The House of Yi was the royal family of Joseon and later the imperial family of the Korean Empire, descended from the Joseon founder Yi Seong-gye. All of his descendants are members of the Jeonju Yi clan.
After the Japan–Korea Treaty of 1910, in which the Empire of Japan annexed the Korean Peninsula, some members of the Jeonju Yi clan were incorporated into the Imperial House of Japan and the Japanese peerage by the Japanese government. This lasted until 1947, just before the Constitution of Japan was promulgated. The treaty was nullified in the Treaty on Basic Relations between Japan and the Republic of Korea.
With the Constitution succeeding to the Provisional Government, the descendants of the imperial family continue to be given preference and constitute a favored symbol in South Korea. The July 2005 funeral of Yi Ku, former head of the royal household, attracted considerable media coverage. The descendants of the Emperor Gojong founded the Royal Foundation of Korea in 2022 headed by the eldest great-grandson of the Emperor Gojong, Yi Jun. History Early era (15th century)
When Taejo of Joseon ascended to the throne in 1392, he continued to use the laws of Goryeo, and the noble titles he gave to his sons, nephews, and sons-in-law were all "prince" (군). (King Taejo Year 01, Month 08, Day 7, Entry 2) After the coup d'état in 1398, the system of noble titles changed: "duke" for king's sons, "marquis" for royal descendants, and "earl" for officers of senior first rank. (King Taejo Year 07, Month 09, Day 1, Entry 5) This system was abolished in 1401 to avoid "usurping" the existing title laws of the more powerful Ming dynasty. (King Taejong Year 01, Month 01, Day 25, Entry 4)
As of 1412, Taejong of Joseon approved a new system for giving titles to the royalty: (King Taejong Year 12, Month 04, Day 15, Entry 1) among the sons of a king, those who were born by the queen can acquire the title "grand prince" (대군), and the rest can be the "prince" (군); both princes are of senior first rank and their male descendants are as well insofar as their great-grandsons can retrieve official positions. According to the Veritable Records of the Joseon Dynasty, the title "prince" (군) was at first restricted to be given to sons or grandsons of kings, but these standards became looser over time. (King Sejo Year 09, Month 11, Day 5, Entry 1) (Gwanghaegun Year 1, Month 07, Day 29, Entry 3) Generally, a royal eligible to be a prince could not receive the title automatically even if his rank raised him to the junior second rank. (King Gojong Year 06, Month 01, Day 24, Entry 5) But such a hereditary title could be passed down to generations until it exceeds more than four generations (from the king). (King Gojong Year 02, Month 11, Day 1, Entry 1)
Similar to male royals, female royals received titles according to their kinship to the kings. Daughters of the king and queen were called 공주 (gongju), girls born to other consorts and fathered by the king were called 옹주 (ongju) to differentiate, and some further distant female royalties also had different titles; in English all these titles are translated as "princess". (King Sejong Year 06, Month 10, Day 07, Entry 3) (King Sejong Year 22, Month 04, Day 15, Entry 2) If the above-mentioned females were stripped of titles due to various reasons, they would be referred to as a commoner; for instance, the eldest daughter of deposed Yeonsangun of Joseon was addressed as "Ku Mun-gyeong's wife" after 1506. (King Jungjong Year 03, Month 10, Day 7, Entry 1) Later, there were also so-called "Kim Se-ryung's wife" (former Princess Hyomyeong) and "Jeong's wife" (former Princess Hwawan). (King Hyojong Year 03, Month 01, Day 15, Entry 2) (King Hyojong Year 00, Month 04, Day 03, Entry 1)
