Gojong of Korea
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| Gojong of Korea | |
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| Korean name | |
| Hangul: |
고종 광무제 (short 고종)
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| Hanja: |
高宗光武帝 (short 高宗)
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| Revised Romanization: | Gojong Gwangmuje (short Gojong) |
| McCune-Reischauer: | Kojong Kwangmuje(short Kojong) |
Gojong, the Gwangmu Emperor (July 25, 1852–January 21, 1919) was the twenty-sixth king of the Korean Joseon Dynasty and the first emperor of the Korean Empire.
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[edit] Rise to the throne
Gojong took the throne in 1863 when he was still a child. His father, Regent Heungseon (Daewon-gun), ruled for him until Gojong reached adulthood. It was during Daeweon-gun's reign that the main palace at Gyeongbokgung was restored as the seat of the royalty.
[edit] Reign
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Please see the discussion on the talk page. |
Following the invasion of Korea by Chinese, Japanese, and Russian forces during the Sino-Japanese War (1894–95) and Russo-Japanese War (1904–05), and the subsequent Japanese victories in both wars, Gojong was pressured to accept pro-Japanese advisors to the royal court by the Meiji Emperor of Japan. His domestic and foreign policies, however, proved to be successful in the face of Japanese pressure. Gojong played the rival Russian, Japanese and Chinese sides off of each other to prevent each of them from totally controlling Korea . His domestic policies were also successful in industrializing Korea.[citation needed]
Gojong proclaimed the Korean Empire in 1897 in order to defend Korea against Japanese aggression.[citation needed] Following the Protectorate Treaty of 1905 between Korea and Japan, which stripped Korea of its rights as an independent nation, he sent representatives to the Hague Peace Convention of 1907 in order to try and re-assert his soveriegnty over Korea. Although the Korean representatives were blocked by the Japanese delegates, they did not give up, and later held interviews with newspapers. One representative warned forebodingly of Japanese ambitions in Asia: "The United States does not realize what Japan's policy in the Far East is and what it portends for the American people. The Japanese adopted a policy that in the end will give her complete control over commerce and industry in the Far East. Japan is bitter against the United States and against Great Britain. If the United States does not watch Japan closely she will force the Americans and the English out of the Far East." As a result, an enraged Meiji forced Gojong to abdicate in favour of Gojong's son, Sunjong.
[edit] Children
- Yi Seon (Wanhwa-gun or Wanchin-wang), first son with his partner, Lady Yeongbodang, (16 April 1868–12 January 1880)
- Yi Cheok (Hwangtaeja), fourth son with his first wife, Empress Myeongseong. He was married to Miss Min, a daughter of Min Tae-ho – a leader of the Yeoheung-Min clan – known posthumously as Empress Sunmyeong; however, she died before her husband's enthronement. Cheok married again Miss Yun, a daughter of Yun Taek-yeong, who became known as the Empress Sunjeong.
- Yi Gang (Uihwa-gun or Uichin-wang), fifth son with his partner, Lady Jang, (30 March 1877–August 1955); He married Kim Su-deok, who became Princess Deogin; a daughter of Baron Kim Sa-jun.
- Yi Eun (Yeongchin-wang), seventh son with his second wife, Princess Consort Sunheon, (20 October 1897–1 May 1970), (see Crown Prince Eun); He married Princess Masako Nashimotonomiya of Japan, a daughter of Prince Morimasa Nashimotonomiya of Japan.
- Yi U, ninth son with his partner, Lady Bohyeon-dang; unfortunately, he died in infancy.
- Lady Deokhye (Deokhye Ongju), fourth daughter with his partner, Lady Bongnyeong-dang, (25 May 1912–11 April 1989); she married Count Takeyuki Sō, a Japanese nobleman of Tsushima.
[edit] Titles
- Lord Yi Myeong-bok (Jaehwang) (李命福 이명복 I Myeong-bok), the second son of Prince Heungseon, a great-great-grandson of Yeongjo (1852–1863)
- His Majesty King Gojong of Korea (1863–1897)
- His Imperial Majesty Emperor Gwangmu of Korea (大韓帝國光武大皇帝陛下 dae han je guk gwang mu dae hwang je pye ha) (1897–1907)
- His Imperial Majesty the Emperor Emeritus of Korea (大韓帝國太皇帝陛下 dae han je guk tae hwang je pye ha) (1907–1910), after his abdication by force of the Japanese government.
- His Majesty the King Emeritus Yi of Korea (德壽宮李太王殿下 deok su gung i tae wang jeon ha) (1910–1919), a demoted title givenby the Japanese government on the annexation of Korea, ignored in Korea
[edit] His full posthumous name
- His Imperial Majesty Emperor Gojong Tongcheon Yung-un Jogeuk Donyun Jeongseong Gwang-ui Myeonggong Daedeok Yojun Sunhwi Umo Tanggyeong Eungmyeong Ripgi Jihwa Sinryeol Oehun Hong-eop Gyegi Seonryeok Geonhaeng Gonjeong Yeong-ui Honghyu Sugang Munheon Mujang Inik Jeonghyo of Korea (대한제국고종통천융운조극돈윤정성광의명공대덕요준순휘우모탕경응명립기지화신렬외훈홍업계기선력건행곤정영의홍휴수강문헌무장인익정효황제폐하)(大韓帝國高宗統天隆運肇極敦倫正聖光義明功大德堯峻舜徽禹謨湯敬應命立紀至化神烈巍勳洪業啓基宣曆乾行坤定英毅弘休壽康文憲武章仁翼貞孝皇帝陛下)
| Preceded by Cheol-jong |
Monarchs of Korea 1863–1907 |
Succeeded by Sunjong |
