Biography

Founding of Joseon

He was born as Yi Bang-won in 1367 as the fifth son of King Taejo and Queen Sinui, he was qualified as an official of Goryeo Dynasty in 1382. During his early days, he helped his father to extend his support with the citizens and many influential figures of the government. Taejong helped his father and founded a new dynasty by assassinating powerful officials such as Jeong Mong-ju, who remained loyal to the Goryeo dynasty. He was called Prince Jeongan during the reign of King Taejo and was taught by Confucian scholars including Won Cheon-seok

Strife of princes

In 1392 he helped his father overthrow Goryeo in order to establish a new dynasty, Joseon. He expected to be appointed as the successor to the throne for he contributed most to the founding of Joseon, but his father, Taejo, and prime minister Jeong Do-jeon favored Taejo's eighth son and Yi Bangwon's half-brother (second son of Queen Sindeok), Yi Bangseok, as the crown prince. This conflict arose chiefly because Jeong Do-jeon, as the principal architect of the ideological, institutional and legal foundations of the new dynasty, saw Joseon as a kingdom led by its ministers through appointment by the king. In contrast, Yi Bangwon sought direct rule through an absolute monarchy. These differences ultimately contributed to an environment of deep political tension. Following the sudden death of Queen Sindeok in 1398, Yi Bang-won led a coup d'etat while King Taejo was in mourning for his second wife. This event led to the deaths of Jeong Do-jeon and his supporters, as well as the late Queen Sindeok's two sons including the crown prince. This incident became known as the First Strife of Princes.

Aghast at the fact that his sons were willing to kill each other for the crown, and psychologically exhausted from the death of his second wife, King Taejo abdicated and immediately crowned his second son (the oldest-surviving son) Yi Bang-gwa, or King Jeongjong, as the new ruler. One of King Jeongjong's first acts as monarch was to revert the capital to Gaeseong, where he is believed to have been considerably more comfortable. Yet Yi Bangwon retained real power and was soon in conflict with his disgruntled older brother Yi Bang-gan, who also yearned for power. In 1400, General Bak Po, who was disappointed by Yi Bangwon for not rewarding him enough for his action in the First Strife of Princes, allied with Bangwon's older brother Yi Bang-gan (Prince Hwi Ahn) and rebelled against him in what came to be known as the Second Strife of Princes. Yi Bangwon successfully defeated his brother's forces, then executed Bak Po and sent Yi Bang-gan into exile. King Jeongjong, who was afraid of his powerful brother, named Yi Bangwon as crown prince and abdicated in the same year. Yi Bangwon assumed the throne of Joseon at long last as King Taejong, the third king of Joseon.

Consolidation of royal power

In the beginning of Taejong's reign, the Grand King Former, Taejo, refused to relinquish the royal seal that signified the legitimacy of any king's rule. Taejong began to initiate policies he believed would prove his qualification to rule. One of his first acts as king was to abolish the privilege enjoyed by the upper echelons of government and the aristocracy to maintain private armies. His revoking of such rights to field independent forces effectively severed their ability to muster large-scale revolts, and drastically increased the number of men employed in the national military. Taejong's next act as king was to revise the existing legislation concerning the taxation of land ownership and the recording of state of subjects. With the discovery of previously hidden land, national income increased twofold.

He also initiated the system of hopae, an early form of identification recording the bearer's name and residence, used to control the movement of people. He also set a big drum in front of his court, so that the common people, when they had some problems, could come to the palace and consult the king.

Absolute monarchy

In addition, he created a strong central government and an absolute monarchy. In 1399, Taejong had played an influential role in scrapping the Dopyeong Assembly, a council of the old government administration that held a monopoly in court power during the waning years of the Goryeo dynasty, in favor of the State Council of Joseon (의정부), a new branch of central administration that revolved around the king and his edicts. After passing the subject documentation and taxation legislation, King Taejong issued a new decree in which all decisions passed by the State Council could only come into effect with the approval of the king. This ended the custom of court ministers and advisors making decisions through debate and negotiations amongst themselves, and thus brought the royal power to new heights. Shortly thereafter, Taejong installed an office, known as the Sinmun Office, to hear cases in which aggrieved subjects felt that they had been exploited or treated unjustly by government officials or aristocrats.