Middle era In 1469, Seongjong of Joseon ascended to the throne as the adopted heir to his uncle, Yejong of Joseon. As of 1475, Seongjong asked the Ming dynasty government to ratify his biological father, Crown Prince Uigyeong, to have a posthumous status as a king, (King Seongjong Year 06, Month 01, Day 29, Entry 2) and a temple name "Deokjong" was made for the late crown prince. (King Seongjong Year 06, Month 10, Day 09, Entry 4) A similar event took place in 1568, when Seonjo of Joseon succeeded the throne as the adopted heir to his half-uncle, Myeongjong of Joseon. Based on official advice, instead of giving his biological father (Prince Deokheung) a title of "king" posthumously, Seonjo created a new title for him in 1569, Deokheung Daewongun (덕흥대원군), as an honor to the late prince. This action had a precedent in 1066, when Emperor Yingzong of Song promoted his biological father (Zhao Yunrang) without posthumously elevating him to the status of emperor. (King Seonjo Year 02, Month 11, Day 01, Entry 1) (King Seonjo Year 10, Month 03, Day 24, Entry 1)
Following the precedent by Seonjo, three more royals were designated as Daewongun throughout the Joseon history: Prince Jeongwon (1623, but later promoted to "King Wonjong" as of 1634"); (King Injo Year 00, Month 05, Day 07, Entry 7) (King Injo Year 12, Month 07, Day 14, Entry 2) Yi Kwang (Jeongye Daewongun, 1849); (King Cheoljong Year 00, Month 06, Day 17, Entry 2) and Prince Heungseon (1864). (King Injo Year 00, Month 12, Day 09, Entry 2)
In 1650, Hyojong of Joseon, as requested by the prince regent Dorgon of the Qing dynasty, adopted a fourth cousin once removed as his daughter. Unusually, he gave her title, Princess Uisun, before she was about to leave Joseon to marry Dorgon. (King Hyojong Year 01, Month 03, Day 25, Entry 2)
Gojong and Sunjong / Korean Empire (1863–1896, 1897–1910)
After the Meiji Restoration, Japan acquired Western military technology. With this power, it forced Joseon to sign the Japan–Korea Treaty of 1876 after the Ganghwa Island incident. It established a strong economic presence on the peninsula, heralding the beginning of Japanese imperial expansion in East Asia. In the 19th century tensions mounted between China and Japan, culminating in the First Sino-Japanese War; much of this war was fought on the Korean Peninsula. The Chinese defeat in the 1894 war resulted in the Treaty of Shimonoseki, which officially guaranteed Korea's independence from China. However, the treaty effectively granted Japan direct control over Korean politics.
The Joseon court, pressured by encroachment from larger powers, tried to reinforce national integrity and declared the Korean Empire in 1897. King Gojong of Korea assumed the title of Emperor in order to assert Korea's independence; he gave himself the rank of the leaders of China and Japan. In addition, Korea sought modern military technology from other foreign powers, especially Russia, in order to fend off the Japanese. Technically, 1895 marks the end of the Joseon period, as the official name of the state was changed. But the dynasty continued, although Japan intervened in its affairs. For example, the 1895 assassination of the queen consort, Queen Min, is believed to have been orchestrated by Japanese general Miura Gorō. The queen had great influence on politics during the reign of her husband, and she tried to maintain the neutrality of the country by accepting the offers from the Russian Empire, allowing the latter to have greater influence. After the death of the queen, the emperor honored her by posthumously promoting her status to empress (Empress Myeongseong).
As an emperor, Gojong granted higher titles to some of his close relatives, and so did his successor Sunjong. In 1900, Gojong designated his younger son Yi Kang as Prince Imperial Ui (의친왕) and Yi Un as Prince Imperial Yeong (영친왕). (17 August 1900, Entry 1) Yi Seon, their older half brother who died young in 1880, was posthumously designated in 1907 as Prince Imperial Wan (완친왕). (1 October 1907, Entry 2) Gojong designated his (biological) elder brother Yi Jae-myeon as Prince Imperial Heung (흥친왕) in 1910. (15 August 1910, Entry 1)
