Princess Uisun

Princess Uisun (1635–1662; birth name Yi Ae-suk) was a Joseon Royal Family member who became the adopted daughter of Hyojong of Joseon and Queen Inseon, so she could marry the Aisin Gioro prince Dorgon and later, prince Bolo.

Not to be confused with Princess Insun.
Princess Uisun
의순공주
BornYi Ae-suk (이애숙)
1635
Kingdom of Joseon
Died1662 (aged 26–27)
SpouseDorgon (d. 1650)
Bolo (d. 1652)
HouseHouse of Yi (by birth)
Aisin Gioro (by marriage)
FatherYi Gye-yun, Prince Geumrim
MotherLady Yu of the Munhwa Yu clan
Princess Uisun
Hangul
의순공주
Hanja
義順公主
Revised RomanizationUisun gongju
McCune–ReischauerŬisun' gongju
Birth name
Hangul
이애숙
Hanja
李愛淑
Revised RomanizationYi Ae-suk
McCune–ReischauerYi Ae-suk

Biography

Background

Yi Ae-suk was born one of the four daughters and seven sons of Yi Gye-yun, himself a 4th great-grandson of Seongjong of Joseon, and a fourth cousin twice removed of Hyojong.

Political marriage

In 1650, Dorgon sent the minister of Ministry of Revenue, Gioro Bahana, as an emissary to the Joseon court, to forge an alliance with Hyojong of Joseon, asking the king to choose a suitable bride for him. The bride could be a daughter of either a royal family member or a subject.[1] Bahana delivered the order from the prince regent and was told that as the king's daughter was only two years old[lower-roman 1], so he suggested that a female from the royal clan was a viable alternative; on the other hand, the king's ministers greatly opposed offering any of their daughters.[3]

Twenty days later, Ae-suk was given the title Princess Uisun and her biological father, Yi Gye-yun, was gifted cloth and rice as reward.[4] Nearly one month after her adoption as Hyojong's daughter, Princess Uisun left the palace at Hanseong, accompanied by 16 maids, a female physician, and her nursemaid. After her arrival in Beijing, Dorgon complained about the appearance of his new wife and her court maids, saying that he even doubted the loyalty of Joseon.[5] Merely seven months later, Dorgon died in the same year. Princess Uisun was asked to remarry one of Dorgon's nephews, his general Prince Bolo of the Second Rank, but he died in 1652.[6]

Return to Korea

In the winter of 1655, Yi Gye-yun was dispatched as part of a diplomatic party to Beijing.[7] Yi presented tribute and was entertained at a feast, during which he wept and petitioned for Princess Uisun to return to Korea, and his wish was granted.[6] Princess Uisun returned to Joseon in the summer of 1656;[8] on her return, Hyojong granted the princess a monthly pension to support her for the rest of her life.[9] Yi Gye-yun's decision to request her return without consulting the king beforehand, however, received severe criticism from other court officials; under pressure from the court, Yi Gye-yun lost his official position after a series of impeachments.[10]

Princess Uisun died of an illness in 1662 and her burial rites were provided for by Hyeonjong of Joseon, who described her fate as pitiable.[11]

Family
  • Father: Yi Gye-yun, Prince Geumrim (이계윤 금림군), 4th generation descendant of the Joseon royal house by Seongjong of Joseon
  • Mother: Lady Yu of the Munhwa Yu clan (문화 유씨)
  • Siblings
    • Older brother - Yi Jun (이준, 李浚)
    • Older brother - Yi Su (이수, 李洙)
    • Older brother - Yi Hae (이해, 李海)
  • Husband:
  1. Aisin Gioro Dorgon, Prince Rui of the First Rank (多爾袞) (17 November 1612 – 31 December 1650)
  2. Aisin Gioro Bolo, Prince Duanzhong of the First Rank (博洛) (1613 – 23 April 1652)

References
  1. This was a lie. Although Hyojong's youngest daughter was indeed only two years old, she had five living elder sisters by the time, including Princess Sukan, who would marry later in the same year.[2]

Notes
  1. Veritable Records of Hyojong, day 7, month 3, year 1 of Hyojong's reign: "皇父攝政王勑諭朝鮮國王。……遣大臣, 至朝鮮, 擇其淑美, 納以爲妃, 締結姻親……王之若妹若女, 或王之近族, 或大臣之女, 有淑美懿行者選, 與遣去大臣等看來回奏。 特諭。"
  2. Veritable Records of Hyojong, day 5, month 11, year 1 of Hyojong's reign: "伏聞, 淑安公主吉禮, 定行於今年。"
  3. Veritable Records of Hyojong, day 5, month 3, year 1 of Hyojong's reign: "嶪曰: "方物事亦以爲, 禮判之所主矣。 婚媾事則臣應之曰: 『公主之時存者, 年方二歲。』 彼曰: 『公主年幼則雖擇於宗室中可合者, 亦無妨。』云。""
  4. Veritable Records of Hyojong, volume 3, day 25, month 3, year 1 of Hyojong's reign: "以錦林君愷胤女爲義順公主。"
  5. Veritable Records of Hyojong, day 27, month 8, year 1 of Hyojong's reign: "及至北京, 以公主之不美, 侍女之醜陋, 詰責萬端, 此甚可慮矣。……爾國之不誠, 於此益可見矣。"
  6. Veritable Records of Shunzhi: "初，朝鮮國王族女，為和碩端重親王博洛妃。王薨，妃寡居。其父錦林君李愷允入充貢使，於賜宴日泣請其女還國，部臣以聞，下議政王貝勒會議，許之。"
  7. Veritable Records of Hyojong, day 27, month 10, year 7 of Hyojong's reign: "九冬至兼謝恩使錦林君 愷胤、副使李行進、書狀官李枝茂赴淸國。"
  8. Veritable Records of Hyojong, volume 16, day 26, month 4, year 7 of Hyojong's reign: "義順公主還自淸國。"
  9. Veritable Records of Hyojong, volume 16, day 9, month 5, year 7 of Hyojong's reign: "命戶曹給義順公主月廩, 以終其生。"
  10. Veritable Records of Hyojong, volume 16, day 10, month 5, year 7 of Hyojong's reign: "啓曰: "義順之行, 旣以朝家之命, 則義順之還, 亦必待朝家之命。 前錦林君 愷胤, 罔念事體, 無嚴朝廷, 牽私率意, 擅自請還, 其在國典, 斷不可貸……請竝命削奪官爵, 門外黜送。" 累啓而從之。"
  11. Veritable Records of Hyeonjong, day 8, month 5, year 3 of Hyojong's reign: "錦林君女子之喪, 令該曹優給喪需。……選宗室錦林君愷胤女, 稱以義順公主, 送與九王。……至是病死, 上憐之, 命官庇其喪。"

Works cited
  • 효종대왕실록 (孝宗大王實錄) [Veritable Records of Hyojong] (in Korean and Literary Chinese). 1661.
  • RefleshHtml 顯宗實錄 [Veritable Records of Hyeonjong] (in Traditional Chinese). 1677.
  • 清实录顺治朝实录 [Veritable Records of the Qing: Veritable Records of Shunzhi] (in Simplified Chinese). 1741.
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