Yi Ŭi-bang
이의방
Military Leader of Goryeo
In office
1170–1175
MonarchsKing Uijong
King Myeongjong
Preceded byPosition established
Succeeded byChong Chung-bu
Personal details
Born1121
Died1175
SpouseLady Jo
ChildrenQueen Sapyeong (daughter)
Parents
  • Yi Yong-bu (father)
  • Lady Yi (mother)
Korean name
Hangul
Hanja
Revised RomanizationI Ui-bang
McCune–ReischauerYi Ŭibang

Yi Ŭi-bang (Korean: 이의방; 1121 – 12 January 1175) was a military ruler of Korea during the Goryeo period.[1] He was one of many military dictators of Goryeo in the aftermath of the 1170 warrior rebellion.

Life

Background

Yi originated from the Jeonju Yi clan. He subsequently joined the military and rose in ranks, becoming a minister in the scholar dominated government.

Rebellion

In August 1170 (Uijong 24th year), he joined the Goryeo warrior rebellion, which occurred in defiance against the typically minister ruled Korea. Primary leaders of this rebellion was Chong Chung-bu and Yi Ko who found that warrior-class treatment was truly unfair and planned a coup d'état to establish a warrior government.[2]

The King of Goryeo, Uijong was soon disposed and the new warrior-class ministers set up a puppet king Myeongjong. Yi was named as one of the key figures in the new regime with the title of High Merit Minister (Hanja: 壁上功臣) and given special privileges along with the other ministers. When Yi Ko tried to plot a coup and get hold of a dictatorship in 1171, Yi, under the orders of Chong Chung-bu purged and murdered Yi Go.

Governance

With Chong, Yi increased the size and power of the military and attracted military-class administrators to the regime and appointed these men to national offices which were previously reserved for scholar-class ministers. In 1173, when a scholar-class minister Kim Bo-dang (김보당; 金甫當) attempted to restore disposed king Uijong to the throne, Yi decisively slew the former king, preventing any further restoration attempts. With this merit, he was further promoted to Commander of Land Troops.

During his co-governance with Chong, Yi also faced a series of Buddhist Monk uprisings from different shrines around the nation. As Goryeo was officially a Buddhist nation since Wang Kŏn's unification of Korea, the Buddhists had great influence upon the government and most Goryeo kings appointed official Buddhist Great Monk advisors to assist in national administration. Due to the increasing Buddhist uprisings, Yi himself commanded his forces to put down these rebellions and raid Buddhist shrines. With his powerful forces, he swept the nation and raided and pillaged these shrines.

At this time, Jo Wi-chong (조위총; 趙位寵), a general of the North-Western border attempted to start a rebellion. Yi responded by murdering favorers of this rebellion such as Yun In-mi (윤인미; 尹仁美), who was of Seogyung birth. Due to this action, Yi lost support and favors from the people, and when he attempted to put down this rebellion, he failed.

Downfall and death

Yi, attempting to put down Chong and gain more power, tried to appoint his daughter as Royal Princess consort, an action which did not fulfill his objective but instead further endangered Yi's political situation. Due to this action, the 2nd Jo Invasion force, led by Chong Chung-bu's son Chong Kyun subsequently murdered Yi Ui-bang and his supporters and removed his daughter from the royal family. However, soon enough, Chong Chung-bu was also murdered and the young and righteous dictator Kyong Tae-sung took power.

Evaluation

General Yi Ui-bang's main legacy remains in the balance that was achieved through the purging of scholars during his co-governance with Chong. Before the arrival of Yi, the scholar class had more influence in the government to the extent that the warrior-class was greatly mistreated. With the changing of kings and shifting of power from scholar-class to warrior-class, Goryeo faced a new era. A final and very important legacy is his connection with the founder of the Joseon Dynasty, Yi Song-gye. Yi Ui-bang's younger brother Yi In was a 6th generation ancestor of Yi Songgye, thus connecting Yi Ui-bang and Yi Song-gye together.

Family

  • Father - Yi Yong-bu, Prince Daejang (대장군 이용부, 李勇夫)
    • Grandfather - Yi Gung-jin (이궁진, 李宮進)
      • Great-Grandfather - Yi Jin-yu (이진유, 李珍有)
        • Great-Great-Grandfather - Yi Hwa (이화, 李華)
          • Great-Great-Great-Grandfather - Yi Chung-min (이충민)
            • Great-Great-Great-Great-Grandfather - Yi Gyeong-yeong (이경영)
            • Great-Great-Great-Great-Grandmother - Lady Yun (윤씨, 尹氏)
          • Great-Great-Great-Grandmother - Lady Choi (최씨, 崔氏)
        • Great-Great-Grandmother - Lady Hwang (황씨, 黃氏) or Lady Kim (김씨, 金氏)
      • Great-Grandmother - Lady Oh (오씨, 吳氏) or Lady Kim (김씨, 金氏)
    • Grandmother - Lady Kim (김씨, 金氏) or Lady Yi (이씨, 李氏)
  • Uncle - Yi Dan-shin, Duke Shijung (시중공 완산백 이단신, 侍中公 完山伯 李端信)
  • Mother - Lady Yi (이씨)
    • Grandfather - Yi Hyeong (이형)
  • Sibling(s)
    • Older brother - Yi Jun-ui (승선 이준의, 承宣 李俊儀) (? - 1174)
    • Younger brother - Yi Rin or Yi In (내시집주 이린/이인, 李璘/李隣)
      • Unnamed sister-in-law
        • Nephew - Yi Yang-mu, Prince Jang (장군 이양무, 李陽茂) (? - 1231)
    • Younger brother - Yi Geo, Internal Prince Consort Sayeol (사열부원군 이거, 沙熱府院君 李琚)
      • Nephew - Yi Yang-ik, Duke Munhye (문혜공 이양익, 文惠公 李陽翼)
  • Wife - Lady Jo (조씨, 曺氏)

See also

References

  1. ↑ Lancaster, Lewis R.; Suh, Kikun; Yu, Chai-Shin (2002). Buddhism in Koryŏ: A Royal Religion. Jain Publishing Company. pp. 51, 71. ISBN 978-0-89581-890-4.
  2. ↑ Seth, Michael J. (2006). A Concise History of Korea: From the Neolithic Period Through the Nineteenth Century. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 100. ISBN 978-0-7425-4005-7.
  3. ↑ He was the grandson of Princess Changrak, and the great-grandson of King Injong of Goryeo and Queen Gongye
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