KOREA8

KOREA

Choson

The Yi Dynasty

GENEALOGY

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1864 - 1907 H.M. Emperor [Myong-bok] Kwang-mu [Ko-jong T'ae-Hwang-je] [Konyang], Emperor of Korea, GCIE (17.12.1900). b. at the Un Hyun Palace, Seoul, 8^th September 1852, as Yi Hyong, educ. privately. Adopted by the Great Queen Cho, to be the son of her late husband King Ik-jong, and given the personal name of Myong-bok. Succeeded 16^th January 1864. Crowned at the In-jongjon, Ch'angduk Palace, Seoul with the reign name of Ko-jong, 21st January 1864. Reigned under the Regency of his father until he came of age, 1873. Assumed the titles of Eung-Myöng Ip-Küi Chi-Hwa Shin-Yel 18^th July 1892, and Ta-gun-ju Pye-ha January 1895. Proclaimed the full independence of Korea, changed the name of the country to T'ae-han Hwang-je (Great Han Empire) and assumed the title of Emperor, 12^th October 1897. Crowned at the Imperial Round Hill, Seoul with the reign name of Kwang-mu (shining warrior), 14^th October 1897. Narrowly escaped death in the "Coffee Poisoning Plot" believed to have been instigated by the Japanese in September 1898. Founded the Grand Orders of the Golden Measure, the Auspicious Stars and the Plum Blossoms and the T'aeguk Order of Merit on 17^th April 1900. Founded the Orders of the Purple Falcon and the Eight Trigrams on 16^th April 1901. Orders of Deposed by the Japanese in favour of his son and heir and entitled T'ae-Hwang-je (Great Emperor), 20^th July 1907. Reduced in rank and granted the new title of Yi T'ae-wang (translated by the Japanese as "Grand Prince" Yi) after the annexation of Korea by Japan, 29^th August 1910. Rcvd: the Collar of the Supreme Order of the Chrysanthemum of Japan (8.4.1897), the Imperial Order of the Double Dragon 1^st class (1^st grade) of China, Knt. of the Orders of the Black Eagle of Prussia (20.3.1904), and the Elephant of Denmark (1.12.1903), GC of the Orders of the Legion of Honour of France, and SS Maurice & Lazarus of Italy (23.7.1895), Carlos III with collar of Spain (29.11.1900), and Leopold of Belgium (23.3.1901). m. (first) 1864, Lady Yi, Yongbo-dang Kwi-in [Sanggung] (b. 14^th February 1843; d. at Seoul, 6^th November 1928, bur. Kwiin-myo, So-sam-nung, Koyang). m. (second) 1865, Lady Yi, Naean-dang Kwi-in (b. 1847; d. 9^th January 1914, bur. Kwiin-myo, So-sam-nung, Koyang). m. (third) at the Injongjon Pavilion, Changdok Palace, Seoul, 21^st March 1866, H.I.M. Empress Min Ja-young [Cha-yong] [Myong-song Wun-song Sun-kiung Tuk-sung Hwang-hu] (b. at at Hunghyon, Yuju, 17^th November 1851; k. by Japanese agents at the Okhoru Pavilion, Kyonghui Palace, Seoul, 8^th October 1895, bur. Hong-nung, Kumgok), raised to the title of Hap-Tjén 18^th July 1892, degraded to a Concubine of the first rank 10^th October 1895 (rescinded 26^th November 1895), and raised to the posthumous rank of Empress as Myong-song Wun-song Sun-kiung Tuk-sung Hwang-hu 14^th October 1897, only daughter of H.E. Min Ch'i-rok, Prince Yeo-sung (Yeo-sung Pu-won-gun), of Yuju. m. (fourth) Lady Chang Kwi-in (bur. Chang-myo, So-o-nung). m. (fifth) at the Russian Legation, Seoul, 1897, Lady Om [Sunhon Hwang-kwi-bi] (b. 5^th November 1854; d. from enteric fever, at Toksu Palace, Seoul, 20^th July 1911, bur. Yonghwi-won, Ch'ongnyang-ni), granted the title of Kwi-in together with the designation of Sunhon (Noble Lady Sunhon) 25^th October 1897, raised to the title of Sunhon-bi 18^th September 1901, Sunhon Kwi-bin November 1902, and Sunhon Hwang-kwi-bi (Principal Imperial Consort Sunhon) 20^th December 1903, rcvd: GC of the Order of the Auspicious Phoenix (1907), sister of Lieutenant-General H.E. Om Chun-wan. "Emily Brown" of New York Times fiction! m. (sixth) 1907, Lady Yi, Kwanghwa-dang Kwi-in (b. 1885; d. at Kyongbok Palace, Seoul, 10^th November 1967, bur. Kwiin-myo, Kumgok), raised to the rank of Kwi-in 11^th May 1914. m. (seventh) Lady Yang, Pongyong-dang Kwi-in (b. 27^th September 1882; d. at the Pongyong-dang, Ch'angduk Palace, Seoul, 22^nd April 1929, bur. Kwiin-myo, So-sam-nung, Koyang), raised to the title of Pongyong-dang Kwi-in 1912. m. (eighth) Lady Chong, Pohyon-dang Kwi-in (b. 1872; d. at Seoul, 1904, bur. Kwiin-myo, So-sam-nung, Koyang). m. (ninth) 1911, Lady Kim, Samch'uk-dang Kwi-in (cre. 1945) (b. 1889; d.s.p. at Kyongbok Palace, Seoul, 23^rd September 1970, bur. Kwiin-myo, Kumgok), raised to the rank of Samch'uk-dang Kwi-in 1945. m. (tenth) Lady Kim, Chonghwa-dang Kwi-in (d.s.p. at Seoul, 19xx, bur. Kwiin-myo, So-sam-nung, Koyang), a lady married for political reasons but unwanted by Ko-jong. He d. at the Hamnyongjon Hall, Toksu Palace, Seoul, 21^st January 1919 (bur. Hong-nung, Kumgok) (succ. by his fifth son), having had issue, ten sons and one daughter:

1) H.H. Prince (Wang-ja) Yi Sun, Prince Wan-hwa (Wan-hwa-gun). b. at the Yongbo-dang Pavilion, Changdok Palace, Seoul, 16^th April 1868 (s/o Lady Yongbo-dang). He d.v.p. from smallpox (believed poisoned by an overdose of ginseng) 12^th January 1880 (bur. Wanwang-myo, So-sam-nung, Koyang).
2) H.R.H. Prince (Won-ja) Yi …b. at the Kyongbok Palace, Seoul, 9^th November and d. 13^th November 1871 (s/o Empress Myong-song). Copyright©Christopher Buyers
3) H.R.H. Prince (Wang-ja) Yi …(s/o Empress Myong-song). He d. at the Kyongbok Palace, Seoul, early 1875.
4) H.I.H. Crown Prince (Hwang-tae-ja) Yi Ch'ok, Grand Prince Son-jong (Son-jong Ch'in-hwang), who ascended the Peacock Throne as H.I.M. Emperor Yung-hui [Hwang-je][Lyung-hui], Emperor of Korea (s/o Empress Myong-song) - see below.
5) H.R.H. Prince (Wang-ja) Yi T'ae (s/o Empress Myong-song). He d. at the Kyongbok Palace, Seoul, early 1878.
6) H.I.H. Prince (Hwang-ja) Yi Kang, Prince Ui (Ui Ch'in-hwang Yi Kang Chun-ha). b. at the Pomsugi-kung, Seoul, 30^th March 1877 (s/o Lady Chang, the Kwi-in), as Prince Pyong-gil, educ. Nobles' Sch., Seoul; Keio Univ., Tukuji, Tokyo, Japan; Roanoke Coll., Salem, Virginia and Ohio Wesleyan Univ., Delaware, USA. Granted the title of Hwa-gun ma ma together with the designation of Ui and the style of His Royal Highness 1891. Promoted to the rank of Ui Ch'in-hwang (righteous imperial prince) together with the style of His Imperial Highness, 24^th July 1906. Special Ambassador to the Emperor of Japan 1894-1895, Vice-Marshal of the Army 1905-1907, Presdt. Korean Red Cross Soc. 1906-1910. Styled Prince (Kong) Ko Ri with the style of His Highness by the Japanese after 29^th August 1910 (ignored in Korea). Escaped to Manchuria and attempted to join the provisional government in 1919, but the Japanese apprehended him and escorted back to Korea. Stripped of his Royal rank and titles in 1923, and thereafter styled Yi Kang Chonha or His Excellency Yi Kang. Rcvd: the Grand Orders of the Golden Measure and the Auspicious Stars (8.4.1906), the GC of the Orders of the Chrysanthemum (8.1.1924), and the Rising Sun with Paulownia Flowers (3.5.1906), and Sacred Treasure of Japan. m. (first) at Seoul, 6^th December 1893, H.H. Princess Yonwon [Sadanggung] (b. at Seoul, 22^nd December 1880; d.s.p. there, 14^th January 1963, bur. at Hong-yu-nung, Kumgok, in 1996), née Kim Su-dok [Yonan Kim-Ssi], raised to the title of Princess Yonwon (Yonwon Gun-pu-in) at her marriage, rcvd: GC of the Order of the Auspicious Phoenix of Korea (1907) and the Order of the Precious Crown 2^nd class of Japan (8.1.1924), eldest daughter of H.E. Kim Sa-jun [Shiei, 1^st Baron Kim], of the Yonan Kim family. m. (i) Chong-Ssi, Lady Sukwan-dang (d. in childbirth, 28^th October 1909). m. (ii) Kim Hung-in, Lady Suin-dang. m. (iii) Kim Chang-ui, Lady Su-gyung. m. (iv) Yi Hu-chun, Lady Sudok-dang. m. (a) Chong Un-sok. m. (b) Cho Byong-suk. m. (c) Song. m. (d) Ham. m. (e) Hong Chong-sun. m. (f) Kim Hae-sum. (g) Kim Chong-wan. m. (h) Pak Yong-hui. m. (i) Kim Yong-dok. He d. at Sungrak-won, Seougbuk-dong, Seongbuk, Seoul, 15^th August 1955 (bur. at Hong-yu-nung, Kumgok, Namyang-ju, in 1996), having had issue, twelve sons and nine daughters*:
