Queen Gonghye should not be confused with Queen Gongye.
| Queen Gonghye 공혜왕후 恭惠王后 | |
| Succession: | Queen consort of Joseon |
| Reign: | 31 December 1469 – 9 May 1474 |
| Reign-Type: | Tenure |
| Predecessor: | Queen Ansun |
| Successor: | Queen Yun |
| Religion: | Korean Buddhism |
| Dynasty: | House of Yi (by marriage) |
| House-Type: | Clan |
| Father: | Han Myeong-hoe, Internal Prince Sangdang |
| Mother: | Internal Princess Consort Hwangryeo of the Yeoheung Min clan |
| Consort: | yes |
| Full Name: | Han Song-yi (한송이, 韓松伊) |
| Birth Date: | 17 November 1456 |
| Birth Place: | Yeonhwabang, Joseon (now Yeonji-dong and Yeongeon-dong, Seoul, South Korea) |
| Death Place: | Guhyeonjeon Hall, Changdeok Palace, Hanseong, Joseon |
| Place Of Burial: | Sunneung Tomb, Samneung Cluster, Paju, Gyeonggi Province, South Korea |
| Posthumous Name: |
|
| House: | Cheongju Han clan (by birth) Jeonju Yi clan (by marriage) |
| Hangul: | 공혜왕후 |
| Rr: | Gonghye Wanghu |
| Mr: | Konghye Wanghu |
| Korean name | |
| Hangulborn: | 한송이 |
| Hanjaborn: | 韓松伊 |
| Rrborn: | Han Song-yi |
| Mrborn: | Han Song-i |
Queen Gonghye (; 17 November 1456 – 9 May 1474), of the Cheongju Han clan, was the first wife of King Seongjong, 9th monarch of Joseon. She was the Queen of Joseon from 1469 until her death in 1474.
Han Song-yi was born November 17, 1456, into the Cheongju Han clan, as the second daughter and fifth child of Han Myeong-hoe and his wife, Lady Min of the Yeoheung Min clan. Through her mother, Lady Han Song-yi was a second cousin of Queen Jeongsun. Through her father, Lady Han was also a third cousin twice removed of Queen Ansun, the second wife of King Yejong.
In 1460, her third older sister, Han Naeng-yi, who was 15 years old, married Yi Hwang, Crown Prince Haeyang and became the Crown Princess of Joseon. Her mother become “Internal Princess Consort Hwangryeo”, and her father was granted the title of “Internal Prince Sangdang” . However, she died in 1461, due to postpartum illness, five days after giving birth to Yi Bun, Grand Prince Inseong. Posthumously, she was honoured as Queen Jangsun.
On January 12, 1467, when Han Song-yi was 10 years old, she married Yi Hyeol, Prince Jalsan, the youngest son of Crown Prince Uigyeong. She was granted the title of “Princess Consort Cheonan”, and her parents kept the same royal titles.
It was said that Jalsan's grandfather, King Sejo, intended to have Lady Han as a concubine for Jalsan, but Crown Princess Consort Han, the biological mother of the Prince, had sought to make Song-yi her daughter-in-law after seeing her through a window of Heo Gye-ji’s house .
In 1470, with her father’s influence, Jalsan became King Seongjong, the 9th ruler of the Joseon Dynasty and Lady Han's status changed from Princess Consort to Queen. Her mother-in-law, now honoured as Queen Insu, was strict with her, but she taught the young Queen thoroughly in accordance with Confucian ethics such as having her read The Story of Yeolnyeo .
When the Queen couldn’t get pregnant, King Seongjong had started to take concubines. Without despising the women, Song-yi prepared and presented the clothes to them. She also gave jewelry and pieces of clothing as gifts to the concubines.
In 1473, she moved to her hometown, where the home of her parents were at, because of an illness and Seongjong made sure to visit her in order to check on her condition. The Queen recovered and moved back into the palace, but within the last months of the same year, her illness reappeared. Because her health didn’t improve, Song-yi requested to move her residence to Changdeok Palace, and the three Queen Dowagers (Jaseong, Insu and Inhye), as well the King, tended to her. Her parents were also granted permission to enter the palace and take care of their youngest daughter, but the Queen’s sickness didn’t seem to go away.
Lady Han's parents did not eat as she was in bad health, but she urged them to eat as they have been starving for days while staying by her side.
She died a couple of days later in Changdeok Palace’s Guhyeonjeon Hall, at the age of 17 on May 9, 1474.
For her posthumous title, Seongjong used “Gong” (공,恭) to praise her for docilely serving her in-laws, and “Hye” for her generosity, tenderness, and kindness. Her title became Queen Gonghye .
Her Neungho was called Sunhon, and later became Sunneung. The Jeonho was set as Sogyeongjeon.
In the 4th year of Yeonsangun's reign (1498), she was honoured with Hwiuishinsuk to her posthumous title.
The Queen's memorial tablet is enshrined in Jongmyo's main hall and her tomb is located in Samneung, Bongilcheon-ri, Jori-eup, Paju-si, Gyeonggi Province.
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