The royal family of Korea laid the foundations for the development of the modern nation. Korea was a monarchy for over 1,000 years, cumulatively. The longest dynasty lasted over 500. When something spans centuries like that, it is impossible for it not to have a lasting effect.
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The Early Dynasties and the Formation of the Korean Monarchy
The earliest dynasty of Korea was the legendary Gojoseon, which according to several different records was founded in 2333 BCE by the demi-god Dangun Wanggeom. The territory of the Gojoseon was in the northern reaches of Korea and southern Manchuria. In the south of the Korean Peninsula, in the 4th century BCE, the Jin State emerged. After the Gojoseon fell to the Han Dynasty of China, Korea was divided into multiple states. The Proto-Three Kingdoms period led into the Three Kingdoms period, where these many states went to war over hegemony. Korean unification under a single monarch came after the Three Kingdoms period.
READ MORE: A Full Timeline of Chinese Dynasties in Order
Some of the Korean states active during the time after the Gojoseon include the…
- Baekje
- Buyeo
- Dongye
- Gaya
- Goguryeo
- Jin
- Okjeo
- Silla
- Tamna
- Usan-guk
By the Three Kingdoms period, the only surviving independent states were the Goguryeo, Baekje, and Silla.
Key Figures
The mythical founders and primary players of ancient Korea’s earliest dynasties:
Dangun Wanggeom
Dangun Wanggeom is the legendary founder and king of Gojoseon, the first-ever Korean kingdom. The chronicle Dongguk Tonggam (1485) cites that Gojoseon was established in 2333 BCE. In 1909, a religious movement centered around Korea’s mythical founder, known as Dangunism, came to be.
Now, the tale of Dangun Wanggeom is nothing short of spectacular. According to the 13th-century manuscript Samguk Yusa (Memorabilia of the Three Kingdoms), his father, Hwanung, was the son of Hwanin, “Lord of Heaven.” Meanwhile, his mother, Ungnyeo, was formerly a bear who wanted to be human. Hence, his being known as the “grandson of Heaven” and the “son of a bear.” After ascending the throne, Dangun found the city of Asadal, which would become the capital of his new dynasty.
The celebration to commemorate the establishment of Korea’s first dynasty is known as Gaecheonjeol, or National Foundation Day. It is staged every 3rd of October.
Goguryeo, Baekje, and Silla Kings
The Three Kingdoms period (5th century to the 7th century CE) in Korean history is known as a time of instability as the kingdoms of Goguryeo, Baekje, and Silla fought for control of a consolidated Korean state. These Three Kingdoms, or Samhan, were similar in all imaginable ways, from language to religion. Despite this, each saw themselves as the rightful kingdom to rule a unified Samhan. It wasn’t until 668 CE when Silla allied themselves with the Chinese Tang Dynasty that the battle for hegemony ended.
Samhan Kings that set the stage for the Korean monarchy include…
- Gwanggaeto the Great: He ushered in the Goguryeo Golden Age and somewhat unified the Three Kingdoms.
- Geunchogo of Baekje: He saw Baekje become one of the mightiest militaries in East Asia in the 4th century.
- King Taejong Muyeol: He allied Silla with Tang China which led to the eventual unification of the Samhan and ended the Three Kingdoms period of Korea.
- Queen Seondeok of Silla: Queen Seondeok of Silla reigned for 15 years (632–647) during the Three Kingdoms period. She was the first woman to reign Silla in her own right, and the second female sovereign in the history of East Asia. Her efforts to build positive diplomatic relations with the Tang Dynasty of China would later aid Silla in unifying the Three Kingdoms. There are several legends involving Seondeok, those of which usually revolve around her remaining unmarried or celebrating her wisdom.
The Goryeo Dynasty (918-1392)
The Goryeo Dynasty was established in the Later Three Kingdoms period (889–936 CE), which followed the Unified Silla. The Goryeo themselves were descended from the Goguryeo, who evolved into the “Later Goguryeo” in the Later Three Kingdoms period until they became simply “Goryeo.” The Goryeo ruled over a unified Korea from 918 to 1392 under a centralized monarchy. So, the Goryeo Kings were not beholden to any sort of constitution and they held more or less supreme authority within the government.
Throughout the reign of the Goryeo, the kingdom had frequent territorial confrontations with the northern Khitans and Jurchans. They eventually became a vassal state of the Mongolian Empire’s Yuan Dynasty in the 13th century. Though they experienced great military success, the suggested invasion of the Great Ming led to the Goryeo Dynasty’s eventual downfall.
