Historical facts

The king Taejong (Yi Bang Won) ruled from 1400 to 1418. He played an important role as he established and solidified the foundation of the Joseon Dynasty. 

The king’s father : Taejo (Yi Seong Gye) was the founder of the Joseon Dynasty. He ruled from 1392 to 1398. Initially, his son Bang Won was his most capable supporter. But once Joseon was founded, tensions arose between the two. 

Yi Bang Won believed he deserved the crown prince title because of how much he contributed to the establishment of the Joseon Dynasty.  But Yi Seong-gye favored other sons from his second wife (Queen Sindeok). This led to resentment and eventually conflict.

The First Strife of Princes (1398):  Yi Bang-won staged a coup, killing his half-brothers Yi Bang-seok and Yi Bang-beon ( Queen Sindeok’s sons). 

Yi Seong-gye was deeply affected by the violence and abdicated the throne in 1398 in favor of his second son, Yi Bang-gwa (King Jeongjong). (Ep 4 where the King’s brother says he’s not the king anymore and his followers should stop plotting…) 

 Yi Bang-won eventually forced his brother to abdicate in 1400 and ascended the throne as King Taejong.

—-> If you want to know more about the foundation of Joseon, I highly recommend watching Six Flying Dragons. It teaches a lot for those who have no access to books or sources in English and don’t understand Korean. 

Queen Wongyeong:

She was from the prominent Min clan of Yeoheung and the wife of King Taejong (Yi Bang-won).

She played a significant role in politics during Taejong’s reign, though her relationship with her husband was sometimes strained due to political power struggles involving her family, the Min clan. Despite this, she was the mother of several influential children, including King Sejong, who became one of the most celebrated kings in Korean history.

Queen Wongyeong was deeply involved in palace politics, often advocating for the interests of her family. This led to friction with King Taejong, who sought to consolidate royal authority and diminish the influence of powerful clans, including the Mins.

In 1416, King Taejong executed several members of the Min clan, including Queen Wongyeong’s brothers, accusing them of conspiracy. This strained their marriage and deeply affected the queen.

Queen Wongyeong was the mother of King Sejong the Great and played a critical role in his early life. Her intelligence and influence likely shaped Sejong’s development as a thoughtful and capable ruler.

She had eight children, including Sejong, and her lineage continued to play a prominent role in Joseon’s history

Queen Wongyeong passed away in 1420, two years after Sejong ascended the throne. She was buried alongside King Taejong.