Queen Jeongan

Queen Jeongan (Korean: 정안왕후 김씨, 30 January 1355 – 11 August 1412) or Queen Anjeong (안정왕후), of the Gyeongju Kim clan, was a posthumous name bestowed to the wife and queen consort of Yi Gyeong, King Jeongjong; the second monarch of the Korean Joseon Dynasty. She was queen consort of Joseon from 1398 and was honoured as Queen Deok (덕비) until her husband's abdication in 1400 after which she was honoured as Queen Dowager Sundeok (순덕왕대비).

Queen Jeongan 정안왕후
Queen dowager of Joseon
Tenure	28 November 1400 – 2 August 1412
Predecessor	Dynasty established Queen Dowager Myeongdeok as the last Queen Dowager of Goryeo Consort Dowager Geun as the last Consort Dowager of Goryeo
Successor	Queen Dowager Hudeok
Queen consort of Joseon
Tenure	5 September 1398 – 28 November 1400
Predecessor	Queen Sindeok
Successor	Queen Wongyeong
Crown Princess of Joseon
Tenure	26 August 1398 – 5 September 1398
Predecessor	Title established
Successor	Crown Princess Jeong
Born	30 January 1355 Goryeo
Died	11 August 1412 (1412-08-12) (aged 57) Indeok Palace, Hanseong, Joseon
Burial	Hureung, Kaepung County, North Hwanghae Province, North Korea
Spouse	King Jeongjong of Joseon
Issue	None
Posthumous name 정안왕후; 定安王后 안정왕후; 安定王后 온명장의정안왕후; 溫明莊懿定安王后 (1681)
House	Gyeongju Kim (by birth) Jeonju Yi (by marriage)
Father	Kim Cheon-seo
Mother	Lady Samhanguk of the Damyang Lee clan

Biography

Early life

Lady Kim was born during King Gongmin of Goyreo's 4th year of reign on 30 January 1355 into the Gyeongju Kim clan as the eldest daughter of Kim Cheon-seo and Lady Lee of the Damyang Lee clan. Lady Kim had two older brothers and five younger siblings.

Lady Kim is descended from the Silla Dynasty's Gyeongju Kim clan. During the reign of King Shinjong of Goryeo, her grandfather, Kim Bong-mo (김봉모, 金鳳毛; ?–1209), served as Pyeongjangsa (평장사; 平章事) and received the posthumous title of Jeongpyeong (정평; 靖平). He later established the Pyeongjangsa Branch (평장사공파) of the clan.

Through her 6th great-grandfather, Lady Kim was a 12th great-granddaughter of King Gyeongsun of Silla and Princess Nakrang through their second son, Kim Eun-yeol. She and Queen Jeongsun are distantly related as they share Kim Jeong-gu (김정구, 金正矩; 973–1057) as their last common ancestor, and was also the grandson of Kim Eun-yeol.

Through her great-great-grandmother, Lady Kim was a fourth cousin twice removed of Queen Wongyeong as they shared Min Yeong-mo as their ancestor, and would eventually become her sister-in-law through marriage.

It is unknown what year she married Yi Bang-gwa, the second son of Yi Seong-gye and Lady Han.

Royal life

In 1398, at the age of 42-43, she became Crown Princess Consort Deok when her husband, Prince Yeongan (the future King Jeongjong), became Crown Prince. Her father was given the royal title of "Internal Prince Wolseong, Kim Cheon-seo" (월성부원군 김천서; 月城府院君 金天瑞), and her mother was given the royal title of "Internal Princess Consort Samhanguk of the Damyang Lee clan" (삼한국대부인 담양 이씨; 三韓國大夫人 潭陽 李氏).

She was then referred as "Queen Consort Deok" (덕비; Deokbi meaning Virtuous Consort) from the 5 September 1398 until her husband's abdication.

In the aftermath of the Second Strife of Princes when her husband abdicated in favor of his younger brother, Yi Bang-won, Prince Jeongan on 28 November 1400, along with him being bestowed the courtesy title of "King Emeritus Inmungongye" (인문공예상왕), she was bestowed the courtesy title of "Queen Dowager Sundeok" (순덕왕대비, Sundeok-Wangdaebi) by her royal brother-in-law.

Death and posthumous title

Queen Deok later died on 11 August 1412 during her brother-in-law's, King Taejong, reign. Her husband outlived her by seven years and both are buried within Hureung in Yeongjeong-ri, Kaepung County, North Hwanghae Province, North Korea. She had no issue with King Jeongjong.

She was given the posthumous title of Queen Jeongan (정안왕후; 定安王后) after her death, but was also given another lesser-known posthumous title "Queen Anjeong" (안정왕후; 安定王后) during King Yeonsan's 10th year of reign and King Gwanghae's 1st year of reign.

In 1681, 270 years after her death, King Sukjong added Onmyeongjangui (온명장의; 溫明莊懿) to her posthumous title.

Family

Parent

• Father — Kim Cheon-seo (김천서; 金天瑞)
• Mother — Internal Princess Consort Samhanguk of the Damyang Lee clan (삼한국대부인 담양 이씨; 三韓國大夫人 潭陽 李氏)

Sibling

• Older brother — Kim Seok-jun (김석준; 金釋俊; 1336–?)
• Older brother — Kim Su, Prince Wolseong, Duke Jeongho (월성군 정호공 김수; 金需; 1338–1409)
• Younger brother — Kim Sam-won (김삼원; 金三原; 1357–?)
• Younger sister — Lady Kim of the Gyeongju Kim clan (경주 김씨; 慶州 金氏; 1359–?)
• Younger brother - Kim Ui-yeol (김의열; 金義烈; 1360–?)
• Younger sister — Lady Kim of the Gyeongju Kim clan (경주 김씨; 慶州 金氏; 1361–?)
• Younger sister — Lady Kim of the Gyeongju Kim clan (경주 김씨; 慶州 金氏; 1382–?)

Consort

• Husband — King Jeongjong of Joseon (조선 정종; 18 July 1357 – 15 October 1419) — No issue.

In popular culture

• Portrayed by Kim Hae-sook in the 1983 MBC TV series The King of Chudong Palace.
• Portrayed by Park Yun-seon in the 1996–1998 KBS TV series Tears of the Dragon.
• Portrayed by Kim Seo-yeon in the 2021–2022 KBS TV series The King of Tears, Lee Bang-won

External links

• 정안왕후 (in Korean). Doosan Encyclopedia.