Biography

Born in 1357 as Yi Bang-Gwa, he was a prudent, generous, brave, and able military officer. During the latter days of the declining Goryeo Dynasty, Jeongjong followed his father, Yi Seong-gye, to various battlefronts and fought at his side. When his father became king in 1392, he became prince.

King Taejo had two wives—the first one, who gave birth to six of the king's sons including Jeongjong, died before King Taejo was crowned. King Taejo had a second wife, who had 2 sons from him. The king favored his youngest son, whose mother was Taejo's second wife. Prime Minister Jeong Dojeon also backed him as the successor to the throne, causing much disappointment from other princes. In 1398, King Taejo's fifth son, Yi Bang-won, who later would be King Taejong of Joseon, led a coup along with many military officers and killed his two younger half-brothers, Prime Minister Jeong, and many of his faction. Yi Bang-won first tried to show that he was not intended to take the throne, so he gave a push to his older brother Jeongjong (who was also the oldest then), to be a crown prince. King Taejo was upset and abdicated in disgust, and Jeongjong became king in the following year, 1399. The same year he moved the capital back to Gaegyeong, the old Goryeo capital.

In 1400, a conflict broke out between Yi Bang-won and his older brother, Yi Bang-gan. Yi Bang-won's force attacked and defeated that of Bang-gan's, Bang-gan was then sent into exile along with his family. General Bak Bo, who persuaded Bang-gan to fight against Bangwon, was executed. King Jeongjong, knowing that he was a mere political figurehead for his younger brother Bang-won, appointed him as a crown prince, and abdicated a few days later.

He was an able, wise administrator even though his short reign was marked by bloodshed within the royal family. He banned all kinds of private troops on the advice of Crown Prince Bang-won. He died in 1419, and was buried near Kaeseong.

Ancestors

Family

• Father: King Taejo of Joseon (27 October 1335 – 18 June 1408) (조선 태조)

　• Grandfather: King Hwanjo of Joseon (1315 – 1 January 1361) (조선 환조)

　• Grandmother: Queen Uihye of the Yeongheung Choi clan (의혜왕후 최씨)

• Mother: Queen Shinui of the Anbyeon Han clan (September 1337 – 21 October 1391) (신의왕후 한씨)

　• Grandfather: Han Gyeong (한경)

　• Grandmother: Lady Shin of the Saknyeong Shin clan (삭녕 신씨)

• Consorts and their Respective Issue(s):

• Queen Jeongan of the Gyeongju Kim (22 January 1355 – 2 August 1412) (정안왕후 김씨)

• Royal Noble Consort Seong of the Chungju Ji clan (성빈 지씨)

• # Yi Hu-Saeng, Prince Deokcheon (1397 – 1465) (이후생 덕천군)

• # Yi Mal-Saeng, Prince Dopyeong (1402 – 1439) (이말생 도평군)

• Royal Consort Suk-ui of the Chungju Ji clan (숙의 지씨)

• # Yi Won-Saeng, Prince Uipyeong (? – 1461) (이원생 의평군)

• # Yi Mu-Saeng, Prince Seonseong (10 December 1396 – 7 July 1460) (이무생 선성군)

• # Yi Ho-Saeng, Prince Imseong (이호생 임성군)

• # Princess Hamyang (함양옹주)

• Royal Consort Suk-ui of the Haengju Ki clan (? – 1457) (숙의 기씨)

• # Yi Gun-Saeng, Prince Sunpyeong (? – 1456) (이군생 순평군)

• # Yi Ui-Saeng, Prince Geumpyeong (? – 1435) (이의생 금평군)

• # Princess Sukshin (1401 – 1486) (숙신옹주)

• # Yi Yung-Saeng, Prince Jeongseok (1409 – 1464) (이융생 정석군)

• # Yi Seon-Saeng, Prince Murim (1410 – 1474) (이선생 무림군)

• # Princess Goseong (고성옹주)

• # Princess Sangwon (상원옹주)

• # Princess Jeonsan (전산옹주)

• Royal Consort Suk-ui of the Mun clan (숙의 문씨)

• # Yi Gwi-Saeng, Prince Jongui (1393 – 1451) (이귀생 종의군)

