Yi Hae-won

Yi Hae-won (Hangul: 이해원, Hanja: 李海瑗) (born Yi Gil-un) (24 April 1919 – 8 February 2020) was a Korean princess and a descendant of the Joseon dynasty (Empire of Korea). She was the second daughter of Prince Imperial Ui of Korea, the fifth son of Emperor Gojong of Korea and his concubine, Lady Sudeokdang. Yi was one of the pretenders, as well as her nephew, Yi Won, who claimed to be the legitimate heir to the throne of the Korean Imperial Household.[2][3] Yi died in February 2020 at the age of 100.[4]

Princess Yi Hae-won
Princess of Korea
Member of the House of Yi[1]
Period	16 July 2005 – 8 February 2020
Predecessor	Crown Prince Yi Gu
Born	24 April 1919 Sadong Palace, Gyeongseong, Japanese Korea
Died	8 February 2020 (aged 100) Hanam, Gyeonggi. South Korea
Spouse	Yi Seung-gyu
Issue	Yi Jin-hyu Yi Jin-wang Yi Jin-ju Yi Jin-hong
House	Jeonju Yi
Father	Prince Yi Kang of Korea
Mother	Yi Hui-chun, Lady Sudeokdang

Korean name
Hangul	이진
Hanja	李珍
Revised Romanization	Yi Jin
McCune–Reischauer	Yi Chin
Birth name
Hangul	이길운
Hanja	李吉雲
Revised Romanization	Yi Gil-un
McCune–Reischauer	Yi Kil-un
Registered Name
Hangul	이해원
Hanja	李海瑗
Revised Romanization	Yi Hae-won
McCune–Reischauer	Yi Hae-wŏn

Birth and marriage

Yi Haewon was born in Sadong Palace, which was an official residence of her family in Seoul and raised in Unhyeon Palace. After she graduated from Kyunggi Girls' High School in 1937, she then married Yi Seunggyu, who was kidnapped and compulsorily taken to North Korea during the Korean War. They had three sons and one daughter.[5]

Coronation

Following the death of her cousin Yi Ku on 16 July 2005, members of the imperial family chose his adopted son, Yi Won, as the next Head of the Korean Imperial Household,[6] bestowing on him the title, the Hereditary Prince Imperial of Korea (Hwangsason), representative of an inherited title from Yi Ku.[7] Contesting her nephew's claim and appointment to the throne, Yi Haewŏn announced the restoration of the Korean Imperial Household.[6] A private coronation ceremony was held on 29 September 2006, during which Yi Haewŏn was bestowed the title, the "Empress of Korea". According to one of her half-brothers, Yi Seok, who was another pretender, other close royal member didn't approve such a ceremony; Yi Seok himself was also invited, but he didn't attend the ceremony, for he didn't know who the members of the "Imperial Family Association of Daehanjeguk" are.[6]

Family

Yi Hae-won's husband, Yi Seung-gyu, descended from the Yi Clan of Yongin (용인 이씨, 龍仁李氏), according to the Genealogy book of the clan published in 1983.[5]

• Great-Grandfather
  • Heungseon Daewongun (흥선대원군, 興宣大元君) (24 January 1820 - 22 February 1898)
• Great-Grandmother
  • Grand Internal Princess Consort Sunmok of the Yeoheung Min clan (순목대원비 민씨, 純穆大院妃 閔氏) (3 February 1818 - 8 January 1898)
• Grandfather
  • Emperor Gojong (고종) (8 September 1852 - 21 January 1919)
• Grandmother
  • Imperial Consort Gwi-in of the Deoksu Jang clan (귀인 장씨, 貴人 張氏)
• Father
  • Yi Kang, Prince Uihwa (이강 의화군) (30 March 1877 - 16 August 1955)
• Mother
  • Yi Hui-chun, Lady Sudeokdang (이희춘 수덕당, 壽德堂 李希春); Yi Kang’s 5th concubine
• Brother
  • Younger half-brother: Yi Seok (born 3 August 1941) (이석, 李錫)
• Spouse
  • Yi Seung-gyu (이승규, 李昇圭) (4 September 1917 - ?), eldest son of Yi Wan-yeong.
    • Father-in-law: Yi Wan-yeong (이완영, 李完榮) (1895 - 1943), the only son of Yi Ju-sang (이주상, 李胄相). He had four sons and three daughters.
    • Mother-in-law: Yi Hui-gyeong (이희경, 李喜慶 (1895 - ?), from the Hansan Yi clan (한산 이씨, 韓山李氏) and her father was Yi Deok-gyu (이덕규, 李德珪).
• Children
  • Son: Yi Jin-hyu (이진휴/李鎭烋, 24 January 1941 - ), married Yi Ae-seon (이애선, 李愛仙).
  • Son: Yi Jin-wang (이진왕/李鎭旺, 14 November 1945 - ), married Park Jong-mi (박종미, 朴鍾美).
  • Daughter: Yi Jin-ju (이진주/李鎭珠) 11 September 1947 - 1994),[8] died unmarried.
  • Son: Yi Jin-hong (이진홍, 李鎭弘) (24 July 1949 - )

See also

• House of Yi
• Joseon dynasty

References

1. 최정민, 김효정 (2 November 2018). "마지막 황손 이석, '할아버지 고종 황제, 제대로 평가되길'" – via www.bbc.com.
2. Kim So-min (김소민) (6 April 2010). 아직 끝나지않은'황실의 추억'. HeraldBiz (in Korean). Seoul: Herald Media. Retrieved 29 January 2010.
3. 전주이씨 대동종약원 "女皇 추대는 억지 장난". The Chosun Ilbo (in Korean). Seoul. Yonhap. 2 October 2006. Retrieved 29 January 2010.
4. "조선황실 마지막 옹주 이해원씨 별세". monthly.chosun.com (in Korean). 9 February 2020. Retrieved 10 February 2020.
5. "용인이씨대동보 龍仁李氏大同譜, 6권". FamilySearch. (Volume 3, Page 324)
6. "Coronation of Korea's new empress leads to royal family controversy". Korea JoongAng Daily.
7. "역대 총재". Jeonju Lee Royal Family Association (전주이씨대동종약원). Retrieved 10 June 2020.
8. Park, Sung-ha (22 October 2006). "Coronation of Korea's new empress leads to royal family controversy". Korea JoongAng Daily. Retrieved 10 June 2020.

External links

• Coronation of Korea’s new empress leads to royal family controversy