| Grand Prince Yeongchang | |||||||||||||||
| Succession: | Grand Prince of Joseon | ||||||||||||||
| Reign: | 1613–1614 | ||||||||||||||
| Coronation: | 1613 | ||||||||||||||
| Issue: | Yi Pil, Prince Changseong (adopted) | ||||||||||||||
| Royal House: | House of Yi | ||||||||||||||
| Father: | Yi Yeon, King Seonjo | ||||||||||||||
| Mother: | Queen Inmok of the Yeonan Kim clan | ||||||||||||||
| Birth Name: | Yi Ui | ||||||||||||||
| Birth Date: | 12 April 1606 | ||||||||||||||
| Birth Place: | Hanseong-bu, Joseon | ||||||||||||||
| Death Date: | 19 March 1614 (aged 7) | ||||||||||||||
| Death Place: | Ganghwa-do, Gyeonggi Province, Joseon | ||||||||||||||
| Place Of Burial: | , San 24–5, Goeun-ri, Iljuk-myeon, Anseong-si, Gyeonggi Province[1] [2] | ||||||||||||||
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Grand Prince Yeongchang (; 12 April 1606 – 19 March 1614), personal name Yi Ui, was a Joseon royal prince as the only legitimate son of King Seonjo, from Queen Inmok[3] who was born when his father was already 55 years old.[4] Due to this, Yeonguijeong Yu Yeong-gyeong once tried to select Yeongchang as the Crown Prince to replace his older half-brother, Crown Prince Yi Hon, which eventually caused him to be unjustly executed after Hon's ascension to the throne.[5] People often said that his sad life and death is equivalent to Chang of Goryeo.[6]
He become Grand Prince Yeongchang when he was 6 years old.[7] His father, Seonjo was aware with the fact that Gwanghae had already become the Crown Prince, then secretly discussed with Yu Yeong-Gyeong and some of his servants about censure of the Prince. Seonjo also made plans to change the crown prince when he was born, but it was destroyed. Meanwhile, Seonjo with specifically asked 7 people, including Han Jun-Gyeom to follow the Prince in order to protect him. This was called Yugyochilsin . Later, when Yi Yi-Cheom and Jeong In-Hong saw this, both of them argued that he shouldn't change the crown prince, but in fact, they went home and spreading unfounded rumors. When Seonjo suddenly died on 16 March 1608, Gwanghae, the Crown Prince took over the throne and then recruited them again.
Later, in 1613, Gyechukoksa was made and Daebukpa made a false confession to Bak Eung-Seo and others of the conspiracy to elect the Prince and Kim Je-Nam, his maternal grandfather. The Prince was then abolished and exiled to Ganghwa-do. From July to November in the same year, Yang-sa, Hongmungwan [8] and Seungjeongwon [9] alternately impeached them, but Gwanghae rejected they all.
In 1614, Yi Yi-Cheom's group ordered Ganghwabusa to Jeong-hang [10] and maliciously burned the Prince's room, also make him quit food. The young prince couldn't sit or lie on a hot floor day and night, grabbed a grate and cried.[11] After this, Yi Yi-Cheom and Jeong-hang reported if the Prince died because of illness.[12] At this time, he was still 7 years old.
At this time, Samsa and Seungjeongwon continued to appeal the punishment of Yeongchang.[13]
But, some of Nam-in, Il-bu and Seo-in opposed his punishment, also Sa-rim opposed his execution and claimed that although he and Gwanghae were a half brother because their mother was different, there was a righteousness between mother, child, and brothers. In addition, public opinion appeared in favor to him and asked if he would have intention to conspiring against him. However, due to the continued appeals from Daebukpa, the Prince died in his exile place on 19 March 1614.
After his death, his half big brother, Prince Gyeongchang 's 4th son, Prince Changseong become his adopted son for continuing the House of Yi Royal Family's line. Then, on 15 March 1623, due to his nephew, King Injo's new reign, he was restored and his title was given back to him.
The Prince's body was transported and buried in 1614 (6th year reign of his half big brother, Gwanghaegun of Joseon) under Namhansanseong in Gwangju-gun, Gyeonggi Province, South Korean and his tomb was located in Goeun-ri, Iljuk-myeon, Anseong-si, Gyeonggi Province firstly, but later relocated in 1993 to Alleyway 4911, Taepyeong 3–dong, Seongnam-si. That tomb was also found damaged in five pieces during the plumbing of a city gas facility.
His tomb, "Grand Prince Yeongchang's Mausoleum" was designated as the 75th Monument of Gyeonggi Province on 19 September 1983.[14]