| Yi Jin | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Prince of Joseon | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Issue: | A daughter Yi Tae-ung Yi Jun (adoptive) Yi Gyeong (adoptive) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Royal House: | House of Yi | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Father: | Seonjo of Joseon | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mother: | Royal Noble Consort Gongbin Kim | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Birth Date: | 20 September 1572 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Birth Place: | Joseon | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Death Date: | 3 June 1609 (aged 36) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Death Place: | Gyodong-gun, Gyeonggi Province, Joseon | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place Of Burial: | , Songneung-ri, Jingeon-eup, Namyangju-si, Gyeonggi Province[1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Prince Imhae (20 September 1572 – 3 June 1609;[3] personal name Yi Jin, childhood name Yi Jin-Guk), was a Joseon Royal Prince as the eldest son of King Seonjo[4] and the elder brother of King Gwanghae. He was known for such a violent and arrogant personality, that he murdered some government officials alongside his half brothers: Prince Jeongwon and Prince Sunhwa, but were survived under their father's protection.[5] Also, when his depravity led to government officials demanding severe punishment for his actions, he was able to avoid such punishment by his father's protection too.
However, he was passed over for the Crown Prince's role in favour of his younger brother who would eventually take the throne and became King Gwanghae. After investigated for crimes he committed against common people, he was sent into exile to Gyodong County after the Imjin war, then died in 1609.
He was born on 20 September 1572 as the first and oldest son of King Seonjo, by his concubine, Lady Gim with the name of Yi Jin-guk (later changed into Yi Jin). But, when he was only 6 years old, she died in 1577.[6] As a result, he and his younger brother were raised by Seonjo's primary wife, Queen Uiin who was childless at this time. Different from him, his brother was said to not have a good relationship with the Queen due to his birth mother's face.
He then married the daughter of Heo-Myeong, Lady Heo from the "Yangcheon Heo clan" in 1585.[7] In 1591, both of him, Prince Gwanghae, Prince Sinseong, Prince Jeongwon and Prince Sunhwa became Gwanggigwonjonggongsin .
See main article: Japanese invasions of Korea (1592–1598).
During the start of the Imjin War in 1592 (25th year of the reign of King Seonjo), he lost his position as Crown Prince due to his violent personality. He would later be faced with a miserable end after the throne was instead handed over to his younger brother, Gwanghae. After being passed over for the position of Crown Prince, he was sent Hamgyeong-do with Prince Sunhwa to recruit the Geunwang Soldiers .[8]
However, on 23 July in the same year, both of Imhae and Sunhwa were captured by local Inspector in Hoe-ryeong, Hamgyeong-do.[9] [10] They were eventually released after series negotiations. Gim Hui-Cheol (김희철), Imhae and Gwanghae's maternal grandfather had also died during the War.[11]
Yi Jin acted arrogantly and violently by used his high status. Some officers also said that he always acted so arrogant and always caused various problems. Meanwhile, there was some who asked for his crime and want him to severely punished due to his acts such as assaulting an innocent person or killing a person even if they just had a minor resentment. After that, he and his half-brother were constantly impeached, but they were safe.
When Gwanghae took over the throne, appeals for his punishment and expulsion came up one after another. Afterwards, Uigeumbu followed Gwanghae's instructions and they punished Yi Jin, Gi Ja-heon and Yi Heung-ro .[12] [13] Meanwhile, Hong Mun-gwan raised some mantras to advocated the death penalty of Imhae. Afterwards, he was exiled again to Gyodong-gun. Based on "Gwanghaegun's Diary", Yi Jeong-pyo a soldier, who guarded him in the exile, was suspected to have forced him drink poison,[14] but after the rebellion, a servant of Imhae testified that he was, in fact, strangled to death. There was also a re-investigation in 1623 which concluded that he was murdered by an assassin sent by Yi Yi-cheom, then reinstated under King Injo's command.
There is debated that the Prince's children were detained in Japan by Katō Kiyomasa and became monks or the wives of their general. But since there is no evidence to support the detention of his children, so it cannot be said if it is true.