- a) Colonel H.H. Prince (Wang-son) Yi Kon [Ken Ri], Prince Yong-gil (Yong-gil-gun). b. at Seoul, 28^th October 1909 (s/o Lady Chong), educ. Mil. Prep. Sch. and Imperial Mil. Acad., Tokyo. Succeeded his father as head of his house, following the removal of his titles by the Japanese in 1923. Cmsnd. 2^nd-Lieut. of Cavalry, IJA 1930, prom. Capt. 1936, prom. Maj. 1940, prom. Lt-Col. 1943, retired as Col. 1945. Became a Japanese citizen after his princely status was abolished in Japan, 14^th October 1947. Assumed the name of Ken'ichi Momoyama. Rcvd: the Grand Order of the Auspicious Stars, GC of the Order of the Rising Sun with Paulownia Flowers, and the Red Cross Order of Merit of Japan. m. five wives, including (first) at Tokyo, 5^th October 1931 (div. there, May 1951), H.H. Princess Yoshiko (b. at Tokyo, 6^th October 1911), rcvd: the Order of the Precious Crown 2^nd class (5.10.1931), sometime Presdt. Ginza Club, eldest daughter of Captain Yutaka Matsudaira, IJN, by his wife, a daughter of Major-General H.E. Naohiro, Marquis Nabeshima, 14^th Daimyo of the Saga clan, Grand Master of Ceremonies, and sometime Ambassador to Italy. m. (second) at Tokyo, 1951, Yoshiko II. He d. at Tokyo, 1991, having had issue, two sons and one daughter:
  - i) H.H. Prince Yi Ch'ung [Chu Ri]. b. at Tokyo, 14^th August 1932 (s/o Princess Yoshiko).
  - ii) H.H. Prince Yi Ki [Ki Ri]. b. at Tokyo, 4^th March 1935 (s/o Princess Yoshiko).
  - i) H.H. Princess (Wang-nyo) Yi Okcha [Haruko Ri]. b. at Tokyo, 19^th December 1938 (s/o Princess Yoshiko). Copyright©Christopher Buyers
- b) Lieutenant-Colonel H.H. Prince (Wang-son) Yi U [Gu Ri], Prince Song-gil (Songgil-gun). b. at the Suin-dang, Seoul, 15^th November 1912 (s/o Lady Suin-dang), educ. Mil. Prep. Sch. and Imperial Mil. Acad., Tokyo. Appointed as Heir to Prince Yi Chun-yong in 1917, who had d.s.p. Cmsnd. 2^nd-Lieut. of Artillery, Imperial Japanese Army, prom. Maj. 1943, prom. Lieut-Col. 1944. Rcvd: GC of the Order of the Rising Sun with Paulownia Flowers, and the Red Cross Order of Merit of Japan. m. at Tokyo, 3^rd May 1935, H.H. Princess Ch'anju [San Shu] (b. at Seoul, 11^th December 1914; d. at Un Hyun Palace, Seoul, 1995), rcvd: the Order of the Precious Crown 2^nd class, daughter of Pak …and grand daughter of H.E. Pak Yong-hyo [Eiko, 1^st Marquis Boku], Vice-Presdt. Privy Cncl. and Master of the Household. He d. at the First Aid Station on Ninoshima Island, 7^th August 1945, from wounds received from the atomic bomb blast at Hiroshima (bur at Hong-yu-nung, Kumgok, Namyang-ju, Korea), having had issue, two sons:
  - i) H.H. Prince Yi Ch'ong [Sei Ri]. b. at Tokyo, 23^rd April 1936, educ. Gakushin Peers' Sch., Tokyo and Knoxville Coll., Tenn., USA.
