Jeongan

Queen Chŏngan (; 30 January 1355 – 11 August 1412), of the Gyeongju Kim clan, was the wife of King Jeongjong, the second monarh of Joseon. Known as Queen Tŏk during her tenure, she was queen of Joseon from 1398 until her husband's abdication in 1400. She was then styled as Queen Dowager Sundŏk during the reign of her brother-in-law, King Taejong.

Biography Early life The future Queen Chŏngan was born during the reign of King Gongmin of Goyreo, as the eldest daughter and third child among three sons and four daughters. Her father was Kim Ch'ŏnsŏ and her mother was a lady from the Damyang Yi clan.

Lady Kim came from the Gyeongju Kim clan, the final and most prolific of Silla's three ruling families. She was a descendant of King Gyeongsun (the last monarch of Silla) and Princess Nakrang (eldest daughter of King Taejo, the founder of Goryeo) through their second son, Kim Ŭnyŏl . Queen Jeongsun was distantly related to her as they both traced their ancestry to Kim Chŏnggu , a grandson of Kim Ŭnyŏl.

Marriage and royal life It is unknown when she married Yi Panggwa, the second son of Goryeo general Yi Sŏnggye (posthumously King Taejo of Joseon) and his first wife, Lady Han (posthumously Queen Sinui). They had no children together.

Lady Kim's father-in-law established Joseon in 1392. Six years later, in 1398, Yi Panggwa was appointed as crown prince following the First Strife of the Princes . Consequently, she became crown princess and received the honorific title tŏk . Yi Panggwa (posthumously King Jeongjong) acceded to the throne shortly after, and Lady Kim thus became queen.

In the aftermath of the Second Strife of the Princes , when King Jeongjong abdicated in favor of his younger brother, Yi Pangwŏn (posthumously King Taejong), she was elevated to the position of queen dowager.

Death Lady Kim died 12 years later, during the reign of King Taejong. She was buried within Hurŭng in present-day Kaesŏng, North Korea. King Jeongjong, who survived Lady Kim by seven years, was later buried alongside her.

She was conferred the posthumous name Chŏngan , which has also been rendered as Anchŏng .

Titles

During the reign of King Gongmin : Lady, of the Gyeongju Kim clan Kim Ch'ŏnsŏ's daughter Lady Kim During the reign of King Taejo : Crown Princess Tŏk (; from 14 October 1398) During the reign of King Jeongjong : Queen Tŏk (; from 22 October 1398) During the reign of King Taejong : Queen Dowager Sundŏk (; from 7 December 1400) Queen Chŏngan (; from 1412)

Family Father: Kim Ch'ŏnsŏ , Internal Prince Wŏlsŏng Mother: Grand Princess Consort of Samhan State , of the Damyang Yi clan Sibling(s) Brother: Kim Sŏkjun Brother: Kim Su , Prince Wolseong (; 1338–1409) Sister: Lady, of the Gyeongju Kim clan Brother: Kim Samwŏn Sister: Lady, of the Gyeongju Kim clan Sister: Lady, of the Gyeongju Kim clan Husband: King Jeongjong (; 26 July 1357 – 24 October 1419) — No issue. Father-in-law: King Taejo (; 4 November 1335 – 27 June 1408) Mother-in-law: Queen Sinŭi , of the Cheongju Han clan (; 6 October 1337 – 25 November 1391) Stepmother-in-law: Queen Sindeok , of the Goksan Kang clan (; 20 July 1356 – 23 September 1396)

Ancestry

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 KBS1 TV series Tears of the Dragon. Portrayed by Kim Seo-yeon in the 2021–2022 KBS1 TV series The King of Tears, Lee Bang-won.