Gojong (; 8 September 1852 – 21 January 1919) was the monarch of

Korea Korea ( ko, 한국, or , ) is a peninsular region in East Asia. Since 1945, it has been divided at or near the 38th parallel, with North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) comprising its northern half and South Korea (Republic ...

from 1864 to 1907. He reigned as the last King of Joseon from 1864 to 1897, and as the first

Emperor of Korea Imperial titles were used in various historical Korean states before the 14th century and at the turn of the 20th century: Early Korean states used "great king", "greatest king", and "holy king"; later Korean states used "emperor". Korean monarc ...

from 1897 until his forced abdication in 1907. He is known posthumously as the Emperor Gwangmu (). He was instrumental in the forced signing of the

Treaty of Ganghwa A treaty is a formal, legally binding written agreement between actors in international law. It is usually made by and between sovereign states, but can include international organizations, individuals, business entities, and other legal perso ...

(1876), an

unequal treaty Unequal treaty is the name given by the Chinese to a series of treaties signed during the 19th and early 20th centuries, between China (mostly referring to the Qing dynasty) and various Western powers (specifically the British Empire, France, the ...

which would eventually pave the way for Japanese annexation of Korea. In 1895, his wife

Queen Min Empress Myeongseong or Empress Myungsung (명성황후 민씨; 17 November 1851 – 8 October 1895In lunar calendar, the Empress was born on 25 September 1851 and died on 20 August 1895), informally known as Empress Min, was the official wife ...

was assassinated by Japanese agents, strengthening the king's antipathy towards the Japanese. Gojong declared Korea an empire in 1897, which ended the country's historic subordination to the

Qing dynasty The Qing dynasty ( ), officially the Great Qing,, was a Manchu-led imperial dynasty of China and the last orthodox dynasty in Chinese history. It emerged from the Later Jin dynasty founded by the Jianzhou Jurchens, a Tungusic-speak ...

. His slow pace in issuing reforms led to conflict with the Independence Club, but he saw more success when carrying out the

Gwangmu Reform The Gwangmu Reform ( Korean" 광무개혁, Hanja: 光武改革, ''Gwangmu Gaehyeok'') was a collection of reforms that were aimed at modernizing and westernizing the Korean Empire as it felt held back from what other countries had achieved in the ...

along military, economic and educational lines. Later, Gojong was subjected to several assassination and abdication attempts; eventually forced to abdicate, he was confined in a palace from where he tried unsuccessfully several times to seek refuge outside of Korea but eventually died in the Deoksugung Palace. There was suspicion that he was poisoned by Japanese officials.

Biography

Early life

Gojong was born in Jeongseonbang, a province of Hanseong. He was the son of

Yi Ha-eung Heungseon Daewongun (흥선대원군, 興宣大院君, 21 December 1820 – 22 February 1898; ), also known as the Daewongun (대원군, 大院君), Guktaegong (국태공, 國太公, "The Great Archduke") or formally Internal King Heungseon Heon ...

. After

Cheoljong of Joseon Cheoljong of Joseon (25 July 1831 – 16 January 1864) was the 25th king of the Joseon, reigning from 1849 to 1864. After Heonjong of Joseon died without male heir in 1849, Queen Sunwon chose Cheoljong, aged 19, to be the next king, as the heir ...

died without son,

Andong Kim clan {{unreferenced, date=December 2014 The Andong Kim clan (Hangul: 안동 김씨, Hanja: 安東金氏) refers to two Korean clans. They were prominent yangban families during Korea's Joseon Dynasty originating from Andong, North Gyeongsang provin ...

nominated him as the next King. Gojong became Prince Ik-seon shortly before his coronation. He entered the palace on 9 December 1863, and his father and mother were ennobled.

Early reign

Emperor Gojong of the Korean Empire by Percival Lowell, 1884

On 13 December 1863, Gojong was crowned in Injeong gate of

Changdeokgung Changdeokgung (Hangul: 창덕궁, Hanja: 昌德宮; literally, "The Palace of Prospering Virtue"), also known as Changdeokgung Palace or Changdeok Palace, is set within a large park in Jongno District, Seoul, South Korea. It is one of the " Five ...

. He was only twelve years old when he was crowned. Queen Sinjeong acted as regent until he became an adult. His father, Prince Heungseon Daewongun, assisted in the affairs of Queen Sinjeong's regency. In 1866, when the queen proclaimed the abolishment of the regency, Gojong's rule started. On 6 March 1866,

Min Chi-rok Min Chi-rok (; 1799 – 17 September 1858), formally honoured as Internal Prince Yeoseong (). He also known as Duke Hyojeong () or Duke Sungan (), was a Korean political figure of the Joseon Dynasty. He was the father of Empress Myeongseong and th ...