During the Goryeo Dynasty, Buddhism reached an all-time high within the Korean Peninsula. This would be in stark contrast to their successors, the Joseons, who made Confucianism the state ideology.
Key Figures
The Goryeo monarchs who helped to shape Korea’s history, politics, and cultural landscape:
King Taejo (Wang Geon)
King Taejo, born Wang Kŏn (or Wang Geon), was the founder of the Goryeo Dynasty and the man who unified the Korean Peninsula. As a young man, he fought under a rebel warlord who wrestled control from the declining Silla and established the fleeting state of Taebong. When that warlord, Kung Ye, began to act like a tyrant, he was overthrown and Wang Kŏn was made King Taejo of the Goryeo.
As king, Taejo reclaimed Goguryeo’s ancestral lands in the north. He showed sympathies to the Later Silla, whose last monarch, King Gyeongsun, passed his territories to Taejo after their fall. Thereafter, Taejo was able to absorb the Later Baekje, which was weakened by political instability and a coup. Wholly believing in unifying the country, Taejo went on to place those he defeated in positions of power in his new government.
King Gwangjong
King Gwangjong, Wang So, was the son of King Taejo and the fourth king of the Goryeo Dynasty. He, aware of the vulnerability the new dynasty had, formed an absolute monarchy. He distanced himself from the royal court and did all he could to avoid outside meddling from noble clans his father incorporated into the government. This was reflected in the policies Gwangjong created, such as the emancipation of slaves and the Gwageo, the national civil service examination.
The entirety of Gwangjong’s rule was to centralize and strengthen royal authority across Goryeo. In addition to this, Gwangjong put into effect the first public regional medical centers and granaries. The reforms at home made the fourth Goryeo king immensely popular amongst the common man. As far as foreign policy went, he continued diplomatic relations with several Chinese dynasties, including the Later Zhou, the Song, and the Wuyue Dynasties.
King Seongjong
King Seongjong, born Wang Ch’i, was the sixth Goryeo king. He consolidated royal powers under Confucian beliefs. The national civil service examination continued to be the standard during Seongjong’s rule, which later introduced public education in various administrative divisions.
During Seongjong’s rule, the Goryeo-Khitan Wars kicked off in 993. Pretty much, the Khitans did not want the Goryeo allied with the Chinese Song and they also thought they had a strong claim to lands within the kingdom. The first war ended favorably for the Goryeo, who had land added to their territories. They also did limit their interactions with the Song, but in no way did they cut off communications altogether.
The Joseon Dynasty (1392-1897)
The Joseon Dynasty was the longest-ruling dynasty in Korea’s history. It managed to maintain control of the country for 505 years until the last Joseon King, Gojong, formed the Empire of Korea. The Joseon Dynasty, or the Great Joseon State, was established after the overthrow of the Goryeo in 1392 and led to an influx of Confucian practices throughout the kingdom.
Korean literature and arts flourished during Joseon rule. Advancements in science and technology were also observed, with leading minds such as Jang Yeong-sil and Song I-yeong making several major developments in engineering and astronomy. All the while, Confucianism became the state religion. Buddhism was openly discouraged in favor of Confucist ideals, and—at times—Buddhists were prosecuted.
For much of its existence, the Joseon Dynasty held tributary relations with the Ming and Qing Dynasties of China.
Key Figures
Influential Joseon monarchs who transformed Korea:
King Taejo (Yi Seong-gye)
King Taejo, born Yi Seong-gye, was the founder of the Joseon Dynasty and a former military commander. He had a direct hand in the overthrow of the Goryeo. Despite the, you know, reputation of having violently overthrown the Goryeo Dynasty, Taejo didn’t make any major changes to the structure of the government. Unlike the usual internal strife that occurs with the changing of regimes, the transition from Goryeo to Joseon was rather seamless.
For some time following the coup d’état against the Goryeo, Taejo continued to place various puppet kings on the throne. It didn’t end nicely for any of them.
But at least the country wasn’t in total turmoil…right?
After five years of the same old song and dance, Taejo finally took the throne for himself in 1392. In 1393, he named his reign the Joseon Dynasty. King Taejo only ruled for six years before abdicating. It turns out the country was in turmoil, and for no other reason than quarrels between Taejo’s eight sons.
King Sejong the Great
King Sejong the Great was really all that and a bag of chips. Sejong is remembered for his many contributions to Korean culture. Namely, his development of Hangul, the Korean alphabet, is one of his most prominent accomplishments.
