| Danjong of Joseon | |
|---|---|
| King of Joseon | |
| Reign | May 14, 1452 - June 11, 1455 |
| Born | July 23, 1441 |
| Died | December 24, 1457 (aged 16) |
| Place of death | Yeongwol |
| Predecessor | Munjong of Joseon |
| Successor | Sejo of Joseon |
| Consort | Queen Jeongsun |
| Royal House | House of Yi |
| Father | Munjong of Joseon |
| Mother | Queen Hyeondeok |
| Danjong of Joseon | |
|---|---|
| Hangul | 단종 |
| Hanja | 端宗 |
| Revised Romanization | Danjong |
| McCune–Reischauer | Tanchong |
| Birth name | |
| Hangul | 이홍위 |
| Hanja | 李弘暐 |
| Revised Romanization | I Hong-wi |
| McCune–Reischauer | I Hongwi |
Danjong of Joseon (1441–1457, reigned 1452–1455) was the sixth king of the Joseon Dynasty.
Danjong succeeded his father, Munjong of Joseon, at the age of 12. Since he was too young to rule, the government of the kingdom fell to the premier, Hwangbo In, and his vice-premier, General Kim Jongseo.
In 1453, this government was overthrown in a coup led by the king's uncle, Sejo of Joseon, who persuaded a number of scholars and officials who had served in the court of Sejong the Great to support his claim to the throne. Hwangbo In and Kim Jongseo were seized and murdered in front of the gate of Gyeongbokgung; in 1455 Danjong was forced to abdicate and exiled.
The following year, six officials of the court attempted to restore him to power, but their plot was discovered and they were immediately executed. Perceiving that he would present a continuing threat to his rule, Sejo then accepted the advice of the court and ordered that Danjong be disposed of. He was murdered at his house in the place to which he was exiled. The men sent by Sejo locked Danjong's bedroom door and overheated the room, thus burning the boy to death. This happened in 1457.
Danjong had been stripped of his title at the time he was exiled, and was afterwards referred to as "Prince Nosan" (노산군). In the reign of King Sukjong, scholars at his court proposed that his title be restored, and in 1698, the demoted Prince Nosan was posthumously restored, receiving the posthumous name of "Danjong", and thereafter was referred to as King Danjong.
Contents |
| Preceded by Munjong |
Rulers of Korea (Joseon Dynasty) 1452–1455 |
Succeeded by Sejo |