's daughter, Lady Min was selected as the new queen. Even though Gojong's father Daewongun had no rights to maintain the regency, he still acted as regent illegally. During the mid-1860s, the Daewongun was the main proponent of isolationism and was responsible for the persecution of native and foreign Catholics, a policy that led directly to the

French French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents ** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...

and the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country Continental United States, primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., ...

' expeditions to Korea, in 1866 and 1871 respectively. The early years of the Daewongun's rule also witnessed a concerted effort to restore the largely dilapidated Gyeongbok Palace, the seat of royal authority. During this time, the ''

Seowon Seowon () were the most common educational institutions of Korea during the mid- to late Joseon Dynasty. They were private institutions, and combined the functions of a Confucian shrine and a preparatory school. In educational terms, the seowon ...

'' (private academies that often doubled as epicenters of factional power), and the power wielded by the

in particular was dismantled. Finally in 1873, Gojong announced the assumption of his direct royal rule. In November 1874, with the retirement of the Daewongun, Gojong's consort, Queen Min (posthumously known as

Empress Myeongseong Empress Myeongseong or Empress Myungsung (명성황후 민씨; 17 November 1851 – 8 October 1895In lunar calendar, the Empress was born on 25 September 1851 and died on 20 August 1895), informally known as Empress Min, was the official wife ...

) and Yeoheung Min clan, gained complete control over the court, filling senior court positions with members of her family. Gojong tried to strengthen the king's authority by giving important positions to consort kins and royal family members. Its known that Min Young-hwan, who was a distant relative of Queen Min, was Gojong's favorite official.

External pressures and unequal treaties

In the 19th century, tensions mounted between

Qing China The Qing dynasty ( ), officially the Great Qing,, was a Manchu-led imperial dynasty of China and the last orthodox dynasty in Chinese history. It emerged from the Later Jin dynasty founded by the Jianzhou Jurchens, a Tungusic-speaki ...

and

Imperial Japan The also known as the Japanese Empire or Imperial Japan, was a historical nation-state and great power that existed from the Meiji Restoration in 1868 until the enactment of the post-World War II 1947 constitution and subsequent forma ...

, culminating in the

First Sino-Japanese War The First Sino-Japanese War (25 July 1894 – 17 April 1895) was a conflict between China and Japan primarily over influence in Korea. After more than six months of unbroken successes by Japanese land and naval forces and the loss of the p ...

in 1894–1895. Much of this war was fought on the Korean peninsula. Japan, having acquired Western military technology after the

Meiji Restoration The , referred to at the time as the , and also known as the Meiji Renovation, Revolution, Regeneration, Reform, or Renewal, was a political event that restored practical imperial rule to Japan in 1868 under Emperor Meiji. Although there were ...

, secured a victory against Joseon forces in

Ganghwa Island Ganghwa Island (Hangul ; Hanja ), also known by its native name Ganghwado, is a South Korean island in the estuary of the Han River. It is in the Yellow Sea, off Korea's west coast. The island is separated from Gimpo (on the South Korean mainlan ...

, forcing Joseon to sign the

in 1876. Japan encroached upon Korean territory in search of fish, iron ore, and other natural resources. It also established a strong economic presence in the peninsula, heralding the beginning of Japanese Imperial expansion in East Asia. These events were the roots of Gojong's antipathy to the Japanese Empire. The Treaty of Ganghwa became the first

signed between Korea and a foreign country; it gave

extraterritorial In international law, extraterritoriality is the state of being exempted from the jurisdiction of local law, usually as the result of diplomatic negotiations. Historically, this primarily applied to individuals, as jurisdiction was usually cl ...

rights to Japanese citizens in Korea and forced the Korean government to open three ports,

Busan Busan (), officially known as is South Korea's most populous city after Seoul, with a population of over 3.4 million inhabitants. Formerly romanized as Pusan, it is the economic, cultural and educational center of southeastern South Korea ...

Incheon Incheon (; ; or Inch'ŏn; literally "kind river"), formerly Jemulpo or Chemulp'o (제물포) until the period after 1910, officially the Incheon Metropolitan City (인천광역시, 仁川廣域市), is a city located in northwestern South Kore ...

, and

Wonsan Wŏnsan (), previously known as Wŏnsanjin (), Port Lazarev, and Genzan (), is a port city and naval base located in Kangwŏn Province, North Korea, along the eastern side of the Korean Peninsula, on the Sea of Japan and the provincial capital. ...

, to Japanese and foreign trade. With the signing of such a lopsided treaty, Korea became easy prey for competing

imperialistic Imperialism is the state policy, practice, or advocacy of extending power and dominion, especially by direct territorial acquisition or by gaining political and economic control of other areas, often through employing hard power (economic and ...

powers, paving the way for Korea's annexation by Japan.

