Queen Gonghye

Queen Gonghye (17 November 1456 – 9 May 1474), of the Cheongju Han clan, was the first wife of King Seongjong, 9th monarch of Joseon. She was the Queen of Joseon from 1469 until her death in 1474.

Biography
Han Song-yi was born November 17, 1456, into the Cheongju Han clan, as the second daughter and fifth child of Han Myeong-hoe and his wife, Lady Min of the Yeoheung Min clan. Through her mother, Lady Han Song-yi was a second cousin of Queen Jeongsun. Through her father, Lady Han was also a third cousin twice removed of Queen Ansun, the second wife of King Yejong.

In 1460, her third older sister, Han Naeng-yi, who was 15 years old, married Yi Hwang, Crown Prince Haeyang and became the Crown Princess of Joseon. Her mother become “Internal Princess Consort Hwangryeo”, and her father was granted the title of “Internal Prince Sangdang”. However, she died in 1461, due to postpartum illness, five days after giving birth to Yi Bun, Grand Prince Inseong. Posthumously, she was honoured as Queen Jangsun.

On January 12, 1467, when Han Song-yi was 10 years old, she married Yi Hyeol, Prince Jalsan, the youngest son of Crown Prince Uigyeong. She was granted the title of “Princess Consort Cheonan”, and her parents kept the same royal titles.

It was said that Jalsan's grandfather, King Sejo, intended to have Lady Han as a concubine for Jalsan, but Crown Princess Consort Han, the biological mother of the Prince, had sought to make Song-yi her daughter-in-law after seeing her through a window of Heo Gye-ji’s house.

In 1470, with her father’s influence, Jalsan became King Seongjong, the 9th ruler of the Joseon Dynasty and Lady Han's status changed from Princess Consort to Queen. Her mother-in-law, now honoured as Queen Insu, was strict with her, but she taught the young Queen thoroughly in accordance with Confucian ethics such as having her read The Story of Yeolnyeo .

When the Queen couldn’t get pregnant, King Seongjong had started to take concubines. Without despising the women, Song-yi prepared and presented the clothes to them. She also gave jewelry and pieces of clothing as gifts to the concubines.

In 1473, she moved to her hometown, where the home of her parents were at, because of an illness and Seongjong made sure to visit her in order to check on her condition. The Queen recovered and moved back into the palace, but within the last months of the same year, her illness reappeared. Because her health didn’t improve, Song-yi requested to move her residence to Changdeok Palace, and the three Queen Dowagers (Jaseong, Insu and Inhye), as well the King, tended to her. Her parents were also granted permission to enter the palace and take care of their youngest daughter, but the Queen’s sickness didn’t seem to go away.

Lady Han's parents did not eat as she was in bad health, but she urged them to eat as they have been starving for days while staying by her side.

She died a couple of days later in Changdeok Palace’s Guhyeonjeon Hall, at the age of 17 on May 9, 1474.

For her posthumous title, Seongjong used “Gong” (공,恭) to praise her for docilely serving her in-laws, and “Hye” for her generosity, tenderness, and kindness. Her title became Queen Gonghye.

Her Neungho was called Sunhon, and later became Sunneung. The Jeonho was set as Sogyeongjeon.

In the 4th year of Yeonsangun's reign (1498), she was honoured with Hwiuishinsuk to her posthumous title.

The Queen's memorial tablet is enshrined in Jongmyo's main hall and her tomb is located in Samneung, Bongilcheon-ri, Jori-eup, Paju-si, Gyeonggi Province.

Family
Parents


 * Father − Han Myeong-hoe (26 November 1415 – 28 November 1487)
 * Mother − Internal Princess Consort Hwangryeo of the Yeoheung Min clan (1414–1479)

Sibling(s)


 * Older brother: Han Bo, Prince Namseong (1437–1522). Wife: Lady Yi of the Hansan Yi clan (1448-1519); daughter of Yi Hun, Prince Hanseong
 * Older sister − Lady Han of the Cheongju Han clan (1438-?). Husband: Shin Ju of the Goryeong Shin clan  (1435-1456)
 * Older sister − Lady Han of the Cheongju Han clan (1442-?). Husband: Yun Ban of the Papyeong Yun clan  (1442-1502)
 * Older sister − Han Naeng-yi, Queen Jangsun of the Cheongju Han clan (22 February 1445 – 5 January 1462). Husband: King Yejong (14 January 1450 – 31 January 1469)
 * Younger brother - Han Cheol (한철, 韓鐵) (1460 - ?)
 * Younger sister - Lady Han of the Cheongju Han clan (1465–1525). Husband: Yi Ui (길안도정 이의, 李儀) of the Jeonju Yi clan (1471–1520)

Consort


 * Husband − Yi Hyeol, King Seongjong (20 August 1457 – 20 January 1494) — No issue.

In popular culture

 * Portrayed by Kim Eun-hye in the 1994 KBS2 TV series Han Myung-hoe.
 * Portrayed by Shin Ji-soo in the 1998–2000 KBS1 TV series The King and the Queen.
 * Portrayed by Han Da-min and Kim Hee-jung in the 2007–2008 SBS TV series The King and I.
 * Portrayed by Lee Ji-woo in the 2011–2012 JTBC TV series Insu, The Queen Mother.