Queen Inye

Queen Inye of the Gyeongwon Yi clan (Korean: 인예왕후 이씨; Hanja: 仁睿王后 李氏; 1026 – 5 October 1092¹) or Queen Mother Inyesundeok (Korean: 인예순덕태후; Hanja: 仁睿順德太后) was a Korean queen consort as the 2nd wife of Munjong of Goryeo and the first Goryeo queen who came from the powerful Gyeongwon Yi clan. Among her ten sons, three of the eldest became the reign kings (Sunjong, Seonjong, Sukjong) and three others became a Buddhist monk.² She was the grandmother of Heonjong and Yejong, also ancestors of all goryeo kings after her husband.

Biography

Early life and background

The future Queen Inye was born as part of the powerful Gyeongwon Yi clan.³ Her father was its leader, Yi Ja-yeon (이자연; 李子淵) and her mother was the daughter of Kim In-wi (김인위; 金因渭) from the Gyeongju Kim clan. As the first and oldest daughter, she had 8 brothers and 2 younger sisters who both would become King Munjong's wives, Consort Ingyeong and Consort Injeol.

Marriage and palace life

Lady Yi was married to King Munjong of Goryeo as his second wife and honoured as Princess Yeondeok (연덕궁주; 延德宮主) since she stayed in "Yeondeok Palace" (연덕궁; 延德宮)⁴ and sometimes called as Consort Yeondeok (연덕궁비; 延德宮妃). They had their in 1047 and two years later, she gave birth into their and formally became the queen consort in 1052, which this event was celebrated by many provinces. Beside that, she also bore Munjong 8 other sons and 4 daughters, but two of their daughters died too early. Her position was further consolidated upon her eldest son crowned as the in 1054.