Imo Rebellion and Gapsin Coup

King Gojong began to rely on a new paid army (''byeolgigun'') of soldiers equipped with rifles. These new armies were requested by the Gaehwa Party and was supervised by

Yun Ung-nyeol General Yun Ung-nyeol or Yun Woong Niel, also known as Yun Ung-ryeol (윤웅렬, 1840-1911), was a Joseon Dynasty and Korean Empire soldier and Gaehwa Party politician. Yun Ung-nyeol was a pro-Japanese scholar-bureaucrat of the Joseon Dynasty a ...

. In contrast to the well-armed army, the old army had not received a salary for 13 months. The tattered army was finally paid one month's salary. Enraged, the old army sparked a riot, and the Daewongun seized power. When the Imo Incident happened,

requested the

Qing Empire The Qing dynasty ( ), officially the Great Qing,, was a Manchu people, Manchu-led Dynasties in Chinese history, imperial dynasty of China and the last orthodox dynasty in Chinese history. It emerged from the Later Jin (1616–1636), La ...

for military support. On 27 June 1882, the Qing deployed about 3,000 soldiers in Seoul. They kidnapped the Daewongun on 7 July 1882, which led the Min family to regain political power. During the Imo incident when Queen Min was taking refuge in her relative's villa, Lady Seon-yeong of the Yeongwol Eom clan showed extreme devotion towards King Gojong. He rewarded her fealty by promoting her to the rank of Jimil Sanggung (5th senior rank of Women of the Internal Court). On 4 December 1884, five revolutionaries attempted a

coup d'état A coup d'état (; French for 'stroke of state'), also known as a coup or overthrow, is a seizure and removal of a government and its powers. Typically, it is an illegal seizure of power by a political faction, politician, cult, rebel group, m ...

by leading a small anti-old minister army to detain King Gojong and Queen Min. These revolutionaries tried to remove the Qing army from Korea. The Gapsin Coup failed after 3 days. Some of its leaders, including

Kim Okgyun Kim Ok-gyun (김옥균; 金玉均; February 23, 1851 – March 28, 1894) was a reformist (''Gaehwapa'', 개화파) activist during the late Joseon dynasty of Korea. He served under the national civil service under King Gojong, and actively pa ...

, fled to Japan, and others were executed.

Peasant revolts

Widespread poverty presented significant challenges to the 19th century Joseon Dynasty. Starvation was rampant, and much of the populace lived in run-down shanties lined along dirt roads. Famine, poverty, crushing taxes, and corruption among the ruling class, led to many notable peasant revolts in the 19th century. In 1894, the

Donghak Peasant Revolution The Donghak Peasant Revolution (), also known as the Donghak Peasant Movement (), Donghak Rebellion, Peasant Revolt of 1894, Gabo Peasant Revolution, and a variety of other names, was an armed rebellion in Korea led by peasants and followers of ...

took hold as an anti-government, anti-

yangban The ''yangban'' () were part of the traditional ruling class or gentry of dynastic Korea during the Joseon Dynasty. The ''yangban'' were mainly composed of highly educated civil servants and military officers—landed or unlanded aristocrats ...

, and anti-foreign campaign. One leading cause of the revolution was the tax system implemented by

, who was not familiar with modern tax systems. Gojong asked for the assistance from the Chinese and Japanese to crush the revolution.

Yi Jun-yong Yi Junyong (Hangul: 이준용, Hanja: 李埈鎔), known as Prince Yeongseon (영선군, 永善君) (23 July 1870 – 22 March 1917) was a politician, thinker, and member of the Korean Joseon Dynasty's royal family, politicians, and later became ...

and others coordinated with peasants to assassinate Gojong. However, the plot was leaked and the revolution failed. Although the revolution ultimately failed, many of the peasants' grievances were later addressed with the

Gabo Reform The Gabo Reform, also known as the Kabo Reform, describes a series of sweeping reforms suggested to the government of Korea, beginning in 1894 and ending in 1896 during the reign of Gojong of Korea in response to the Donghak Peasant Revolution. ...

. One of the biggest reforms in 1894 was abolishing the slave (nobi) system, which had existed as far back as the

Gojoseon Gojoseon () also called Joseon (), was the first kingdom on the Korean Peninsula. According to Korean mythology, the kingdom was established by the legendary founder named Dangun. Gojoseon possessed the most advanced culture in the Korean P ...

period.