• Royal Consort Suk-ui of the Lee clan (숙의 이씨)

• # Yi Jong-Saeng, Prince Jinnam (1406 – 1470) (이종생 진남군)

• Royal Consort Suk-ui of the Haepyeong Yun clan (1368 - 1417) (숙의 윤씨)

• # Yi Deok-Saeng, Prince Sudo (? – 1449) (이덕생 수도군)

• # Yi Nok-Saeng, Prince Imeon (1399 – 1432) (이녹생 임언군)

• # Yi Bok-Saeng, Prince Seokbo (1399 – 1447) (이복생 석보군)

• # Yi Bo-Saeng, Prince Jangcheon (이보생 장천군)

• # Princess Incheon (인천옹주)

• # Princess Haman (함안옹주)

• Princess Gaui of the Yu clan (가의궁주 유씨)

• # Princess Deokcheon (덕천옹주)

• Cho Gung-Jang (초궁장)

• Ki-Mae (기매)

His full posthumous name

• King Jeongjong Gongjeong Uimun Jangmu Onin Sunhyo the Great of Korea

• 정종공정의문장무온인순효대왕

• 定宗恭靖懿文莊武溫仁順孝大王

生平

朝鮮王朝開國之君李成桂次子。生于高麗恭愍王六年（1357年）七月，官至高麗三司右使。朝鮮太祖元（1392）年八月，封為永安君，拜義興親軍衛節制使。太祖二年（1393年）十月，拜三軍府中軍節制使。

戊寅靖社

朝鮮太祖元年（1392年）八月，即位尚未逾月的朝鮮國王李成桂立繼室康氏為顯妃（元配韓氏在朝鮮開國前病死，贈節妃），封長子李芳雨鎮安君、次子李芳果永安君、三子李芳毅益安君、四子李芳幹懷安君、五子李芳遠靖安君（六子李芳衍早卒）、七子李芳蕃撫安君、駙馬李濟興安君，以李芳果、李芳蕃、李濟為義興親軍衛節制使；同月，立八子李芳碩為世子。這次棄長立幼，引發了七年後的「戊寅靖社」。

太祖七年（1398年）八月，朝鮮國王李成桂久病不愈，靖安君李芳遠決定先下手為強，在李成桂庶弟義安君李和的支持下，以「立嫡以長」為藉口，聯合益安君李芳毅、懷安君李芳幹、上黨君駙馬李伯卿，殺死世子李芳碩，三軍府左軍節制使撫安君李芳蕃（李芳碩同母兄），三軍府右軍節制使興安君李濟（李芳碩同母姊婿），以及擁護世子李芳碩的大臣判三司事兼判三軍府事奉化伯鄭道傳、參贊門下府事兼判尚瑞寺事三軍節制使宜城君南訚、判中樞院事李懃、同知中樞院事福城君沈孝生。深受李成桂信任重用的世子一黨，已經被掃地殆盡。

李成桂在痛失愛子的慘境下，被迫承認既成事實，下教冊立李芳果為世子（長子李芳雨早逝）：「立嫡以長，萬世之經；宗子維城，寡人之望。惟爾父身嘗開國，舍長立幼，乃以芳碩為世子；不獨予暱愛不明之過，道傳、訚等亦不得辭其責矣。當其時，若以楚國愛少之誡據經廷諍，予敢不從？如道傳輩不惟不諍，猶恐其不立。日者，道傳、訚、孝生、至和等潛圖不軌，搖動根本，幸賴天地宗社之佑，罪人伏誅，王室再安。芳碩禍胎，不可留置國都，放諸東裔。予既悔前日之過，又因百僚之請，庸建爾為為王世子。於戲！克明其德，無忝爾所生；往盡乃心，鎮撫我社稷。」

