Queen Gongye


Queen Gongye was the wife and queen consort of King Injong of Goryeo the 17th monarch of the Goryeo Dynasty. She was mother of three sons who became kings of Goryeo, Uijong, Myeongjong and Sinjong. She was of the Jangheung Im clan.

Biography

She was born on 7 September 1109, in the Dangdong village in Jangheung County. When she was 15 years old, she promised to marry with Kim Ji-gyu's son, Kim Ji-hyo. A fortune teller said that the girl was destined to become a queen. In 1126 she married with Injong of Goryeo and became Queen Consort.
After the death of her husband, her son, Uijong of Goryeo became king and she became Queen Mother. Uijong also was often drunk, further angering the warriors but in the autumn of 1170, after constant discriminations, the rage of the military officials burst and, started a military revolt, murdering the civil officials, deposing King Uijong, and appointing a new king in his place.
After that, Myeongjong of Goryeo, her third son became king. Although she intended that Injong's second son should succeed at throne, he was assassinated because Jeong Jung-bu feared that he might become a threat to him in the future. Myeongjong was a weak king, because the true rulers were the military leaders. Queen Gongye died in 1183.

Family