Queen Heonjeong

Queen Heonjeong of the Hwangju Hwangbo clan (Korean: 헌정왕후 황보씨; Hanja: 獻貞王后 皇甫氏; c. 960/5–993[2]) or formally called as Grand Queen Mother Hyosuk (Korean: 효숙왕태후; Hanja: 孝肅王太后) during her son's reign, was a Goryeo royal family member as the third daughter (formally youngest) of Wang Uk and youngest sister of King Seongjong who became the fourth wife of her half first cousin, King Gyeongjong.[3] After his death, she had an affair with her half uncle which they eventually became the biological parent of King Hyeonjong.[4] From this marriage, Queen Heonjeong became the fourth reigned Goryeo queen who followed her maternal clan after Queen Heonae, her elder sister.

Queen Heonjeong
헌정왕후
Grand Queen Mother Hyosuk
(효숙왕태후, 孝肅王太后)
Queen consort of Goryeo
(posthumously)
Coronationafter 966
PredecessorQueen Jeongdeok (1st)
Queen Munhwa (2nd)
SuccessorQueen Seonui (1st)
Queen Wonhye (2nd)
Bornc. 960/5
Gaegyeong-si, Kingdom of Goryeo
Died
Burial
Wolleung tomb[1]
SpouseGyeongjong of Goryeo
Anjong of Goryeo
IssueHyeonjong of Goryeo (with Anjong)
Posthumous name
  • Queen Hyesun Inhye Seonyong Myeonggan
    (혜순인혜선용명간왕후, 惠順仁惠宣容明簡王后)
  • Based on Goryeosa:
    Grand Queen Mother Myeonggan Seonyong Inhye Hyosuk (명간선용인혜효숙왕태후, 明簡宣容仁惠孝肅王太后)
  • Based on Hyeonhwasabi:
    Royal Grand Queen Mother Hyosuk Inhye Sunseong (효숙인혜순성대왕태후, 孝肅仁惠順聖大王太后)
HouseHouse of Wang (by birth)
Hwangju Hwangbo (by marriage)
FatherDaejong of Goryeo
MotherQueen Seonui

Not much records left about her early life beside that she and her siblings were raised by their paternal grandmother since childhood.[5]

Affair matter with Wang Uk

After King Gyeongjong's death, she became a widowed on her mid-twenties and out the palace, lived in her own mansion in Gaegyeong which close to her half uncle, Wang Uk's house in southern Wangnyun Temple (왕륜사, 王輪寺), Songak Mountain, so they were a neighborhood.[6]

Someday, it was said that she had a dream that, she climbed a hill and urinated, overflowing the country and turning into a sea of silver. She then visited a shaman to interpret her dream and the shaman predicted that if she gave birth to a son, her son would become the King of the Nation and she'll occupy the country. The Queen said: "I am already a widow, how can I have a son?." while rebuked that shaman.[7]

Since the widowed queen wasn't allowed to approach other men by law, so she often visited her uncle as just him on his 50s was her only conversation partner[6] and as they spend times together, they then became close each other and after 10 years passed, the Queen thought that her heart, which had moved little by little, just relayed on Wang Uk.[6] On a night in 991, after prayed for her late husband's happiness in Wangnyun Temple, both Uk and the Queen confirmed each other's feelings and the two slowly began to embrace their love affair. As a result, they eventually had a son named Wang Sun.[8]

At this time, peoples around them were all quiet and the courts was unaware of this. Knowing her deed, the Queen who felt her fetus was anxious and her body must only serve the late King and couldn't even have a relationship with another man, she was said want to die as she even had a child with her own uncle.[6] Seeing this, her older sister, Queen Mother Heonae was openly communicated her affection with Gim Chi-yang, but her weak-hearted younger sister trembled with the queen mother's anxiety and she then cried while hugged Uk.[6] In her uncle's hugged, she said:

"How do i do this?, i'd rather die. It's all my fault. I should have kept only your heart. What do I do now that I have a child?, don't worry too much and take good care of yourself, I'll cover all your mistakes. I'm going to hurt my body like this."[9][6]