The Joseon Dynasty under Sejong went through several changes. The king would attempt to establish a national currency, though it didn’t last and the economy returned to the barter system. He would also enforce a meritocracy among those individuals operating in an official capacity through national civil service examinations (gwageo). The press wasn’t suppressed for once and the military experienced great success with the introduction of gunpowder and firearms into warfare.
If all the above wasn’t enough to convince you that Sejong earned the epithet “the Great,” then we should also add that he introduced maternity and paternity leave. He also proposed a tax reform to help out farmers! The big takeaway is that Sejong listened to his people more than any king before him. But, perhaps not the Buddhists. They were still being targeted by the pro-Confucist government.
King Yeongjo and King Jeongjo
King Yeongjo had a go of it during his rule, which was filled with political in-fighting and the violent tendencies of his son, Crown Prince Sado. Despite these conditions, Yeongjo (born Yi Geum) made an effort to reform the government and improve the livelihoods of his subjects. He was born to a low-born mother, which could have influenced his dedication to the peasantry. Some of his most famous acts include the intentional rooting out of corrupt officials in the country and bolstering the nation’s literacy through the accessible Hangul script. His rule also saw the influx of mercantile pursuits within Korea.
In 1776, Yeongjo’s grandson, King Jeongjo, ascended to the throne. This made people nervous. Jeongjo (born Yi San) was the son of the infamous Crown Prince Sado, who was killed when it was suspected that he would assassinate his father. Sado was all around a terrible – and deeply troubled – individual, and folks were worried that Sado’s worse traits would be passed to his son. Or, worse, that Jeongjo would seek revenge.
Jeongjo, fortunately, was not the man that the political parties of Korea feared him to be. While he was concerned with his father’s public image and legacy, he didn’t seek out violent revenge against those who besmirched him. Instead, he tried to maintain the political harmony (Tangpyeong) desperately sought by his grandfather by displaying impartiality to the feuding Noron and Soron factions. His rule led directly to the Joseon Renaissance, bolstered by his grandfather’s practices and Confucian ideals.
The Korean Empire (1897-1910) and the End of the Monarchy
In 1897, King Gojong of Korea announced that the former Joseon Dynasty would instead be known as the Korean Empire. This was during the Age of Imperialism when Western powers sought global dominance through mass colonization efforts, especially in Africa. Though the Korean Empire had no such ambitions, they did try to westernize and modernize the Empire, as reflected in the Gwangmu Reform headed by King Gojong.
In these attempts to catch Korea up to the Western World, the Gwangmu Reform additionally sought to address growing tensions within the Empire’s society. For years, peasants had been dissatisfied and restless with the status quo. It is thought that the Donghak Peasant Revolution of 1894 directly impacted the drafting of the Gwangmu Reform. So, to ease these anxieties, one of the things the Reform focused on was the active dismantling of the status system.
Despite all efforts, the Empire of Korea only lasted so long. It became a protectorate of the Japanese Empire in 1905. By 1910, the Japan-Korea Annexation Treaty was signed. This was the end of the Korean Empire and the official start of Japanese colonization of the Korean Peninsula.
Key Figures
The first and last emperors of the short-lived Korean Empire:
Emperor Gojong
Emperor Gojong was the last Joseon King and the first Emperor of Korea. A member of the House of Yi, Gojong ruled Korea for 43 years (1864–1907). His efforts to rapidly modernize and westernize Korea on top of frequent Japanese incursions led to his reign being riddled with various revolts and rebellions. Therefore, Gojong’s rule over the newly formed Korean Empire was highly unstable largely in part due to the meddling of foreign powers within the country.
Once Korea became an empire, Gojong issued a series of reforms. He made himself an absolute monarch by signing the Constitution of the Korean Empire. There was, of course, the Gwangmu Reform which sought to quickly modernize Korea. Gojong issued military reforms as well. Most importantly, the king-turned-emperor tried to form alliances with other countries to break free from long-standing Japanese influence. None of these attempts to build relations with other nations accumulated into anything substantial.
READ MORE: History of Japan: The Feudal Era to the Founding of Modern Periods
Emperor Sunjong
Emperor Sunjong, also known as the Yunghui Emperor, was the son of Emperor Gojong and his consort, Queen Min. He ruled for only 3 years following the forced abdication by his father in 1907. The end of his reign saw the Japanese annexation of Korea.