The assassination of Queen Min

In 1895,

was assassinated by Japanese agents. The Japanese minister to Korea,

Miura Gorō Viscount was a lieutenant general in the early Imperial Japanese Army. Biography Miura was born in Hagi in Chōshū Domain (modern Yamaguchi Prefecture), to a '' samurai'' family with the name of Andō, but was adopted by the Miura that w ...

, orchestrated the plot against her. A group of Japanese agents entered Gyeongbokgung in Seoul, which was under guard by Korean troops sympathetic to the Japanese, and the queen was killed in the palace. The queen had attempted to counter Japanese interference in Korea and was considering turning to Russia or China for support.

Anti-Japanese sentiments in Korea

In 1895 Japan won the

, expanding its influence over the Korean government. The Gabo reforms and the assassination of the queen stirred controversy in Korea, fomenting Korean anti-Japanese sentiment. Gojong's antipathy toward the Japanese intensified, and he turned to Russia as an ally by signing Russia–Korea Treaty of 1884. He sent many emissaries to Russian Empire. Some Confucian scholars, as well as farmers, formed over 60 successive righteous armies to fight for Korean freedom. These armies were preceded by the Donghak movement and succeeded by various

Korean independence movements The Korean independence movement was a military and diplomatic campaign to achieve the independence of Korea from Japan. After the Japanese annexation of Korea in 1910, Korea's domestic resistance peaked in the March 1st Movement of 1919, whic ...

Internal exile to the Russian legation

Pro-Japanese government grew, while anti-Japanese politicians were either killed or fled for their survival after the Chun Sang Door Incident in 1895. Gojong perceived the need for refuge. On 11 February 1896, King Gojong and his crown prince fled from the Gyeongbokgung to the Russian legation in

Seoul Seoul (; ; ), officially known as the Seoul Special City, is the Capital city, capital and largest metropolis of South Korea.Before 1972, Seoul was the ''de jure'' capital of the North Korea, Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea ...

, from which they governed for about one year, an event known as

Gojong's internal exile to the Russian legation King Gojong's internal exile to the Russian legation, also called the Agwan Pacheon incident ( ko, 아관파천, Hanja: 俄館播遷), occurred in 1896 in Korea when King Gojong and his crown prince left the Gyeongbokgung palace to take refuge at ...

. Because of staying in the Russian legation many concessions of Korea were taken by Russia. Gojong sent Min Young-hwan to the

coronation A coronation is the act of placement or bestowal of a crown upon a monarch's head. The term also generally refers not only to the physical crowning but to the whole ceremony wherein the act of crowning occurs, along with the presentation of o ...

Nicholas II of Russia Nicholas II or Nikolai II Alexandrovich Romanov; spelled in pre-revolutionary script. ( 186817 July 1918), known in the Russian Orthodox Church as Saint Nicholas the Passion-Bearer,. was the last Emperor of Russia, King of Congress Polan ...

. Min returned to Korea in October 1896 with Russian Army instructors. These instructors were able to train guards which enabled Gojong to return to palace in February 1897.

Emperor of Korea

On 13 October 1897, yielding to rising pressure from overseas and the demands of the Independence Association-led public opinion, King Gojong returned to Gyeongungung (modern-day Deoksugung). He declared himself emperor, changed the country's name to the

Great Korean Empire The Korean Empire () was a Korean monarchical state proclaimed in October 1897 by Emperor Gojong of the Joseon dynasty. The empire stood until Japan's annexation of Korea in August 1910. During the Korean Empire, Emperor Gojong oversaw the G ...

, and declared a new era name ''Gwangmu'' (

Hangul The Korean alphabet, known as Hangul, . Hangul may also be written as following South Korea's standard Romanization. ( ) in South Korea and Chosŏn'gŭl in North Korea, is the modern official writing system for the Korean language. The l ...

: 광무,

Hanja Hanja (Hangul: ; Hanja: , ), alternatively known as Hancha, are Chinese characters () used in the writing of Korean. Hanja was used as early as the Gojoseon period, the first ever Korean kingdom. (, ) refers to Sino-Korean vocabulary, ...

: 光武) (meaning, "shining and martial"). This effectively ended Korea's historic subordination to the Qing empire, which Korea had acknowledged since the fall of the

Ming Dynasty The Ming dynasty (), officially the Great Ming, was an Dynasties in Chinese history, imperial dynasty of China, ruling from 1368 to 1644 following the collapse of the Mongol Empire, Mongol-led Yuan dynasty. The Ming dynasty was the last ort ...