In 992, while she stayed in his house, his slave piled up firewood in the yard and set it on fire. As soon as the flames started to rise, an official ran to put the fire out, King Seongjong rushed to rescue them and hurriedly came with asked for Uk's affairs and condolences.[6] During this time, it was said that she ashamed and despised, then cried a lot in shame and went back to her own mansion, but as soon as she reached the gate, there was a fetal movement. She was said to trembling with anxiety until the day she gave birth in her late-twenties and turned her back on her world, leaving Uk and their only son. Seongjong, who wanted to comforted his younger sister, said:

"Your uncle has disturbed the morals of the Royal Family. Don't think too badly about sending him to Sasu-hyeon to correct the country's discipline."[10][6]

Uk, who had no choice, cried as he embraced his lover who was getting colder and later died during the childbirth.[6]

Not long after this, after the whole nation know that the widowed Queen got pregnant, Uk was exiled to Sasu-hyeon (modern-day Sacheon-si, Gyeongsangnam-do, South Korea) due to his affair. As Wang Sun was still young at this time, he was bought to the palace by his uncle and gave Sun a nanny to take care of him.[5] Sun's maternal aunt, the queen mother who now became a regent for her son, King Mokjong, threatened Sun's life after his mother's death and had a tumultuous time until the day he ascended the throne.

In 1009, Mokjong was deposed and his mother was expelled due to Gang Jo's rebellion in Ganghwa Island. Wang Sun then ascended the throne from Ganghwa's insistence. As his mother, the late queen was then honoured as a Queen Mother and received her Posthumous name. Along with Uk, they were buried in the Wolleung Tomb (원릉, 元陵).[5]

Posthumous name
  • In May 1017 (8th year reign of King Hyeonjong), name Hye-sun (혜순, 惠順) was added.
  • In June 1021 (12nd year reign of King Hyeonjong), name In-hye (인혜, 仁惠) was added.
  • In April 1027 (18th year reign of King Hyeonjong), name Seon-yong (선용, 宣容) was added.
  • In October 1253 (40th year reign of King Gojong), name Myeong-gan (명간, 明簡) was added to her Posthumous name too.

[11][5]

References
  1. "원릉에 도적이 들다". Goryeosa (in Korean). Retrieved August 5, 2021.
  2. In Lunar calendar, she died on 19th day 3rd month 993. Since her death date is not clear, so there were many theories such as: the Queen died on 1 August 992 or in Lunar calendar was 1st day 7th month 992 according to the Goryeosa.
  3. Queen Heonjung Archived 2013-02-18 at archive.today (in Korean)
  4. Queen Heonjeong (in Korean)
  5. "경종 후비 헌정왕후 황보씨". Goryeosa (in Korean). Retrieved August 5, 2021.
  6. Kim, Sung-chul (10 September 2012). "안종 욱과 헌정왕후의 슬픈 사랑". NamhaeTimes (in Korean). Retrieved September 24, 2021.
  7. 그녀가 꿈에 곡령(鵠嶺)에 올라 소변을 하니 나라 안에 흘러넘쳐 모두 은 바다가 되는 꿈을 꾸었다고 한다. 헌정왕후가 무속인을 찾아가 꿈해몽을 하자 무속인은 아들을 낳으면 일국의 왕이 될 것이라고 점하였다. 그러나 헌정왕후는 "내가 이미 과부인데 어찌 아들을 낳겠는가?"며 대수롭지 않게 넘겼다 한다.
  8. "현종 총서". Goryeosa (in Korean). Retrieved September 23, 2021.
  9. "이 일을 어찌하면 좋아요. 차라리 죽어버리고 싶습니다. 모든 게 다 내 잘못이오. 그대의 마음만 간직했어야 하는데. 아이까지 갖게 했으니 어쩌겠소. 내가 모든 잘못을 뒤집어 쓸 테니 너무 걱정 말고 몸조리나 잘 하시오. 이러다간 몸까지 상하겠소."
  10. "숙부께서 왕실의 풍기를 문란하게 했소이다. 나라의 기강을 바로잡기 위해 사수현으로 귀양보내고자 하니 너무 섭섭게 생각하지 마시오."
  11. "경종 후비 헌정왕후 황보씨". Goryeosa (in Chinese). Retrieved August 5, 2021.
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