Yeongjo of Joseon

King of Joseon

Yeongjo of Joseon (31 October 1694 – 22 April 1776), personal name Yi Geum (Korean: ??, Hanja: ??), was the 21st monarch of the Joseon dynasty of Korea.

He was the second son of King Sukjong, by his concubine Royal Noble Consort Suk of the Haeju Choe clan.

Before ascending to power, he was known as Prince Yeoning (Korean: ???, Hanja: ???).His life was characterized by political infighting and resentment due to his biological mother's low-born origins.

In 1720, a few months after the accession of his older half-brother, Yi Yun (posthumously called King Gyeongjong), as the 20th King, Yeoning became the Crown Prince.

This induced a large controversy between the political factions.Nevertheless, four years later, at the death of Gyeongjong, he ascended to the throne.

Yeongjo's reign lasted nearly 52 years and was marked by his persistent efforts to reform the taxation system and minimize and reconcile the factional fighting under his Tangpyeong policy ("Magnificent Harmony"; ??, ??).

His reign was also marked by the highly controversial execution of his only son, Crown Prince Sado, in 1762.In spite of this controversy, Yeongjo's reign has earned a positive reputation in Korean history due to his sincere efforts to rule by Confucian ethics.