. He took the title of Gwangmu Emperor, and was formally crowned emperor in Wongudan. He changed the name of country to Great Han. On the same day, Gojong appointed the

Crown Prince A crown prince or hereditary prince is the heir apparent to the throne in a royal or imperial monarchy. The female form of the title is crown princess, which may refer either to an heiress apparent or, especially in earlier times, to the w ...

as Imperial Crown Prince. Proclamation of the empire brought conflict against the

, which used to be the only imperial state of East Asia. This conflict was resolved by not mentioning the title of the two emperors. When the Daewongun died in 1898, Emperor Gwangmu refused to attend the funeral of his father as the relationship between father and son had broken down irretrievably. But it was also reported that the emperor's cries could be heard when he looked over the palace wall. On 17 August 1899, Gojong proclaimed the Great-han declaration law. This law gave absolute power to Gojong. Even though Gojong had absolute power, he did not despise

Constitutional monarchy A constitutional monarchy, parliamentary monarchy, or democratic monarchy is a form of monarchy in which the monarch exercises their authority in accordance with a constitution and is not alone in decision making. Constitutional monarchies dif ...

. He promised with members of the Independence Club that he would perform reforms. However, these reforms were not carried out quickly, which angered members of the Independence Club. While, the conservative politicians spread rumors that the Independence Club is trying to abolish the empire and proclaim a republic, which in turn led Gojong to abolish the Independence Club. Korea-Portrait of Emperor Gojong-01

Korean Emperor Kojong and Crown Prince Yi Wang

Gojong knew the need of modernizing his country and especially the military. Having a stronger army was another way for increasing the authority of the Emperor. Russian instructors that Min Young-hwan brought had the main tasks of modernizing the army. Gojong was pleased with Russian instructions. In March 1898, Russian instructors returned to Russia. Gojong ordered Ministry of Military to strengthen the army. By the request of the Minister of Military, Yi Jong-geon, Military academy was established in April 1898. In order to command both army and navy, Gojong appointed himself as the Grand Field Marshal of the Imperial Korean Army, and Crown Prince as Field Marshal on 29 June 1898. On 2 July 1898, Gojong established the full control of the army. Board of Marshals was established on 1 August 1899. In 1899, Gojong bought a lot of weapons from different countries. Gojong noticed that new officers need learnings from modernized military academies. He sent many cadets to

Imperial Japanese Army Academy The was the principal officer's training school for the Imperial Japanese Army. The programme consisted of a junior course for graduates of local army cadet schools and for those who had completed four years of middle school, and a senior course f ...

. More and more army units were formed around the country. By July 1900, there were 17,000 men of the

Jinwidae Jinwidae (Hangul: 진위대, Hanja: 鎭衛隊) was an organization of the Imperial Korean Army established in September 1895 by Gojong of Korea when he knew that Hullyeondae was part of the assassination of Empress Myeongseong. History Jinwida ...

. In 1901, about 44 percent of the total revenue was used for military. Gojong tried to augment his authority in military by Board of Marshals. Board of Marshals became the supreme high command of the army. Gojong was subjected to many assassination or abdication attempts. First in July 1898, Ahn Gyeong-su, the Minister of Military tried to abdicate Gojong. Ahn was executed for conspiracy on 28 May 1900. Second, on 12 September 1898, Kim Hong-rok tried to assassinate Gojong with by instilling poison in Gojong's coffee. In 1904, some Korean students in Japan tried to abdicate Gojong and make Prince Imperial Ui the emperor. In 1904–1905, Japan was the victor in the

Russo-Japanese War The Russo-Japanese War ( ja, 日露戦争, Nichiro sensō, Japanese-Russian War; russian: Ру́сско-япóнская войнá, Rússko-yapónskaya voyná) was fought between the Empire of Japan and the Russian Empire during 1904 and 1 ...

. Amidst the war, there were diplomatic efforts to keep Korea independent, including that of Korean Charge d'Affaires Yi Han-eung in London who desperately tried to gain support from United Kingdom. But the latter already had common interests with Japan under the

Anglo-Japanese Alliance The first was an alliance between Britain and Japan, signed in January 1902. The alliance was signed in London at Lansdowne House on 30 January 1902 by Lord Lansdowne, British Foreign Secretary, and Hayashi Tadasu, Japanese diplomat. A d ...

and Lord Lansdowne in the British Foreign Office had ignored his diplomatic request. Yi Han-eung took his own life in May 1905 as protest; Gojong mourned his tragic death as his remains returned to Korea by ship. When these acts of Gojong were revealed by the Japanese, the Japanese tried to remove him. On July 20, 1907, Gojong was removed. Gojong's son

Sunjong Sunjong, the Emperor Yunghui (; 25 March 1874 – 24 April 1926), was the second and the last Emperor of Korea, of the Yi dynasty, ruling from 1907 until 1910. Biography Crown Prince of Korea Sunjong was the second son of Emperor Gojong a ...

succeeded him to the throne. Some officials, such as Park Yung-hyo, and Yi Do-Jae, tried to assassinate the cabinet of Ye Wanyong, who led the abdication.

