Hyojong of Joseon
Encyclopedia
King Hyojong was the seventeenth king of the Joseon Dynasty
of Korea
from 1649 to 1659. He is best known for his plan for expedition to Manchu
Qing dynasty
and his campaigns against the Russian Empire
by the request of Qing Dynasty
. His plan for the northern expedition was never put into action since he died before the campaign started.
, while his father was still a prince. In 1623, when the Westerners faction (西人) launched a coup that removed then-ruling Gwanghaegun
and crowned Injo, Hyojong was called to the palace along with his father and given the title Bongrimdaegun (Grand Prince Bongrim) in 1626.
's feet eight times. There, Injo and Hong Taiji signed a treaty, which included that Manchus would take Crown Prince Sohyeon
, Injo's oldest son, and Hyojong to China as captive.
During his exile in China, Hyojong mostly tried to defend his older brother from the threats of the Qing Dynasty. Hong Taici and his Manchu forces were still at war against the Chinese Ming Dynasty
and also engaged in battle with the Mongols
and Chinese Muslims; and many times, the Qing emperor requested Prince Sohyeon to go to the battlefield and help command troops against the Manchus' enemies. However, Hyojong was worried about his brother because he was the official heir to the throne of Joseon and had no military experience. He went on to fight the Chinese in his brother's place, and he also followed Sohyeon to battles against the Uyghurs
and Muslims on the western front.
Along with his brother, he made contact with Europeans while he was in China; and also he learned that Joseon needed to develop new technology and a stronger political and military system in order to protect itself from foreign powers. He also developed a grudge against Qing Dynasty, which separated him from his home country and his family. It was during this period that he decided to make a massive plan for northern campaigns against the Manchus, an act of vengeance on the Qing Dynasty for the war of 1636.
The incident made Hyojong, the next-in-line, the new crown prince, and he was called back to Joseon. When King Injo died in 1649, Hyojong inherited the throne, becoming the 17th monarch of Joseon.
; first he removed Kim Ja-jeom, who had corrupted politics and had greater power than the king himself. Then, he called Song Si-yeol
(Hangul
: 송시열 Hanja
:宋時烈) and Kim Sang-heon to his court, who supported war against the Qing Dynasty. His military expansion was massive, and he also built several border fortresses along Yalu River
where Joseon and Qing shared a border. When a band of Dutch sailors including Hendrick Hamel
drifted on Jeju Island, Hyojong ordered them to build muskets for the army, providing muskets to the Koreans for the first time after Seven Year War.
However, the Qing Dynasty continued to thrive, expanding quickly into the west after successfully conquering the Ming in 1644. The campaign was unable to be put in action, since the Manchus assimilated the massive Chinese army into their own. The Joseon military, although reformed and expanded, was no match against the combined Manchu and Chinese forces. Also, the Qing Dynasty began to treat Joseon as its friend and closest ally.
The expanded military was first put into action in 1654, when the Qing Dynasty called for help to fight against invading Russians
. 150 Joseon musketeers, along with 3,000 Manchus, met Russian army at the Battle of Hutong (Hangul
: 호통 Hanja
: 好通), present-day Yilan
), which was won by the Qing-Joseon allied forces. Four years later,in 1658, Hyojong sent troops once again to help Qing Dynasty against Russia; 260 Joseon musketeers and cannoners led by Shin Ryu
joined the forces of Ninguta Military Governor Sarhuda
, The joint force sailed down the Hurka
and Sungari Rivers, and met the Russian forces under command of an Amur Cossack
, Onufrij Stepanov near the fall of the Sungari River into the Amur, killing 270 Russians and driving them out of Manchu territory. The battles against Russia proved that Hyojong's reform had stabilized the Joseon army, although they were never put into action again. Despite the campaigns, Russia and Joseon remained on good terms. The Northern campaign is known as Naseon Jeongbeol (Hangul
: 나선정벌 Hanja
: 羅禪征伐), or "Suppression of the Russians".
(KBS2, 2010).
Joseon Dynasty
Joseon , was a Korean state founded by Taejo Yi Seong-gye that lasted for approximately five centuries. It was founded in the aftermath of the overthrow of the Goryeo at what is today the city of Kaesong. Early on, Korea was retitled and the capital was relocated to modern-day Seoul...
of Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
from 1649 to 1659. He is best known for his plan for expedition to Manchu
Manchu
The Manchu people or Man are an ethnic minority of China who originated in Manchuria . During their rise in the 17th century, with the help of the Ming dynasty rebels , they came to power in China and founded the Qing Dynasty, which ruled China until the Xinhai Revolution of 1911, which...
