Queen Jangnyeol

Summary

Queen Jangryeol (Korean장렬왕후 조씨; 6 December 1624 – 10 September 1688), of the Yangju Jo clan, was a posthumous name bestowed to the wife and second queen consort of Yi Jong, King Injo, the 16th Joseon monarch. She was queen consort of Joseon from 1638 until her husband's death in 1649, after which she was honoured as Queen Dowager Jaui (자의왕대비) during the reign of her step-son Yi Ho, King Hyojong, and as Grand Queen Dowager Jaui (자의대왕대비) during the reign of her step grandson Yi Yeon, King Hyeonjong and her step great-grandson Yi Sun, King Sukjong.

Queen Jangryeol
장렬왕후
莊烈王后
Grand Queen Dowager of Joseon
Tenure13 June 1659 – 10 September 1688
PredecessorGrand Queen Dowager Soseong
SuccessorGrand Queen Dowager Hyesun
Queen Dowager of Joseon
Tenure7 June 1649 – 13 June 1659
PredecessorQueen Dowager Soseong
SuccessorQueen Dowager Hyosuk
Queen Consort of Joseon
TenureNovember 1638 – 7 June 1649
PredecessorQueen Inyeol
SuccessorQueen Inseon
Born6 December 1624
Gwan-ah, Jiksa-hyeon, Chungcheong Province, Joseon
Died10 September 1688 (1688-09-11) (aged 63)
Naebanwon, Changgyeong Palace, Hanseong, Joseon
Burial
SpouseYi Jong, King Injo (m.1638–d.1649)
Posthumous name
자의공신휘헌강인숙목정숙온혜장렬왕후
慈懿恭慎徽獻康仁淑穆貞肅溫惠莊烈王后
HouseYangju Jo (by birth) Jeonju Yi (by marriage)
FatherJo Chang-won
MotherInternal Princess Consort Wansan of the Jeonju Choi clan
Korean name
Hangul
장렬왕후
Hanja
莊烈王后
Revised RomanizationJangryeol wanghu
McCune–ReischauerChangryŏl wanghu

Biography edit

The future queen was born on 6 December 1624 during the reign King Injo. Her father, Jo Chang-won, was member of the Yangju Jo clan, and her mother was member of the Jeonju Choi clan. Although her aunt, older sisters and cousins have personal names, there is information yet to be found regarding the Queen’s name from historical records.

Three years after his first wife Queen Inyeol's death, Injo selected the fourteen-year old daughter of Jo Chang-won as new queen consort in November 1638. The King was 44 years old, and his two sons, Crown Prince Sohyeon and Grand Prince Bongrim, were 12 and 5 years her senior.

The Queen's relationship with Injo was not good due to the fact that she could not bear a son, and because the King's concubine, Royal Consort Gwi-in of the Okcheon Jo clan, had succeeded in having Injo to hate her. Thus she left the main palace, Changdeok Palace, in 1645 to live in Gyeongdeok Palace (now known as Gyeonghui Palace).

After Injo's death, she was elevated to the rank of queen dowager and formally addressed as Queen Dowager Jaui. Disputes happened during the death of her stepson, Hyojong, and his wife, Queen Inseon, where the factions argued on the duration in which Jaui would have to wear the mourning attire called sangbok. The incident was known as Yesong Dispute (예송논쟁): for Hyojong's funeral, it became an issue to determine whether the dowager should be mourning for three years or one year, while for Queen Dowager Hyosuk, either one year or nine months.

When Hyeonjong became the king in 1659, Jaui officially became grand queen dowager. She led a solitary life until her death at the age of 64 on 10 December 1688 during Sukjong's reign after living 50 years of her life as a woman of the royal palace.

Her tomb is located in Hwineung, Donggurneung, which is located within the city of Guri in Gyeonggi Province.

Family edit

Parent

  • Father − Jo Chang-won (조창원; 趙昌遠; 1583–1646)
  • Mother − Internal Princess Consort Wansan of the Jeonju Choi clan (완산부부인 전주 최씨; 完山府夫人 全州 崔氏; 1583–1663)

Sibling

  • Older sister − Jo Su-im (조수임; 趙壽任), Lady Jo of the Yangju Jo clan (양주 조씨; 楊州 趙氏; 1607–?)
  • Older brother − Jo Yun-seok (조윤석; 趙胤錫; 1615–1664)
  • Older sister − Jo Jong-im (조종임; 趙終任), Lady Jo of the Yangju Jo clan (양주 조씨; 楊州 趙氏; 1623–?)

Consort

Issue

In popular culture edit

References edit

Sources edit

  • 장렬왕후 (in Korean). Doosan Encyclopedia.
Queen Jangnyeol
Yangju Jo clan
Royal titles
Preceded by
Queen Inyeol
of the Cheongju Han clan
Queen consort of Joseon
December 1638–1649
Succeeded by
Queen Inseon
of the Deoksu Jang clan
Preceded by
Queen Dowager Soseong (Inmok)
of the Yeonan Kim clan
Queen dowager of Joseon
1649–1659
Succeeded by
Queen Dowager Hyosuk (Inseon)
of the Deoksu Jang clan
Preceded by Grand queen dowager of Joseon
1659–1688
Succeeded by
Grand Queen Dowager Hyesun (Inwon)
of the Gyeongju Kim clan