Queen Yun


Queen Lady Yun, was a Queen consort of Joseon Korea by marriage to King Seongjong. She was an 11th generation descendant of General Yun Gwan. She was the second wife of King Seongjong of the Joseon Dynasty, and mother of King Yeonsangun. She was a Royal Noble Consort of the King, and became Queen after her predecessor died.

Life

Queen Yoon, formally known as Queen Jeheon, served Seongjong of Joseon as a concubine until the death of Queen Gonghye of Han, Seongjong's first wife. With no royal heir, the king was urged by counselors to take a second wife to secure the royal succession.
Lady Yoon was chosen for her beauty, and was formally married in 1476. Several months later, she gave birth to her first son, Yi Yung, later to become King Yeonsangun of Joseon. The new queen proved to be temperamental and highly jealous of Seongjong's concubines living inside the palace, even stooping to poisoning one of them in 1477.
One night in 1479, she clawed the king, leaving visible scratch marks on his face. King Seongjong tried to conceal the injury, but his mother, Grand Queen Insu, discovered the truth and ordered Lady Yoon, now known as the Deposed Queen Yoon, into exile.
After several rehabilitation attempts initiated by her party, influential government officials petitioned for her execution. She was sentenced to death and poisoned shortly thereafter. The manner and matter of her death became a pretext by her son to purge the court and government of opponents and critics of his rule.

Family