九月，李成桂下教傳位：「王若曰：余以否德，承祖宗之蔭，奉天子之靈，肇造邦家，撫有臣庶，于今七年。乃緣久于軍旅，蒙犯霜露，迨今年衰疾作，難于宵旰，庶務業劇，恐多遺失。惟爾王世子芳果，身居嫡長，夙著仁孝，且當開國之初贊襄弘多，一國臣民咸共知之。肆于洪武三十一年九月初五日告于宗廟，乃命以位。爾其率由典章，親君子遠小人，視聽無一己之偏，好惡公國人之論，無敢或荒，無敢或怠，永綏厥位，以昌後嗣。於戲！爾父薄德，雖不足效，先聖之道，布在方冊，夙興夜寐，爾尚敬哉！」世子李芳果即位，是為朝鮮定宗。

庚辰靖社

「戊寅靖社」之後，益安公李芳毅為中軍節制使，懷安公李芳幹為左軍節制使，靖安公李芳遠為右軍節制使；義安公李和判門下府事兼領義興三軍府事。懷安公李芳幹和靖安公李芳遠都擁有極大的勢力，並且都對王位虎視眈眈。

朝鮮定宗二年（1400年）正月，靖社功臣樸苞因為居功自傲，被朝鮮國王李曔（李芳果）免去商議中樞院事，心懷不滿，不斷挑起懷安公李芳幹與靖安公不和。李芳幹于是起兵攻擊李芳遠，兩軍在開城對戰，李芳幹兵敗被擒，被李芳遠流放，樸苞先被流放而後被殺。益安公李芳毅聽說兩人相鬥的事情後，痛哭流涕，即日交還兵權。李芳遠迅速清除了李芳幹的勢力。

二月，朝鮮定宗李曔以沒有嫡子為由，下教冊立李芳遠為世子：「王若曰：建儲貳，所以正國本；崇位號，所以定人心。茲遵典章，庸舉冊禮。惟爾靖安公李芳遠，資全文武，德備英明。當太上開國之初，克倡大義；及寡兄定社之日，特立膚功。矧謳歌之有歸，宜監撫之是任。用命爾為王世子。於戲！知人不易，為子亦難。以親以賢，既處承祧之位；惟忠惟孝，用裨為政之方。故茲教示，想宜知悉。」

四月，朝鮮定宗李曔與世子李芳遠採納司憲府兼大司憲權近、門下府左散騎金若採的建議，廢除自高麗王朝傳承下來的私兵制，禁止宗室、駙馬掌握私兵；五月，又命令朝鮮宗室、駙馬不再參與朝政。這樣，朝鮮王朝初期由于王子、駙馬掌握兵權、參與朝政引發的動亂，在制度上畫下了句號，朝鮮政局開始穩定下來。

十一月，定宗李曔傳位李芳遠：「我神武太上王之肇興也，王世子明炳幾先，灼知天命，首唱大義，以建鴻業，則我朝鮮開國，惟世子之功是多，故當初建儲之議，物望咸歸。不期權奸貪立幼孽，將傾宗社，天誘其衷，建策戡定，以安宗社，則我朝鮮之再造，亦惟世子之功是賴。國于爾時，已為世子之有，乃執衝謙，申啟太上王，謂予不穀居嫡之長，俾命以位。予辭不獲，黽勉即政，于茲三年，天意未允，人心未孚，蝗旱為災，妖孽薦至。良由寡昧非德之致，慄慄危懼，俯仰有怍，矧予素纏風疾，眩于萬機，勞神應務，恐致彌留思釋重負以付有德，庶可以上答天心，下慰輿望。王世子稟剛明之德，挺勇智之資，仁義秉乎生知，孝悌本乎至誠，學問精于義理，英謀合于變通。固睿哲之離倫，乃謙恭之彌謹。早以濟世安民之量，克成撥亂反正之功。謳歌之所歸，宗社之所賴。惟賢惟德，宜承大統，爰命世子，傳即王位。予將退歸私第，優遊怡養，以保期頤。於戲！天人之情，必付于有德；宗社之統，當傳于至親。故世及以相承，實古今之通義。咨爾宗親耆老大小臣僚，咸體予懷，永保惟新之治。」世子李芳遠即位，是為朝鮮太宗。

