Myeongjong of Goryeo

Myeongjong of Goryeo (8 November 1131 – 3 December 1202), personal name Wang Ho, was the 19th king of Korea's Goryeo dynasty. He was the third son of King Injong. His reign marked the beginning of the century-long military rule of Korea known as the Goryeo military regime.

Although it was intended that King Injong's second son should succeed his father, he was assassinated because Chŏng Chung-bu feared that he might become a threat to him in the future. Myeongjong was a weak puppet 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 who had lanuched a coup against Myeongjong's father and had established a military government. Despite this, Myeongjong did attempt to play off the military leaders against each other to both secure his own survival but also in an attempt to regain royal authority. His reign saw constant bloodshed as well as the deaths of the military rulers Chŏng Chung-bu, Yi Ŭi-bang, Kyŏng Tae-sŭng, and Yi Ŭi-min.

After twenty-seven years on the throne, he was sent into exile by the military ruler of the time, Ch'oe Ch'ung-hŏn. King Injong's fifth son, King Sinjong, was placed on the throne.

Family

 * Father: Injong of Goryeo
 * Grandfather: Yejong of Goryeo
 * Grandmother: Queen Sundeok
 * Mother: Queen Gongye
 * Grandfather: Im Wŏn-hu (임원후)
 * Grandmother: Grand Lady of Jinhan State of the Bupyeong Yi clan (진한국대부인 부평 이씨)
 * Consort and their Respective issue(s):
 * 1) Queen Uijeong of the Kim clan half second cousin once removed.
 * 2) Crown Prince Wang Yŏng
 * 3) Princess Yeonhui
 * 4) Princess Suan
 * 5) Concubine Myeongchun (명춘; d. 1180)
 * 6) Concubine Sunju (순주; d. 1179)
 * 7) Unknown
 * 8) Little Prince Wang Sŏn-sa (소군 왕선사)
 * 9) Little Prince Wang Hong-gi (소군 왕홍기)
 * 10) Little Prince Wang Hong-ch'u (소군 왕홍추)
 * 11) Little Prince Wang Hong-gyu (소군 왕홍규)
 * 12) Little Prince Wang Hong-gyun (소군 왕홍균)
 * 13) Little Prince Wang Hong-gak (소군 왕홍각)
 * 14) Little Prince Wang Hong-i (소군 왕홍이)
 * 15) Royal Lady Wang (왕녀 왕씨) – married Yi Hwa-ryong (이화룡)

Popular culture

 * Portrayed by Kim Byung-se in the 2003-2004 KBS TV series Age of Warriors.