  - ii) H.H. Prince Yi Chong [So Ri]. b. at Tokyo, 9^th November 1940. Officer in the ROK Air Force during the 1960's. He d. 19xx.
- c) Yi Pang [Hung-gil] * (s/o Chong Un-sok). He d. before 1972.
- d) H.H. Prince (Wang-son) Yi Ch'ang [Ch'ang-gil] *. b. at Seoul, 1915 (s/o Cho Byong-suk). Adopted by Prince Wanpyung, a great-great-grandson of Crown Prince Sado.
- e) Yi T'aek [Sug-gil] *. b. at Seoul, 1918 (s/o Lady Suin-dang). He d. 1982.
- f) Yi Kon [Myong-gil] *. b. at Seoul, 1920 (s/o Lady Suin-dang).
- g) Yi Kwang [Hyong-gil] * (s/o Song). He d. before 1972.
- h) H.H. Prince (Wang-son) Yi Hyon [Kyong-gil] *. b. at Seoul, 1922 (s/o Kim Chang-ui). Adopted into the Gyedong branch of the Yi Family. He d. at a social centre in Seoul, 1998.
- i) Yi Kap [Ch'ung-gil] *. b. at Seoul, 1938 (s/o Ham). He had issue, two sons:
  - i) Yi Won, who succeeded as H.I.H. Prince Yi Won, Head of the Imperial House of Korea - see below.
  - ii) Yi Jeong. Copyright©Christopher Buyers
- j) Yi Seok [Lee Hai-Suk] [Yong-gil] *. b. at Seoul, 1941 (s/o Hong Chong-sun), educ. Hankuk Univ. of Foreign Studies, Seoul, and in the USA. Evacuated to shanghai during the Second World War. Became a popular singer and entertainer in 1961. Served with the Korean Tiger Dvsn. in Vietnam 1966-1968, until invalided home after a roadside mortar attack, returned to singing 1970, lived in the USA 1979-1989, and gave up the stage in 1997. Presdt. National Federation for Preserving the Great Korean Royal Court. m. (div.) three times, including, Ch'ung-hee. He has issue, one son and two daughters, by different wives:
  - i) Yi Ch'ung Hun. b. 1980 (s/o Ch'ung-hee).
  - i) Yi Hong. b. 1976 (d/o Ch'ung-hee). m. 2001, Han Yeong-gwang. She has issue, one daughter.
  - ii) Yi Chin. b. 1979.
- k) Yi Pom [Mun'-gil] *. b. at Seoul, 1944 (s/o Kim Hae-su).
- l) Yi Chong [Chong-gil] *. b. at Seoul, 1947 (s/o Hong Chong-sun).
- a) Hae-han*. b. at the Sudok-dang, Seoul (d/o Lady Sudok-dang).
- b) Hae-yon*. b. at Seoul, 1919 (d/o Lady Sudok-dang).
- c) Hae-ch'un* (d/o Kim Chong-wan).
- d) Hae-suk* (d/o Pak Yongh-ui).
- e) Hae-gyong [Amy Hai Kyung Lee] *. b. at Seoul, 1930 (d/o Kim Yong-dok). Korean Studies Librarian, C.V. Starr East Asian Library of Columbia Univ., New York, USA, retd. 1997. Author of "Na ui ahoji Ui ch'inwang: Choson Wangjo Majimak Wangnyo ui Haegorok" (My Father Prince Ui: Memoirs of the Last Princess of the Choson Dynasty) (1997), and joint author of "A Tree with Deep Roots: The Starr Korean Rare Book Collection" (1996), etc.
- f) Hwi-ja* (d/o Kim Hae-su).
- g) Hae-ran* (d/o Hong Chong-sun).
- h) Hae-ryon* (d/o Hong Chong-sun).
- i) Mun*. b. at Seoul, 1951 (d/o Kim Hae-su). Copyright©Christopher Buyers
7) H.I.H. Prince (Hwang-tae-ja) Yi Un Uimin [Gin Ri], Prince Yong (Yong Ch'in-hwang), Head of the Royal House of Korea (s/o Lady Om [Sunhon Hwang-kwi-bi) - see below.
8) H.H. Prince (Hwang-ja) Yi Yuk. b. at the Kwanghwa-dang, Ch'angduk Palace, Seoul, 1906 (s/o Lady Kwang-hwa-dang) and d. 1908, aged twenty months.