Qing dynasty
Qing Dynasty
The Qing Dynasty was the last dynasty of China, ruling from 1644 to 1912 with a brief, abortive restoration in 1917. It was preceded by the Ming Dynasty and followed by the Republic of China....
and his campaigns against the Russian Empire
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
by the request of Qing Dynasty
Qing Dynasty
The Qing Dynasty was the last dynasty of China, ruling from 1644 to 1912 with a brief, abortive restoration in 1917. It was preceded by the Ming Dynasty and followed by the Republic of China....
. His plan for the northern expedition was never put into action since he died before the campaign started.
Birth and Background
King Hyojong was born in 1619 as the second son of King InjoInjo of Joseon
Injo of Joseon was the sixteenth king of the Korean Joseon Dynasty. He was the grandson of Seonjo, son of Grandprince Jeongwon...
, while his father was still a prince. In 1623, when the Westerners faction (西人) launched a coup that removed then-ruling Gwanghaegun
Gwanghaegun of Joseon
Gwanghaegun or Prince Gwanghae was the fifteenth king of the Joseon Dynasty. His personal name was Yi Hon. Since he was deposed in a coup, later official historians did not give him a temple name like Taejo or Sejong...
and crowned Injo, Hyojong was called to the palace along with his father and given the title Bongrimdaegun (Grand Prince Bongrim) in 1626.
Captive of the Qing Dynasty
In 1627, King Injo's hard-line diplomatic policy brought war between Korea and Manchus. Later, in 1636, the Manchus (Qing Dynasty) defeated Joseon, and King Injo pledged his loyalty to the Qing emperor at Samjeondo, bowing down at Hong TaijiHong Taiji
Hong Taiji , also transliterated as Huang Taiji based on the Chinese language transcription of his name, was the first Emperor of the Qing Dynasty.Hong Taiji was the first Emperor of the Qing dynasty after acceding to the title in 1636...
's feet eight times. There, Injo and Hong Taiji signed a treaty, which included that Manchus would take Crown Prince Sohyeon
Crown Prince Sohyeon
Crown Prince Sohyeon was the first son of King Injo of Joseon Dynasty.Sohyeon was detained in Shenyang, by treaty of peace after War in 1636. He moved to Beijing in 1644, and communicated with Johann Adam Schall von Bell...
, Injo's oldest son, and Hyojong to China as captive.
During his exile in China, Hyojong mostly tried to defend his older brother from the threats of the Qing Dynasty. Hong Taici and his Manchu forces were still at war against the Chinese Ming Dynasty
Ming Dynasty
The Ming Dynasty, also Empire of the Great Ming, was the ruling dynasty of China from 1368 to 1644, following the collapse of the Mongol-led Yuan Dynasty. The Ming, "one of the greatest eras of orderly government and social stability in human history", was the last dynasty in China ruled by ethnic...
and also engaged in battle with the Mongols
Mongols
Mongols ) are a Central-East Asian ethnic group that lives mainly in the countries of Mongolia, China, and Russia. In China, ethnic Mongols can be found mainly in the central north region of China such as Inner Mongolia...
and Chinese Muslims; and many times, the Qing emperor requested Prince Sohyeon to go to the battlefield and help command troops against the Manchus' enemies. However, Hyojong was worried about his brother because he was the official heir to the throne of Joseon and had no military experience. He went on to fight the Chinese in his brother's place, and he also followed Sohyeon to battles against the Uyghurs
Uyghur people
The Uyghur are a Turkic ethnic group living in Eastern and Central Asia. Today, Uyghurs live primarily in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region in the People's Republic of China...
and Muslims on the western front.
Along with his brother, he made contact with Europeans while he was in China; and also he learned that Joseon needed to develop new technology and a stronger political and military system in order to protect itself from foreign powers. He also developed a grudge against Qing Dynasty, which separated him from his home country and his family. It was during this period that he decided to make a massive plan for northern campaigns against the Manchus, an act of vengeance on the Qing Dynasty for the war of 1636.
Enthronement
In 1645, Crown Prince Sohyeon returned to Joseon alone, in order to succeed Injo to the throne and to help Injo to govern the nation. However, he often came into conflict with Injo, who disliked Sohyeon's open view of European culture and diplomatic views of the Qing Dynasty. Soon he was found dead at the King's room, and buried quickly after a short funeral. Injo also executed Sohyeon's wife who tried to find out the real reason for her husband's death. Legends say that Injo killed his own son with an ink slab that he brought from China.The incident made Hyojong, the next-in-line, the new crown prince, and he was called back to Joseon. When King Injo died in 1649, Hyojong inherited the throne, becoming the 17th monarch of Joseon.