After abdication

After abdicating, Emperor Gojong was confined to Deoksu Palace. In June 1910, Gojong tried to gain refuge in

Primorsky Krai Primorsky Krai (russian: Приморский край, r=Primorsky kray, p=prʲɪˈmorskʲɪj kraj), informally known as Primorye (, ), is a federal subject (a krai) of Russia, located in the Far East region of the country and is a part of t ...

and establish a provincial government, but failed. On 22 August 1910, the Empire of Korea was annexed by Japan under the Japan-Korea Annexation Treaty. In the treaty, Gojong lost his title as a former emperor; instead, he received a new title, "King Emeritus Yi of Deoksu" (徳寿宮李太王), and was recognized as a member of the imperial family of Japan. In 1915, Gojong tried to flee with the help of Sangsul but the attempt failed. Also with Lee Hoe-yeong, Gojong tried to seek refuge in 1918 to

Beijing } Beijing ( ; ; ), Chinese postal romanization, alternatively romanized as Peking ( ), is the Capital city, capital of the China, People's Republic of China. It is the center of power and development of the country. Beijing is the world's Li ...

as he expected it would draw the attention of diplomats. Gojong died suddenly on 21 January 1919 at Deoksugung Palace at the age of 66. There is much speculation that he was killed by poison administered by Japanese officials, an idea that gained wide circulation and acceptance at the time of his death. His death and subsequent funeral proved a catalyst for the

March First Movement The March 1st Movement, also known as the Sam-il (3-1) Movement ( Hangul: 삼일 운동; Hanja: 三一運動), was a protest movement by Korean people and students calling for independence from Japan in 1919, and protesting forced assimilatio ...

for Korean independence from Japanese rule. He is buried with his wife at the imperial tomb of Hongneung (홍릉, 洪陵) in the city of

Namyangju Namyangju () is a city in Gyeonggi Province, South Korea. To the east is Gapyeong County, to the west is Guri City, and to the north is Pocheon City. Namyangju-si was originally a southern part of Yangju-gun, but was separated into Namyangju-gu ...

Gyeonggi Gyeonggi-do (, ) is the most populous province in South Korea. Its name, ''Gyeonggi'', means "京 (the capital) and 畿 (the surrounding area)". Thus, ''Gyeonggi-do'' can be translated as "Seoul and the surrounding areas of Seoul". Seoul, the na ...

Family

* Father ** Yi Ha-Eung, King Heungseon (21 December 1820 – 22 February 1898) (흥선왕 이하응) *** Grandfather: Yi Gu, Prince Namyeon (22 August 1788 – 19 March 1836) (이구 남연군) *** Grandmother: Princess Consort Min of the Yeoheung Min clan (26 June 1788 – 1831) (군부인 여흥민씨, 驪興府大夫人閔氏) ** Legal Father: Yi Yeong, King Munjo of Joseon (18 September 1809 – 25 June 1830) (조선의 문조 이영) * Mother ** Queen Sunmok of the Yeoheung Min clan (3 February 1818 – 8 January 1898) (순목왕비 민씨) ***Grandfather: Min Chi-Gu (1795 – 14 December 1874) (민치구, 閔致久) ***Grandmother: Lady Yi of the Jeonju Yi clan (? – 17 November 1873) (정경부인 전주이씨, 貞敬夫人全州李氏) ** Legal Mother:

Queen Shinjeong Queen Sinjeong (Hangul: 신정왕후, Hanja: 神貞王后; 21 January 1809 – 4 June 1890), also known as Queen Dowager Hyoyu (효유왕대비), of the Pungyang Jo clan, was the only wife of Crown Prince Hyomyeong and mother of Heonjong of Joseo ...

of the

Pungyang Jo clan The Pungyang Jo clan () is a Korean clan that traces its origin to Namyangju, Gyeonggi Province. According to the 2015 Korean census, the clan has 124,262 members. Origin Jo Maeng (조맹, 趙孟), who was also known by the name of Ba-woo or B ...