永樂十七年九月二十六日，世宗元年（1419年）九月，上王李曔薨于開城仁德宮。

尊號與諡號

定宗二年（1400年），李芳果被迫禪位，被尊為「仁文恭睿上王」。世宗元年（1419年），上王李曔去世，謚溫仁恭勇順孝大王，次年（1420年），明朝賜謚恭靖，由於賜諡和本國諡號重複了「恭」字，所以刪去「恭勇」二字，合稱恭靖溫仁順孝大王。由于太宗要表明自己是直接繼承太祖的正統，因此沒有給其上廟號，只是稱為「恭靖大王」。

成宗六年（1475年），定宗之子茂林君李善生上疏稱，睿宗元年（1469年），睿宗已經將恭靖大王奉為「熙宗」，並準備與世祖大王同時升袝，但因睿宗突然離世而未能成事。李善生認為成宗已經即位七年，卻一直沒有完成此事他感到非常鬱悶。但這條上疏沒有得到成宗回應。同時，追尊恭靖大王為熙宗一事，《睿宗實錄》並未記載，而文臣尹根壽曾記下睿宗時曾上恭靖大王廟號為「安宗」。

此後多次有大臣請求追加李芳果廟號，甚至兩度有大臣援引睿宗朝之事，請求追尊李芳果為「熙宗」，都以太宗、世宗、世祖、成宗等大王均不追尊廟號，必有深意為由拒絕了。肅宗七年（1681年），肅宗下令查閱《睿宗實錄》和睿宗朝的《承政院日記》，詳查睿宗加尊李芳果為「熙宗」一事。同年十二月，肅宗決定為其上「定宗」廟號，並增加「懿文莊武」的謚號，合稱恭靖懿文莊武溫仁順孝大王。

事大政策

朝鮮太祖七年（1398年）九月，朝鮮國王李成桂遣判三司事偰長壽、禮曹典書金乙祥至明朝上表：「臣自少役于軍旅，感患風濕疾証，見今年紀衰老，早暮難任庶事。有長男芳果，性資純謹，志性端方，堪托後事，效力東陲。謹于洪武三十一年九月初五日委令權署國事，伏候明降。」

朝鮮定宗元年（1399年）六月，賀登極使右政丞金士衡、陳慰使政堂河崙、進香使判三司事偰長壽奉禮部咨文還。咨文曰：「建文元年四月二十五日，准朝鮮國咨，該本國王年老疾病，已令男李芳果權署句當，咨請奏聞，明降施行。本月二十六日早朝，本部上書陳迪等官于奉天門欽奉聖旨：『已先太祖皇帝詔諭本國，儀從本俗，法守舊章，聽其自為聲教。今後彼國事務，亦聽自為。欽此。』」擬合移咨，照驗施行。」

朝鮮太宗元年（1401年）三月，判三司事禹仁烈、簽書義興三軍府事李文和等齎禮部咨文還。咨文曰：「建文三年正月初八日，欽奉敕旨：『朕惟天地之常道，不過乎誠；人君之為治，不過乎信。苟為下者，于信有所不足，人君亦豈可以不信待之哉？近爾禮部奏：『朝鮮權知國事李曔，欲以其弟李芳遠繼其後及，請誥印曆日。』朕見其使來意懇切，即可其請，遣使齎印誥往正其名，且許以其弟為嗣。使者去不旬日，忽遼東奏至：『李曔又報忽得風疾，眩于視聽，已于建文二年十一月十一日令其弟代知國事。』朕甚異焉。噫！李曔之以疾讓弟，果出于誠心與？抑其父李旦寵其少子而易之位與？無乃其弟陰為不義與？或者嘗試朝廷而有侮玩之意與？豈其國中有內難而然與？孔子不逆詐，不億不信。然而以先覺者為賢，已令追使者還，複念其佇望已久。朕雖以誠信待人，然印誥則立者未定，未可輕付。前者所遣使臣想已至其國，待其回日更為區處。爾禮部可遣其使回，諭以朕意，如敕奉行。欽此』除欽遵外，今將欽奉旨意備書前去，合行移咨知會。」

家庭

王后

• 順德溫明莊懿定安王后（1355－1412），父判禮賓寺事慶州金天瑞，贈門下左侍中，封月城府院君。

後宮

子女

子

女

定宗之女始皆封為郡主，後改為翁主。

附註