However, Taejong kept Jeong Do-jeon's reforms intact for the most part. He promoted Confucianism, which was more like political philosophy rather than a religion, thus demoting Buddhism, which was far from daily living and decayed from the power given by Goryeo kings back then. He closed many temples that were established by Goryeo kings, and seized their large possessions and added them to the national treasury. Meanwhile, he honored Jeong Mong-ju with the posthumous title of Chief State Councillor (equivalent to Prime Minister), even though it was he who assassinated Jeong — leading to an irony of history, in which Jeong Do-jeon was vilified throughout the Joseon dynasty while Jeong Mong-ju was honored despite his opposition to its birth.

In foreign policy, he was a straight hardliner — he attacked the Jurchens on the northern border and Japanese pirates on the southern coast. Taejong is also known for being responsible for the Ōei Invasion of Tsushima Island in 1419. He also promoted publications, commerce and education. He also founded and encouraged Uigeumbu, the royal guard and secret police at the same time. In 1418, he abdicated and gave the throne to Sejong the Great of Joseon, but continued to rule with an iron fist, deciding important matters and executing Sejong's father-in-law Shim On and Shim's brother.

Taejong executed or exiled many of his supporters who helped him ascend to the throne in order to strengthen the royal authority. To limit influence of in-laws, he also killed all four brothers of his Queen Won-gyeong and his son Sejong's in-laws. Taejong remains a controversial figure who killed many of his rivals (including Jeong Mong-ju and Jeong Do-jeon) and relatives to gain power and yet ruled effectively to improve the populace's lives, strengthen national defense, and lay down a solid foundation for his successor Sejong's rule. Taejong was known for his passion for hunting, considered unseemly in a ruler.

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 Wongyeong of the Yeoheung Min clan (11 July 1365 – 10 July 1420) (원경왕후 민씨)

• # Princess Jeongsun (1385 – 25 August 1460) (정순공주)

• # Princess Gyeongjeong (1387 – 6 June 1455) (경정공주)

• # Princess Gyeongan (1393 – 30 May 1415) (경안공주)

• # Yi Je, Grand Prince Yangnyeong (1394 – 7 September 1462) (이제 양녕대군)

• # Yi Bo, Grand Prince Hyoryeong (6 January 1396 – 12 June 1486) (이보 효령대군)

• # Yi Do, Grand Prince Chungnyeong (15 May 1397 – 8 April 1450) (이도 충녕대군)

• # Princess Jeongseon (1404 – 25 February 1424) (정선공주)

• # Yi Jong, Grand Prince Seongnyeong (3 August 1405 – 11 April 1418) (이종 성녕대군)

• #Unnamed prince

• #Unnamed prince

• #Unnamed prince

• #Unnamed prince (1412 - 1412)

• Royal Noble Consort Ui of the Andong Kwon clan (의빈 권씨)

• # Princess Jeonghye (정혜옹주) (? - 1424)

• Royal Noble Consort Myeong of the (old) Andong Kim clan (? - 1479) (명빈 김씨)

• Royal Noble Consort Hyo of the Cheongpung Kim clan (? – 1454) (효빈 김씨)

• # Yi Bi, Prince Gyeongnyeong (13 December 1395 – 1458) (이비 경녕군)

• Royal Noble Consort Shin of the Yeongwol Shin clan (? – 1435) (신빈 신씨)

• # Yi In, Prince Hamnyeong (1402 – 1467) (이인 함녕군)

• # Yi Jeong, Prince Onnyeong (1407 – 1453) (이정 온녕군)

• # Princess Jeongshin (? – 26 September 1457) (정신옹주)

• # Princess Jeongjeong (1410 – 1455) (정정옹주)