(21 January 1809 - 4 June 1890) (신정왕후 조씨) * Consorts and their Respective Issue(s): # Min Ja-yeong, Empress Myeongseong of the Yeoheung Min clan (17 November 1851 – 8 October 1895) (명성황후 민자영 민씨) ## ''Second son (4 November 1871 - 8 November 1871)'' ## ''Second daughter (3 February 1873 - 28 September 1873)'' ## Yi Cheok, Emperor Yunghui (25 March 1874 – 24 April 1926) (융희제 이척), third son ## ''Fourth son (5 April 1875 - 18 April 1875)'' ## ''Sixth son (18 February 1878 - 5 June 1878)'' # Eom Seon-yeong, Imperial Noble Consort Sunheon of the Yeongwol Eom clan (2 February 1854 – 20 July 1911) (순헌황귀비 엄선영 엄씨) ## Yi Un, Crown Prince Uimin (20 October 1897 – 1 May 1970) (이은 의민태자), seventh son # Yang Chun-gi, Imperial Consort Boknyeong Gwi-in of the Cheongju Yang clan (27 September 1882 – 30 May 1929) (복녕당 귀인 양씨) ## Princess Deokhye (25 May 1912 – 21 April 1989) (덕혜옹주), fourth daughter #Yi Sun-ah, Imperial Consort Yeongbo Gwi-in of the Gyeongju Yi clan (1849 – 17 December 1928) (영보당귀인 이씨) ## ''Yi Seon, Prince Wanhwa (16 April 1868 – 12 January 1880) (이선 완화군), first son'' ## ''First daughter (1871 – 1872)'' # Imperial Consort Gwi-in of the Deoksu Jang clan (귀인 장씨) ## Yi Kang, Prince Uihwa (30 March 1877 – August 1955) (이강 의화군), fifth son # Imperial Consort Naeandang Gwi-in of the Gyeongju Yi clan (1847 – 13 February 1914) (내안당 귀인 이씨) ## Third daughter (1879 – 1880) # Imperial Consort Bohyeon Gwi-in of the Haeju Jeong clan (23 February 1882 – 1943) (보현당 귀인 정씨) ## ''Prince Yi U (20 August 1915 – 25 July 1916) (이우), ninth son'' # Lee Wan-deok, Imperial Consort Gwanghwa Gwi-in of the Lee clan (1885 – 10 November 1965) (광화당 귀인 이씨) ## ''Prince Yi Yuk (3 July 1914 – 22 January 1915) (이육), eighth son'' # Kim Ok-gi, Lady Kim of the

of Samchuk Hall (1890 – 23 September 1970) (삼축당 김씨) # Court Lady Kim of the Gwangsan Kim clan of Jeonghwa Hall (정화당 상궁 김씨)

Honours

;Korean honours * Founder and Sovereign of the Grand Order of the Golden Ruler – 17 April 1900 * Founder and Sovereign of the Grand Order of the Auspicious Stars – 12 August 1902 * Founder and Sovereign of the Grand Order of the Plum Blossoms – 17 April 1900 * Founder and Sovereign of the Order of the National Crest – 17 April 1900 * Founder and Sovereign of the Order of the Purple Falcon – 16 April 1901 * Founder and Sovereign of the Order of the Eight Trigrams – 16 April 1901 * Grand Cordon of the Grand Order of the Auspicious Phoenix – 1907 ;Foreign honours *: Grand Cross of the

Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus The Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus ( it, Ordine dei Santi Maurizio e Lazzaro) (abbreviated OSSML) is a Roman Catholic dynastic order of knighthood bestowed by the royal House of Savoy. It is the second-oldest order of knighthood in the ...

– 23 July 1895 *: Grand Cross of the

Legion of Honour The National Order of the Legion of Honour (french: Ordre national de la Légion d'honneur), formerly the Royal Order of the Legion of Honour ('), is the highest French order of merit, both military and civil. Established in 1802 by Napoleo ...

– 23 July 1895 * **Grand Cordon of the

Order of the Chrysanthemum is Japan's highest order. The Grand Cordon of the Order was established in 1876 by Emperor Meiji of Japan; the Collar of the Order was added on 4 January 1888. Unlike its European counterparts, the order may be conferred posthumously. Apart fr ...

– 23 March 1897 **Korean Colonization Decoration - 1 August 1912 *: Honorary Grand Commander of the

Order of the Indian Empire The Most Eminent Order of the Indian Empire is an order of chivalry founded by Queen Victoria on 1 January 1878. The Order includes members of three classes: #Knight Grand Commander (GCIE) #Knight Commander ( KCIE) #Companion ( CIE) No appoi ...

– 17 December 1900 *: Grand Cross of the

Order of Charles III The Royal and Distinguished Spanish Order of Charles III, originally Royal and Much Distinguished Order of Charles III ( es, Real y Distinguida Orden Española de Carlos III, originally es, Real y Muy Distinguida Orden de Carlos III) was establ ...

, with Collar – 1900 *: Grand Cordon of the Royal Order of Leopold – 23 March 1901 *:

Order of the Double Dragon The Imperial Order of the Double Dragon () was an order awarded in the late Qing dynasty. The Order was founded by the Guangxu Emperor on 7 February 1882 as an award for outstanding services to the throne and the Qing court. Originally it was aw ...

