Queen Sinŭi (; 6 October 1337 – 25 November 1391), of the Cheongju Han clan, was the first wife of Yi Sŏnggye, the founder of Joseon, and the mother of King Jeongjong and King Taejong. She was posthumously elevated to the position of queen upon her second son's accession to the throne. Following the establishment of the Korean Empire, she was honored as Empress Sinŭiko.

Biography Early life and lineage The future Queen Sinŭi was born during the reign of King Chungsuk of Goryeo,Sunjo Sillok, vol. 27, 19th day of the 10th lunar month of the 24th year of Sunjo (1824) as the elder daughter among five sons and two daughters. Her father was Han Kyŏng () and her mother was a lady from the Saknyeong Sin clan ().

In some sources, she is noted as a member of the Anbyŏn Han clan () because she descended from its founder, Han Ryŏn (), himself a ninth-generation descendant of Han Ran (), the progenitor of the Cheongju Han clan.

Marriage In 1351, at the age of 15, she was arranged to marry the 17-year-old Yi Sŏnggye. She gave birth to six sons and two daughters between 1354 and the 1380s. While Yi Sŏnggye was on the battlefield, Lady Han took care of the household affairs in his hometown.

During the Goryeo period, aristocratic men were allowed two wives; one wife was known as the kyŏngch'ŏ (), the capital wife, while the other wife was known as the hyangch'ŏ (), the countryside wife. In Kaegyŏng (present-day Kaesŏng), Yi Sŏnggye welcomed Lady Kang, the younger daughter of Kang Yunsŏng from the aristocratic Goksan Kang clan, as his second (kyŏngch'ŏ) wife in the late 1360s or early 1370s.

Death and aftermath Lady Han died at the age of 54, shortly before the founding of Joseon. She was buried within Cherŭng () in present-day Kaesŏng, North Korea.

A year after Lady Han's death, Yi Sŏnggye founded Joseon and became its first king (posthumously King Taejo), while Lady Kang became its first queen (posthumously Queen Sindeok). Shortly after, Lady Han received the honorific title chŏl (), and in 1398, upon the accession to the throne of her second son, Yi Panggwa (posthumously King Jeongjong), she was conferred the posthumous name Sinŭi ().

Following the death of Queen Sindeok in 1396, Lady Han's fifth son, Yi Pangwŏn (posthumously King Taejong), led a coup d'etat while King Taejo was in mourning for his second wife; this event led to the deaths of Chŏng Tojŏn and his supporters, as well as the elimination of Queen Sindeok's two sons, Yi Pangbŏn and Yi Pangsŏk. The incident came to be known as the First Strife of the Princes.

Titles

During the second reign of King Chungsuk (): Lady, of the Cheongju Han clan (; from 6 October 1337) Han Kyŏng's daughter () Lady Han () During the reign of King Gongmin (): Mistress Wŏnsint'aek (; from 1364) During the reign of King Taejo (): Queen Chŏl (; from 1392) During the reign of King Jeongjong (): Queen Sinŭi (; from 1398)Taejo Sillok, vol. 15, 11th day of the 11th lunar month of the 7th year of Taejo (1398) During the reign of King Taejong (): Queen Dowager Sinŭi (; from 1408)Taejong Sillok, vol. 16, sinhae (신해) day of the 9th lunar month of the 8th year of Taejong (1408) During the reign of King Sukjong (): Queen Sinŭi (; from 1683)Sukjong Sillok, vol. 14, gyemi (계미) day of the 6th lunar month of the 9th year of Sukjong (1683) During the reign of Emperor Gojong (): Empress Sinŭiko (; from 1899)Gojong Sillok, vol. 39, 7th day of the 12th month of the 36th year of Gojong (1899) (solar calendar)

Family Father: Han Kyŏng (), Internal Prince Anch'ŏn () Mother: Grand Princess Consort of Samhan State (), of the Saknyeong Sin clan () Sibling(s) Brother: Han Sŏnggi () Brother: Han Ch'angsu () Brother: Han Kŭmgang () Brother: Han Yungjŏn () Brother: Han Kŏm () Sister: Lady, of the Cheongju Han clan () Husband: Yi Sŏnggye (), King Taejo (; 4 November 1335 – 27 June 1408) Father-in-law: Yi Chach'un (), King Hwanjo (; 1315 – 3 May 1360) Mother-in-law: Queen Ŭihye (), of the Yeongheung Ch'oe clan (; ?–1336) Issue Yi Pang'u (), Grand Prince Chinan (; 1354 – 23 January 1394) Yi Panggwa (), King Jeongjong (; 26 July 1357 – 24 October 1419) Yi Pang'ŭi (), Grand Prince Ikan (; 1360 – 7 November 1404) Yi Panggan (), Grand Prince Hoean (; 7 August 1364 – 10 April 1421) Yi Pangwŏn (), King Taejong (; 21 June 1367 – 8 June 1422) Yi Pangyŏn (), Grand Prince Deokan (; ?–1388) Princess Kyŏngsin (; ? – 8 May 1426) Princess Kyŏngsŏn ()

Ancestry

In popular culture Portrayed by Tae Hyun-shil in the 1983 KBS1 TV series Foundation of the Kingdom. Portrayed by Kim So-won in the 1983 MBC TV series The King of Chudong Palace. Portrayed by Han Young-Sook in the 1996–1998 KBS1 TV series Tears of the Dragon. Portrayed by Lee Duk-hee in the 2021–2022 KBS1 TV series The King of Tears, Lee Bang-won.

See also Styles and titles in Joseon History of Korea

Notes

References