Hangul 명종 Hangul 왕호 Died 1202 McCune–Reischauer Myongjong Role Political leader | Revised Romanization Myeongjong Name Myeongjong Goryeo Hanja 明宗 Hanja 王晧 | |
King Myeongjong (8 November 1131 – 3 December 1202) (r. 1170–1197) was monarch of the Goryeo dynasty of Korea. He was the third son of King Injong.
Although it was intended that Injong's second son should succeed his father, he was assassinated because Jeong Jung-bu feared that he might become a threat to him in the future. Myeongjong was a weak king, and was merely on the throne to show the general populace they still had a king, as the true rulers were the military leaders. His reign saw constant bloodshed as well as the deaths of the rebels Chung Jung-bu, Yi Ui-bang, and Yi Ui-min (not related to Yi Ui-Bang) but also the hero, Gyeong Dae-seung (General Gyeong was in fact the most loyal of the military leaders. Yet Myeongjong hated and mistrusted him because of his popularity with the populace).
After twenty-seven years on the throne, he was sent into exile by the military ruler of the time, Choe Chung-heon, and Injong's fifth son, King Sinjong, was placed on the throne.
Family
Consorts :
- Queen Uijeong of the Kaesong Wang clan (의정왕후 왕씨)
- King Gangjong of Goryeo (10 May 1152 – 26 August 1213) (고려 강종)
- Princess Yeonhee (연희궁주)
- Princess Suan (? – June 1199) (수안궁주)