 September 1688Yi Sun,King Sukjong Yi Geum,King Yeongjo Grand Queen Dowager HyesunQueen InwonGyeongju KimYi Sun,King Sukjong1724 – 13 May 175713 May 1757Yi Gong,King Sunjo Grand Queen Dowager YesunQueen JeongsunGyeongju KimYi Geum,King Yeongjo18 August 1800 − 11 February 180511 February 1805Yi Hwan,King Heonjong Grand Queen Dowager MyeonggyeongQueen SunwonAndong KimYi Gong,King Sunjo1834 − 21 September 185721 September 1857Yi Byeon,King Cheoljong Grand Queen Dowager HyoyuQueen SinjeongPungyang JoYi Yeong,Crown Prince Hyomyeong21 September 1857 − 4 June 1890 4 June 1890Yi Hui,King Gojong
See also List of monarchs of Korea
Notes
References