Northern campaigns
After rising to the throne, he began to reform and expand the military of KoreaMilitary history of Korea
Koreas military history spans back thousands of years, beginning with the early struggles of the ancient Kingdom of Gojoseon. Its long history consists of the many successful repulsions of major invasions and defensive against foreign invasions...
; first he removed Kim Ja-jeom, who had corrupted politics and had greater power than the king himself. Then, he called Song Si-yeol
Song Si-yeol
Song Si-yeol , also known by his penname U-am, was a Joseon Dynasty-era politician and Korean Neo-Confucianism scholar and philosopher. Born in Okcheon, North Chungcheong, Korea, he was known for his concern with the problems of the common people...
(Hangul
Hangul
Hangul,Pronounced or ; Korean: 한글 Hangeul/Han'gŭl or 조선글 Chosŏn'gŭl/Joseongeul the Korean alphabet, is the native alphabet of the Korean language. It is a separate script from Hanja, the logographic Chinese characters which are also sometimes used to write Korean...
: 송시열 Hanja
Hanja
Hanja is the Korean name for the Chinese characters hanzi. More specifically, it refers to those Chinese characters borrowed from Chinese and incorporated into the Korean language with Korean pronunciation...
:宋時烈) and Kim Sang-heon to his court, who supported war against the Qing Dynasty. His military expansion was massive, and he also built several border fortresses along Yalu River
Yalu River
The Yalu River or the Amnok River is a river on the border between North Korea and the People's Republic of China....
where Joseon and Qing shared a border. When a band of Dutch sailors including Hendrick Hamel
Hendrick Hamel
Hendrick Hamel was the first Westerner to write and experience first-hand in the Joseon Dynasty era in Korea . He later wrote "Hamel's Journal and a Description of the Kingdom of Korea, 1653-1666", published after his return to the Netherlands.Hendrick Hamel was born and died in Gorinchem...
drifted on Jeju Island, Hyojong ordered them to build muskets for the army, providing muskets to the Koreans for the first time after Seven Year War.
However, the Qing Dynasty continued to thrive, expanding quickly into the west after successfully conquering the Ming in 1644. The campaign was unable to be put in action, since the Manchus assimilated the massive Chinese army into their own. The Joseon military, although reformed and expanded, was no match against the combined Manchu and Chinese forces. Also, the Qing Dynasty began to treat Joseon as its friend and closest ally.
The expanded military was first put into action in 1654, when the Qing Dynasty called for help to fight against invading Russians
Russians
The Russian people are an East Slavic ethnic group native to Russia, speaking the Russian language and primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries....
. 150 Joseon musketeers, along with 3,000 Manchus, met Russian army at the Battle of Hutong (Hangul
Hangul
Hangul,Pronounced or ; Korean: 한글 Hangeul/Han'gŭl or 조선글 Chosŏn'gŭl/Joseongeul the Korean alphabet, is the native alphabet of the Korean language. It is a separate script from Hanja, the logographic Chinese characters which are also sometimes used to write Korean...
: 호통 Hanja
Hanja
Hanja is the Korean name for the Chinese characters hanzi. More specifically, it refers to those Chinese characters borrowed from Chinese and incorporated into the Korean language with Korean pronunciation...
: 好通), present-day Yilan
Yilan County, Heilongjiang
Yilan County is a county of central Heilongjiang province in Northeast China. It administratively belonging to Harbin, the provincial capital, more than to the west...
), which was won by the Qing-Joseon allied forces. Four years later,in 1658, Hyojong sent troops once again to help Qing Dynasty against Russia; 260 Joseon musketeers and cannoners led by Shin Ryu
Shin Ryu
Shin Ryu was a general of the Joseon Dynasty. He was born into a yangban family of the Pyeongsan Shin lineage in modern-day Chilgok County, Gyeongsangbuk-do, near where his shrine now stands in Yangmok-myeon. He passed the military gwageo in 1645, and went on to hold various state positions...
joined the forces of Ninguta Military Governor Sarhuda
Sarhuda
Šarhūda, known also under the Chinese transcription of his name, Shaerhuda , was a Manchu military commander during the early Qing Dynasty, active both before and after the Manchus' seizing control of the entire China....
