Regency of the Queen Mother Honae in Koryo Dynasty
Soon-Hyung Kwon, Ewha Woman's University, Korea
This study examines the regency of the Queen Mother Honae (964-1029) and political character in the period of King Mokjong (r. 997-1009). The Empress Dowager Honae was the wife of King Kongjong (r. 975-981). When her son Mokjong came to the throne, she ruled as regent. She established many government offices for showing the royal family's dignity and improved various institutions, such as protection privilege (um), enfeoffment (pongjak), and the land system (chonsi-kwa). She also pursued independent and practical diplomacy, and consolidated national defense by building castles and reorganizing the military system. Her policies strengthened sovereign power and centralism. Although her regency inherited the policy of the preceding king, Songjong (r. 981-997), it did not adapt to the need to follow Chinese politics and maintained the unique qualities of Koryo. Since her son Mokjong did not have a successor, she wanted to bear another heir to the throne. She committed adultery with her relative Kim-Ch'iyang and bore a son. Wanting him to succeed Mokjong, she tried to kill the legal successor, Prince Daeryangwon (later King Honjong, r. 1084-1097). But many bureaucrats were opposed to her and supported Prince Daeryangwon. After they all attacked her, she and Mokjong fell. Her ruin was due to the limits of her historical time, when a woman could not be recognized as a true ruler. She was the greatest woman politician in the Koryo dynasty, yet she did not evaluate these socio-political circumstances properly.
http://www.asian-studies.org/absts/2009abst/Korea/k-132.htm
Soon-Hyung Kwon, Ewha Woman's University, Korea
This study examines the regency of the Queen Mother Honae (964-1029) and political character in the period of King Mokjong (r. 997-1009). The Empress Dowager Honae was the wife of King Kongjong (r. 975-981). When her son Mokjong came to the throne, she ruled as regent. She established many government offices for showing the royal family's dignity and improved various institutions, such as protection privilege (um), enfeoffment (pongjak), and the land system (chonsi-kwa). She also pursued independent and practical diplomacy, and consolidated national defense by building castles and reorganizing the military system. Her policies strengthened sovereign power and centralism. Although her regency inherited the policy of the preceding king, Songjong (r. 981-997), it did not adapt to the need to follow Chinese politics and maintained the unique qualities of Koryo. Since her son Mokjong did not have a successor, she wanted to bear another heir to the throne. She committed adultery with her relative Kim-Ch'iyang and bore a son. Wanting him to succeed Mokjong, she tried to kill the legal successor, Prince Daeryangwon (later King Honjong, r. 1084-1097). But many bureaucrats were opposed to her and supported Prince Daeryangwon. After they all attacked her, she and Mokjong fell. Her ruin was due to the limits of her historical time, when a woman could not be recognized as a true ruler. She was the greatest woman politician in the Koryo dynasty, yet she did not evaluate these socio-political circumstances properly.
http://www.asian-studies.org/absts/2009abst/Korea/k-132.htm
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