Japanese annexation After a long-term process of controlling the puppet state, on 22 August 1910, Japan annexed the Korean peninsula and effectively ended rule by the House of Yi, forcing the nation to accede to the Japan–Korea Treaty of 1910. According to the treaty, some of the members of the Yi imperial clan were enfeoffed as , positioning them below the Japanese imperial family but above the Japanese peerage, or . (7 October 1910, Entry 1)
The noble titles granted by Japan in 1910, listing only those from Jeonju Yi clan, are as follows: The Yi imperial clan in 1910Empire of JapanKorean EmpireNotesTitleNameTitleCadet branchGenealogyLifetimeKing Emeritus Yi of DeoksuYi Hui이희(李㷩)Emperor Emeritus(Gojong of Korea)－ Heir to Crown Prince Hyomyeong 2nd son of Heungseon Daewongun 6-great-grandson of Grand Prince Inpyeong, the third son of King Injo1852-1919King Yi of ChangdeokYi Cheok이척(李坧)Emperor(Sunjong of Korea)－ 2nd son of Gojong1874-1926Crown Prince of King YiYi Un이은(李垠)Imperial Crown Prince－ 7th son of Gojong1897-1970Duke Yi KangYi Kang이강(李堈)Prince Imperial Ui의친왕(義親王)－5th son of Gojong1877-1955Duke Yi HuiYi Hui이희(李熹)Prince Imperial Heung흥친왕(興親王)House of Prince Yeonryeong 1st son of Heungseon Daewongun 6-great-grandson of Grand Prince Inpyeong, the third son of King Injo1845-1912MarquessYi Hae-seung이해승(李海昇)Prince Cheongpung청풍군(淸豐君)House of Prince Euneon Heir to Prince Pungseon 14-great-grandson of Grand Prince Wolsan, a grandson of King Sejo (Volume 3; Page 13, 21) (Volume 5; Page 23) (Page 38)1890-?Yi Jae-gak이재각(李載覺)Prince Uiyang의양군(義陽君)House of Prince Eunjeon 3rd son of Prince Wanpyeong 8-great-grandson of Prince Gyeongchang, the ninth son of King Seonjo (Volume 3; Page 24, 36)1874-1935Yi Jae-wan이재완(李載完)Prince Wansun완순군(完順君)House of Prince Yeonryeong Heir to Prince Heungwan 8-great-grandson of Prince Gyeongchang, the ninth son of King Seonjo1856-1922Yi Hae-chang이해창(李海昌)Prince Changsan창산군(昌山君)House of Deokheung Daewongun Heir to Yi Ha-geon, Prince Gyeongwon 12-great-grandson of Deokheung Daewongun, the eighth son of King Jungjong1865-1945CountYi Ji-yong이지용(李址鎔)－House of Prince Yeonryeong Heir to Prince Wanyong 15-great-grandson of Grand Prince Gwangpyeong, the fifth son of Sejong the Great (Volume 11; Page 43)1870-1928ViscountYi Byeong-mu이병무(李秉武)－House of Prince Murim 2nd son of Yi Gung-han 12-great-grandson of Prince Murim, the fifteenth son of King Jeongjong (Volume 4; Page 84)1864-1926Yi Wan-yong이완용(李完鎔)－House of Prince Euneon Heir to Prince Deokan 11-great-grandson of Deokheung Daewongun, the eighth son of King Jungjong (Volume 3; Page 52)1872-1937Yi Gi-yong이기용(李埼鎔)－House of Prince Yeonryeong Son of Prince Wanrim 7-great-grandson of Grand Prince Inpyeong, the third son of King Injo1889-1961Yi Jae-gon이재곤(李載崑)－House of Prince Gyeongchang Son of Yi Sin-eung 8-great-grandson of Prince Gyeongchang, the ninth son of King Seonjo1859-1943Yi Geun-taek이근택(李根澤)－House of Prince Gyeongmyeong 2nd son of Yi Min-seung 11 great-grandson of Prince Gyeongmyeong, the eleventh son of King Seongjong (Page 45)1865-1919BaronYi Jong-geon이종건(李鍾健)－House of Prince Murim Adopted son of Yi Gyu-cheol 10-great-grandson of Prince Murim, the fifteenth son of King Jeongjong (Volume 2; Page 32)1843-1930Yi Bong-ui이봉의(李鳳儀)－House of Grand Prince Hyoryeong Adopted son of Yi Gyeong-yu 14-great-grandson of Grand Prince Hyoryeong, the second son of King Taejong (Volume 37; Page 87)1839-1919Yi Jae-geuk이재극(李載克)－House of Grand Prince Neungchang Son of Yi Yeon-eung 6-great-grandson of Grand Prince Inpyeong, the third son of King Injo (Page 15, 16)1864-1931Yi Geun-ho이근호(李根澔)－House of Prince Gyeongmyeong 1st son of Yi Min-seung 11 great-grandson of Prince Gyeongmyeong, the eleventh son of King Seongjong1860-1923Yi Geun-sang이근상(李根湘)－House of Prince Gyeongmyeong 4th son of Yi Min-seung 11 great-grandson of Prince Gyeongmyeong, the eleventh son of King Seongjong1874-1920Yi Yong-tae이용태(李容泰)－House of Prince Milseong Son of Yi Byeong-ro