, The joint force sailed down the Hurka
Mudanjiang River
The Mudan River or Mudanjiang River .is a river in Heilongjiang province in China. It is a right tributary of the Sungari River.Its modern Chinese name can be translated as the "Peony River"...
and Sungari Rivers, and met the Russian forces under command of an Amur Cossack
Cossack
Cossacks are a group of predominantly East Slavic people who originally were members of democratic, semi-military communities in what is today Ukraine and Southern Russia inhabiting sparsely populated areas and islands in the lower Dnieper and Don basins and who played an important role in the...
, Onufrij Stepanov near the fall of the Sungari River into the Amur, killing 270 Russians and driving them out of Manchu territory. The battles against Russia proved that Hyojong's reform had stabilized the Joseon army, although they were never put into action again. Despite the campaigns, Russia and Joseon remained on good terms. The Northern campaign is known as Naseon Jeongbeol (Hangul
Hangul
Hangul,Pronounced or ; Korean: 한글 Hangeul/Han'gŭl or 조선글 Chosŏn'gŭl/Joseongeul the Korean alphabet, is the native alphabet of the Korean language. It is a separate script from Hanja, the logographic Chinese characters which are also sometimes used to write Korean...
: 나선정벌 Hanja
Hanja
Hanja is the Korean name for the Chinese characters hanzi. More specifically, it refers to those Chinese characters borrowed from Chinese and incorporated into the Korean language with Korean pronunciation...
: 羅禪征伐), or "Suppression of the Russians".
Other Accomplishments
During his reign, many books about farming were published to promote agriculture, which had been devastated during the Seven Year War. Hyojong also continued Gwanghaegun's reconstructions; he had a hard time restoring the economy at the same time as expanding the military. He also had to make more coins with metals which could have been used to make ammunitions, but had to give them up in order to rebuild his kingdom. He had too much stress dealing with numerous problems inside and outside of the country, and died at the early age of 41 in 1659. Although his plan for northern conquest was never put in action, many people regard him as a brilliant and brave ruler who dedicated his life to serving his nation.Family
- Father: King InjoInjo of JoseonInjo of Joseon was the sixteenth king of the Korean Joseon Dynasty. He was the grandson of Seonjo, son of Grandprince Jeongwon...
(인조) - Mother: Queen Inryeol of the Han clan (인렬왕후 한씨)
- Consorts:
- Queen Inseon of the Deoksu Jang clan (인선왕후 장씨)
- Royal Noble Consort An of the Gyeongju Yi clan (안빈 이씨)
- Issue:
- Prince Successor (세자)Hyeonjong of JoseonKing Hyeonjong of Joseon was the 18th monarch of the Korean Joseon Dynasty, reigning from 1659 to 1675. His reign was mostly marked by heavy conflict among nation's political factions on various issues, especially on funeral issues.-Background:...
, Only Son of Queen Inseon of the Deoksu Jang clan. - Princess Sukshin (숙신공주), 1st Daughter of Queen Inseon of the Deoksu Jang clan.
- Princess Sukan (숙안공주), 2nd Daughter of Queen Inseon of the Deoksu Jang clan.
- Princess Sukmyeong (숙명공주), 3rd Daughter of Queen Inseon of the Deoksu Jang clan.
- Princess Sukhwi (숙휘공주), 4th Daughter of Queen Inseon of the Deoksu Jang clan.
- Princess Sukjeong (숙정공주), 5th Daughter of Queen Inseon of the Deoksu Jang clan.
- Princess Sukgyeong (숙경공주), 6th Daughter of Queen Inseon of the Deoksu Jang clan.
- Princess Suknyeong (숙녕옹주), Only Daughter of Royal Noble Consort An of the Gyeongju Yi clan.
His full posthumous name
- King Hyojong Heumcheon Daldo Gwanggok Hongyeol Seonmun Jangmu Sinseong Hyeonin Myeongeui Jeongdeok the Great of Korea
- 효종흠천달도광곡홍열선문장무신성현인명의정덕대왕
- 孝宗欽天達道光穀弘烈宣文章武神聖顯仁明義正德大王
Modern depictions
Hyojong is portrayed briefly as the Grand Prince Bongrim (봉림대군) in the Korean drama ChunoChuno (TV series)
Chuno is a South Korea action historical drama, starring Jang Hyuk, Oh Ji Ho and Lee Da Hae. It was produced by the Korean Broadcasting System and aired on January 6, 2010....
(KBS2, 2010).