• # Princess Sukjeong (? – 1456) (숙정옹주)

• # Princess Suknyeong (숙녕옹주)

• # Princess Soshin (? – 1437)(소신옹주)

• # Princess Sosuk (? – 1456) (소숙옹주)

• # Princess Sukgyeong (1420 – 1494) (숙경옹주)

• Royal Noble Consort Seon of the Sunheung Ahn clan (? – 1468) (선빈 안씨)

• # Yi Jeong, Prince Hyeryeong (1407 – 1440) (이정 혜령군)

• # Yi Chi, Prince Iknyeong (1422 – 1464) (이치 익녕군)

• # Princess Gyeongshin (경신옹주)

• # Princess Sukan (? – 1464) (숙안옹주)

• Royal Noble Consort So of the Jangyeon No clan (? – 1479) (소빈 노씨)

• # Princess Sukhye (? – 1464) (숙혜옹주)

• Royal Noble Consort Jeong of the Go clan (? – 1426) (정빈 고씨)

• # Yi Nong, Prince Geunnyeong (1411 – 1462) (이농 근녕군)

• Royal Consort Suk-ui of the Choi clan (숙의 최씨)

• # An unnamed daughter (1400 - 1402)

• # Yi Ta, Prince Huiryeong (1412 – 7 July 1465) (이타 희령군)

• Princess Sukgong of the Cheongdo Kim clan (숙공궁주 김씨)

• Princess Uijeong of the Hanyang Jo clan (? – 1454) (의정궁주 조씨)

• Princess Hyesun of the Goseong Lee clan (? – 1438) (혜순궁주 이씨)

• Princess Shinsun of the Seongju Yi clan (1390 – ?) (신순궁주 이씨)

• Princess Deoksuk of the Lee clan (덕숙옹주 이씨)

• # Yi Gan, Prince Huryeong (1419 – 6 October 1450) (이간 후령군)

• Princess Hyeseon of the Hong clan (혜선옹주 홍씨)

• Princess Sunhye of the Andong Jang clan (? – 26 July 1423) (순혜옹주 장씨)

• # Princess Suksun (숙순옹주)

• Princess Seogyeong (서경옹주)

• Palace Lady Kim (후궁 김씨)

• # Princess Sukgeun (? – 1450) (숙근옹주)

• Lady Lee (이씨)

Modern depictions

Tears of the Dragon, a popular KBS television historical drama that aired from 1996–8, portrayed Taejong's life. It depicts him as being committed to the stability of the kingdom, a commitment that translated into affection and devotion towards his father and heir (originally Taejong's firstborn son), although these feelings were not reciprocated due to anger about the 1398 assassinations. The anger culminated in the retired Taejo's efforts to remove Taejong by backing the Jo Sawi's rebellion and personally shooting an arrow at him during a reconciliation meeting. According to the series, Taejong grew to become perpetually suspicious of others around him (especially his in-laws), resulting in purges, a typical example being his execution of the queen's influence-peddling-but-loyal oldest brothers and naїvely-innocent youngest brothers. In disgusted response, his Crown Prince rejected the throne to become a playboy and his second-born son joined the Buddhist priesthood, deferring the position to the third-born son.

King Taejong is also depicted in the 2008 KBS historical drama King Sejong the Great about his third son and successor King Sejong, the 2011 SBS drama Deep Rooted Tree, the 2012-13 SBS drama The Great Seer, the 2014 KBS drama Jeong Do-jeon, the 2015 SBS drama Six Flying Dragons, and the 2016 KBS historical science drama Jang Yeong-sil.

Actors who have played King Taejong include:

• Im Hyuk-joo in the 1983 KBS1 TV series Foundation of the Kingdom.

• Lee Jung-gil in the 1983 MBC TV series The King of Chudong Palace.

• Yoo Dong-geun in the 1996-1998 KBS TV series Tears of the Dragon.