, Class I Grade I – 1 December 1903 *: Knight of the Order of St. Stanislaus, 1st Class – 1 December 1903 *: Knight of the

Order of the Elephant The Order of the Elephant ( da, Elefantordenen) is a Danish order of chivalry and is Denmark's highest-ranked honour. It has origins in the 15th century, but has officially existed since 1693, and since the establishment of constitutional ...

– 31 August 1903 *: Knight of the

Order of the Black Eagle The Order of the Black Eagle (german: Hoher Orden vom Schwarzen Adler) was the highest order of chivalry in the Kingdom of Prussia. The order was founded on 17 January 1701 by Elector Friedrich III of Brandenburg (who became Friedrich I, King i ...

– 20 March 1904

Ancestry

In popular culture

* Portrayed by Lee Jin-woo and

Lee Joon Lee Chang-sun (born February 7, 1988), better known by his stage name Lee Joon, is a South Korean actor, singer, model and DJ. He is best known as a former member of the South Korean boy band MBLAQ. He had notable roles in '' Gapdong'' (2014) ...

in the 2001-2002

KBS2 The Korean Broadcasting System (KBS) () is the national broadcaster of South Korea. Founded in February 1927, it is one of the leading South Korean television and radio broadcasters. KBS operates seven radio networks, ten television channels, ...

TV series ''

''. * Portrayed by Kim Young-min in the 2009 film ''

The Sword with No Name ''The Sword with No Name'' (; ) is a 2009 South Korean film based on a fictionalized account of Empress Myeongseong. The film sold 1,671,387 tickets nationwide. Plot Mu-myeong is a bounty hunter during the Joseon Dynasty who lives day-to-day by ca ...

''. * Portrayed by

Choi Jong-hwan Choi Jong-hwan (; born September 24, 1964) is a South Korean actor. Choi won Producer's Award for his role in ''Gyebaek'' and ''The Duo'' at the MBC Drama Awards The MBC Drama Awards () is an awards ceremony presented by Munhwa Broadcastin ...

in the 2010 SBS TV series '' Jejungwon''. * Portrayed by

Park Hee-soon Park Hee-soon (; born February 13, 1970) is a South Korean actor. He graduated with a Theater degree from Seoul Institute of the Arts, and was a member of the Mokwha Repertory Company from 1990 to 2001. He became active in film beginning 2002, a ...

in the 2012 film '' Gabi''. * Portrayed by

Lee Min-woo Lee Min-woo (hangul: 이민우; born July 28, 1979), also known mononymously credited as M as a solo artist, is a South Korean entertainer, known as a member of the South Korean boy band Shinhwa. Lee was the first Shinhwa member to debut a ...

in the 2014 KBS2 TV series ''

Gunman in Joseon ''Gunman in Joseon'' () is a 2014 South Korean television series starring Lee Joon-gi, Nam Sang-mi, Jeon Hye-bin, Han Joo-wan, and Yu Oh-seong. It aired on KBS2 from June 25 to September 4, 2014 on Wednesdays and Thursdays at 21:55 for 22 episo ...

''. * Portrayed by Park Min-sang in the 2016 film ''The Map Against The World''. * Portrayed by Baek Yoon-sik in the 2016 film '' The Last Princess''. * Portrayed by

Kang Yi-seok Kang Yi-seok (born November 11, 1998) is a South Korean actor. Kang began his career as a child actor, and has starred in television series such as ''Mr. Goodbye'' (2006), '' First Wives' Club'' (2007), '' Five Fingers'' (2012) and '' Ugly Alert ...

and Lee Seung-joon in the 2018 tvN TV series '' Mr. Sunshine''.

Trivia

* Gojong was a great fan of

billiards Cue sports are a wide variety of games of skill played with a cue, which is used to strike billiard balls and thereby cause them to move around a cloth-covered table bounded by elastic bumpers known as . There are three major subdivisions ...

, sometimes staying up until 2 to 3 in the morning playing the sport, and having

coffee Coffee is a drink prepared from roasted coffee beans. Darkly colored, bitter, and slightly acidic, coffee has a stimulating effect on humans, primarily due to its caffeine content. It is the most popular hot drink in the world. Seeds of ...

. Due to this, Kim Hong Ryuk attempted to assassinate him by poisoning his coffee.

Notes

References

Works cited

* *

External links

"Essays Trace US, Japan Roles in Joseon's Downfall" ''Korea Times'', June 13, 2008
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gojong of Korea, Emperor Korean Empire emperors 1852 births 1919 deaths 19th-century Korean monarchs Monarchs who abdicated Grand Croix of the Légion d'honneur Knights Grand Cross of the Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus Honorary Knights Grand Commander of the Order of the Indian Empire Flag designers People from Seoul