The reign of Sunjong was short, with many considering him to be nothing more than a political puppet. The Japanese Empire had wormed its way into just about every facet of Korean politics and foreign policy and the new emperor could do very little as a result.
The Legacy of the Korean Royal Family
The last members of the Korean royal family belonged to the House of Yi. The House of Yi took power in the 14th century with the founding of the Joseon Dynasty. In 1910, following the Japanese colonization of the Korean Peninsula, several members of the House of Yi were incorporated into Japanese nobility – some even into the Imperial House of Japan. Such continued until Korea became a Republic in 1945.
The House of Yi remains an influential force in modern Korean cultural identity. Members of the Yi family have obtained celebrity status as singers and musicians, though remain private citizens without official noble titles. They share close familial ties with the Japanese Royal Family, whose former Emperor Akihito was a second cousin to the former head of the House of Yi, Prince Yi Ku. The family is currently organized by the Jeonju Lee Royal Family Association, whose first director was Prince Imperial Ui in 1910.
Descendants of the Joseon Dynasty
The current descendants of the Joseon Dynasty are private citizens under the Constitution of the Republic of Korea. They have no political influence or official titles. Members of the Jeonju Yi Clan are registered with the Jeonju Lee Royal Family Association which works ardently to preserve the legacy of the House of Yi. They further seek to preserve historical sites that hold significance for the defunct monarchy.
Royal Palaces and Cultural Heritage
The below locations reflect Joseon architecture and hold spiritual and historical significance for the House of Yi. Royal palaces and other significant cultural sites of the Joseon Dynasty include…
- Changdeokgung Palace Complex
- Hahoe Village
- Hwaseong Fortress
- Jongmyo Shrine
- Joseon-era Seowon
- Naganeupseong
- Namhansanseong
- Oeam Village
- Royal Tombs of the Joseon Dynasty
- Yangdong Village
Cultural Impact
The royal family of Korea, though defunct, has persevered into mainstream Korean society through festivals and other cultural practices. While legendary figures like Dangun Wanggeom are memorialized in religious national celebrations, members of the Joseon Dynasty are venerated in smaller-scale jongmyo daeje, which emulates the Confucian royal ancestral shrine system of ancestor worship. Through media like the enduring K-Drama, the history of the Joseon Dynasty is explored via a dramatic lens.
The chances of the return of the Korean monarchy are slim to none. However, that does not stop the former monarchy from catching the attention – and fascination – of the public.
Connections with Other Royal Families
The royal family of Korea has an extensive history with the royal families of Japan and China. Throughout history, they would marry each other for the sake of diplomacy. Some marriages were struck with the specific desire to get a foothold in a region. The Korean royal family also married into the Mongolian Empire during the rule of Kublai Khan.
These relations held early significance when forming alliances and establishing dynasties. In the case of King Gwangjong of Goryeo, he refused to marry from noble houses in court. Fearing political machinations from his father’s allies, he opted to marry within his family. Regardless of whatever previous connections were made, they held little weight by the 19th century.
King Sejong the Great
The scientific advancements experienced under King Sejong the Great greatly impacted other East Asian countries. These advancements were primarily in the field of astronomy, which became comparable to their earlier Chinese counterparts. Moreover, the development of Hangul became the most prevailing part of Sejong’s legacy in East Asia. It was easier to learn than Chinese and rapidly became widespread, being used in Korea, certain Chinese provinces, and parts of Indonesia.
READ MORE: Ancient Chinese Inventions
Diplomatic Relations
Korea had long-standing diplomatic relations with many Chinese dynasties. In truth, it became a “Hermit Kingdom” by the 17th century, maintaining trade relations with only China and Japan. Throughout its history, it has also been a vassal state of the Mongolian Yuan Dynasty and a protectorate of the Japanese Empire.
Wrapping Up the Korean Royal Family Tree
From its mythical establishment in 2333 BCE to its annexation by Japan in 1910, Korea’s monarchy was one for the ages. The Korean royal family and monarchy played an instrumental role in the development of the country. The Goryeo Dynasty’s commitment to Buddhism impacted the ancient practice of shamanism in Korea. Meanwhile, the following Joseon Dynasty implemented Confucianism and built the ideals of the nation around them. These religions found their way into politics, which naturally affected social and foreign policies.
Although the Korean monarchy no longer exists, its legacy lives on through Korean cultural identity. From the celebrations of Gaecheonjeol to the use of Hangul, the royal family continues to permeate modern Korean society.