Taejong of Joseon (16 May 1367 – 10 May 1422), personal name Yi Bang-won (Korean: 이방원; Hanja: 李芳遠), was the third ruler of the Joseon dynasty of Korea and the father of Sejong the Great. He was the fifth son of King Taejo, the founder of the dynasty. Before ascending to the throne, he was known as Prince Jeongan (Korean: 정안군; Hanja: 靖安君).
Biography
Early life and founding of Joseon
Born in 1367 as the fifth son of Yi Seong-gye and his first wife Lady Han, Yi Bang-won qualified as an official in 1382. He studied under Confucian scholars such as Won Cheon-seok. During his early years, he assisted his father in gathering the support of the commoners and of many influential figures in the government; Yi Bang-won also helped in the founding of Joseon by assassinating powerful officials who remained loyal to Goryeo, most prominently Jeong Mong-ju.
Strifes of Princes
After contributing heavily to the overthrowing of the previous dynasty and the establishment of Joseon, he expected to be appointed as successor to the throne. However, his father and Chief State Councillor Jeong Do-jeon favored Taejo's eighth son and Yi Bang-won's youngest half-brother (second son of Queen Sindeok), Yi Bang-seok. This conflict arose chiefly because Jeong Do-jeon, as the principal architect of the ideological, institutional and legal foundations of the new dynasty, saw Joseon as a kingdom led by its ministers by virtue of the king's appointment. In contrast, Yi Bang-won sought direct rule through an absolute monarchy. These differences ultimately contributed to an environment of deep political tension.
In 1398, following the sudden death of Queen Sindeok, Yi Bang-won led a coup d'état while King Taejo was still in mourning for his second wife. This event led to the deaths of Jeong Do-jeon and his supporters, as well as the deaths of the late Queen Sindeok's two sons, including the crown prince. The incident became known as the 'First Strife of Princes' (제1차 왕자의 난). Aghast at the fact that his sons were willing to kill each other for the crown, and psychologically exhausted by the death of his second wife, Taejo abdicated; his eldest surviving son, Yi Bang-gwa (posthumously King Jeongjong), immediately became the new ruler.
Yi Bang-won quickly emerged as the real force behind the throne and was soon in conflict with his disgruntled elder brother, Yi Bang-gan, who also yearned for power. In 1400, General Park Bo, who found the rewards for his deeds during the First Strife of Princes lacking, allied with Yi Bang-gan and rebelled in what came to be known as the 'Second Strife of Princes' (제2차 왕자의 난). Yi Bang-won successfully defeated his brother's forces, then executed Park Bo and sent Yi Bang-gan into exile. King Jeongjong, now fearful of his formidable younger brother, named Yi Bang-won his successor and abdicated in the same year. At long last, Yi Bang-won (posthumously King Taejong), assumed the throne of Joseon and became the dynasty's third monarch.
Reign
Consolidation of royal power
One of Taejong's first acts as king was to abolish the privilege to maintain private armies which was enjoyed by the aristocracy and the upper echelons of the government. His revoking of the right to keep independent forces effectively severed the upper class' ability to muster large-scale revolts, and drastically increased the number of soldiers employed by the national army.
Taejong's next act was to revise the existing legislation concerning land taxation. With the discovery of previously hidden land, national wealth increased twofold.
In addition, Taejong created a strong central government. In 1400, before taking the throne, he had played a key role in eradicating the Dopyeong Assembly, a branch of the old administration that had monopolized the executive power during the waning years of Goryeo, in favor of the Privy Council; during Taejong's reign, the Privy Council was replaced by the State Council. Taejong also issued a decree according to which all decisions passed by the State Council could only come into effect with the approval of the king. This ended the custom of court ministers making decisions through debate and negotiations among themselves, and thus brought the royal authority to new heights.
Shortly thereafter, Taejong installed a new department known as the Sinmun Office, to hear cases in which aggrieved subjects felt that they had been exploited or treated unjustly by officials or aristocrats. He also placed a big drum in front of the palace, so the common people could beat it to request an audience with the king when they experienced important problems.