• Kim Yeong-cheol in the 2008 KBS2 TV series King Sejong the Great and in the 2016 KBS TV series Jang Yeong-sil.

• Baek Yoon-sik in the 2011 SBS TV series Deep Rooted Tree.

• Choi Tae-joon in the 2012 SBS TV series The Great Seer.

• Park Yeong-gyu in the 2012 film I Am the King.

• Ahn Jae-mo in the 2014 KBS TV series Jeong Do-jeon.

• Ahn Nae-sang in the 2015 JTBC TV series Maids.

• Jang Hyuk in the 2015 film Empire of Lust and the 2019 JTBC TV series My Country: The New Age.

• Yoo Ah-in and Nam Da-reum in the 2015-2016 SBS TV series Six Flying Dragons.

• Kam Woo-sung in the 2021 SBS TV series Joseon Exorcist.

生平

早年

李芳遠是朝鮮太祖李旦第五子，朝鮮定宗李曔之同母弟；高麗恭愍王十六年（1367年）五月生于李旦咸興潛邸；洪武十六年（1383年）及第。洪武二十一年（1388年），李成桂在威化島回軍，李芳遠時為典禮正郎，保護其母韓氏、庶母康氏、七弟李芳蕃、八弟李芳碩以及三個妹妹逃亡。高麗恭讓王時，官至密直司右代言。朝鮮太祖李成桂即位後，李芳遠被封為靖安君。明洪武年間，李芳遠多次前往明朝。其中洪武二十六年朝鮮貢馬，李芳遠隨朝鮮貢使前往南京，在北平與燕王朱棣私相會見。

掌握權力

洪武三十一年（1398年）八月二十六日，靖安君李芳遠趁父親李旦久病不愈，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、三軍府右軍節制使、興安君駙馬李濟，特進輔國崇祿大夫、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、福城君沈孝生同時見害，史稱戊寅靖社（第一次王子之亂）。太祖李旦被迫承認既成事實，冊立三軍府中軍節制使、永安君李芳果為世子，次月傳位于李芳果。

兩年後，靖安公李芳遠仍然不滿現狀，宮廷政變再次發生，史稱庚辰靖社（第二次王子之亂）。此次政變後，定宗退位，李芳遠即位。而李成桂自開京出奔，直逃老家咸興，皈依佛門，並居住在幼年的潛邸（咸興本宮）中，1408年離世；定宗則在1419年在開京離世。

登基

建文三年（1401年），李芳遠繼承朝鮮國王。六月，明惠宗遣通政寺丞章謹、文淵閣待詔端木禮封李芳遠為朝鮮國王。六月十二日，李芳遠率百官至漢城宣義門外迎接朝廷使臣。隨後章謹、端木禮于景福宮無逸殿宣讀敕封詔書：「奉天承運皇帝誥曰：古先哲王之為治，德窮施普，覆育萬方。凡厥有邦，無間內外，罔不臣服。爰樹君長，俾乂其民人，以藩屏于夷夏。朕承大統，師古成憲。咨爾朝鮮權知國事李芳遠，襲父兄之傳，鎮綏茲土，來效職貢，率禮克誠，以未受封，祈請勤至。茲庸命爾為朝鮮國王，錫以金印，長茲東土。嗚呼！天無常心，惟民是從；民無常戴，惟德是懷。爾其懋德，以承眷佑，孝友于家，忠順于上，仁惠于下，俾黎民受福，後昆昭式，永輔于中國。啟土建家，匪德莫宜，可不敬哉！」。隨後，朝鮮三司右使李稷、摠制尹坤，奉京師禮部咨文宣讀。 明成祖即位後，太宗又得到了明成祖的承認。

六曹直啟制

太宗在位期間，完善了其父太祖的「科田制」，沒收大量「私田」、「別賜田」、「寺院田」，頒布《功臣田傳給法》。太宗創立了官員向國王個人負責的「六曹直啟制」。1403年太宗改革行政區劃，撤去高麗時代沿襲下來的一留都府、五都護府、六府、二十牧，並改高麗的五道兩邊為八道。太宗也于在位時期提出庶孽錮禁法嚴別嫡庶。