9) H.H. Prince (Hwang-ja) Yi U. b. at the Pohyon-dang, Ch'angduk Palace, Seoul (s/o Lady Pohyon-dang). He d. young.
1) H.R.H. Princess (Wang-nyo) ... b. at the Kyongbok Palace, Seoul, May and d. there, November 1873 (d/o Empress Myong-song).
2) H.H. Princess (Wang-nyo) …(d/o Lady Naen-dang). She d. in infancy.
3) H.H. Princess (Wang-nyo) …(d/o Lady Naen-dang). She also d. in infancy.
4) H.H. Princess (Wang-nyo) Tok-hye [Tok-hye Ong-ju]. b. at the Pongyong-dang, Ch'angduk Palace, Seoul, 25^th May 1912 (d/o Lady Pongyong-dang), educ. Peeresses' Sch., Miyakezaka, Tokyo. Returned to Korea at the invitation of the Korean government, 26^th January 1962. Rcvd: GC of the Order of the Auspicious Phoenix. m. at Tokyo, 8^th May 1931, as his first wife (div. June 1955), Professor Takeyuki So, 3^rd Count So (b. 16^th February 1908; m. second, Yoshie, daughter of Shigeru Kachimura, and d. 22^nd April 1985, having had further issue, two sons and one daughter), sometime Professor at Reitaku Univ., adopted son and successor of Shigemochi, 2^nd Count So, of Tsushima, and son of Yorikyuki, Viscount Kuroda, probably by his wife, Reiko, daughter of Naoyasu Kuroda, Daimyo of Kurume. She d. at the Nakson-jae, Ch'angduk Palace, Seoul, 21^st April 1989 (bur. Hong-yu-nung, Kumgok, Namyang-ju), having had issue, an only daughter:
- a) Masae So [Chung-hye]. b. in Japan, 14^th August 1932, educ. Meiji Univ. m. (div.) Noboru Suzuki. She d. in Japan 1955.

* All but the two eldest sons of Prince Ui were considered illegitimate, and their names not recorded in the Yi Family Register (Chonju Yi-ssi chokpo) when born. Princess Consort Yonwon subsequently arranged for their adoption by collateral relatives of the Yi clan. The princess could have adopted one or more of these sons herself, thereby retaining them within the Imperial Family and conferring certain rights of succession to the throne. However, and for her own reasons, she seems to have avoided this option entirely.

The consequence of the adoptions is that the natural children of Prince Ui belong to their adopted families and not to the Imperial line. They do not enjoy rights of succession to the throne. They are also ineligible for adoption again during their own lifetimes, and cannot regain entry into the Imperial line by such means. This effectively rules out any legitimate claim to the throne by Yi Seok or his siblings. On the other hand, their children and descendants remain eligible for adoption into the principal Imperial family line, so long as they have also not previously been adopted once during their own lifetimes.

Prince Yi Kang may also have had additional natural issue to those listed here. Included amongst them, possibly two sons born to an American woman, while he was a student at the Ohio Wesleyan University. The mother and sons arrived in Tokyo ca. 1919 claiming his paternity, but their subsequent history remains unknown.

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