私兵革罷

另外，在1400年，太宗廢除高麗的私兵制，實行統一的府兵制，集兵權于中央。還召集都內衣冠子弟，設立「鷹揚衛」和「別侍衛」。1415年改革軍制，設立守城軍、營鎮軍、雜色軍三種級別。太宗在位期間，還修訂了《經濟六典元集詳節》、《續集詳節》、《璿源錄》等書籍。

號牌法

永樂十一年（1413年）9月，太宗宣布實行號牌法，規定10歲以上70歲以下的男子均按身分佩帶一種號牌，上書姓名、住址、面色、身長、有無鬍鬚等，在發牌時進行戶口登記。如有不戴或偽造、遺失、借用者，要受處罰。兩班貴族的號牌用象牙或鹿角製成，平民的則用雜木。1407年起實行鄰保制，以連環保的方式加強統治和保証對國家的負擔得以實現。朝鮮實行奴婢辯正，把高麗末期淪為奴婢的人改為良民，把寺院的私奴婢改為國家控制的公奴婢，使國家能夠掌握更多的勞動力和兵源。

永樂十五年（1417年），太宗設立都巡問使、都觀察黜陟使、都安撫使三言官。

倭寇討伐

永樂十六年（1418年）八月八日，太宗傳位于世宗。雖已遜位但仍在軍隊中有影響力，以太上王教旨命令李從茂清剿對馬海峽倭寇，史稱己亥東征。此次東征朝鮮擊斃700名、逮捕110名倭寇，並釋放了至少140名被倭寇抓走的中國人。朝鮮方面則有180人陣亡。1419年9月，對馬海峽倭寇首領平真盛被捉獲，並押到朝鮮王宮。1443年，癸亥條約簽訂，對馬海峽倭寇首領接受朝鮮王朝對對馬海峽的宗主權。朝鮮方面也給與平氏倭寇在對馬海峽與朝鮮的貿易優先權。

去世

永樂二十年（世宗四年，1422年）五月十日，太宗在漢城泉達坊新宮去世，在位十八年，在太上王位四年，享年五十六歲。

尊號與諡號

永樂十六年（太宗十八年，1418年），太宗禪位給兒子世宗，被尊為上王。永樂十九年（世宗三年，1421年），加尊號為「聖德神功太上王」。次年（1422年），太宗去世，明朝賜謚號為恭定，朝鮮在此基礎上為太宗上謚號為恭定聖德神功文武光孝大王，廟號太宗，葬于獻陵 （在京畿道廣州大母山）。肅宗九年（1683），肅宗認為太宗諡號中只有「文武光孝」算是諡號，「聖德神功」是太上王尊號，所以加謚「睿哲成烈」四字，為恭定聖德神功文武睿哲成烈光孝大王，高宗八年（1871年）追上尊號「建天體極大正啟佑」，最後謚號為恭定聖德神功建天體極大正啟佑文武睿哲成烈光孝大王。

宰輔

• 李　舒（領議政）

• 成石璘（領議政）

• 趙　浚（領議政）

• 南　在（領議政）

• 李居易（領議政）

• 權仲和（領議政）

• 韓尚敬（領議政）

• 河　崙（領議政）

• 李　稷（領議政）

• 柳廷顯（領議政）

• 沈　溫（領議政，忠寧大君即日後的世宗之岳父，昭憲王后之父）

家庭

王妃

後宮

王子

王女

相關冊封

1401年，朝鮮太宗被中國明朝冊封為「朝鮮國王」，是第一個正式獲得中國中原王朝冊封的朝鮮王朝君主。

後代

韓國戰後第一任總統李承晚自稱是朝鮮王族的旁系後裔（朝鮮太宗李芳遠長子讓寧大君第十六世孫）。

曾飾演李芳遠的藝人

電視劇

電影