A Study on the Royal Marriage in relation to the Political Situation from King Hyeonjong to the Early King Sukjong of the Joseon Dynasty

Abstract

In the 17th century, the Joseon Dynasty was a period when “Sarim Politics” was implemented in which “Rustic literati[Sanlim]” check the royal authority by using academic standards. In particular, in the year of King Hyeon Jong, the political influence of the mountain party, such as Song Si yeol, after Gihae Ye-song, became stronger than that of the previous King Hyo jong, and the same Westerner, Handang, maternal relatives, and a few other men who sympathized with it united as a force to protect the royal authority. Moreover, King Hyeon jong was the only son of Hyojong. It was also during King Hyeon jong's year that the number of royal figures showed a significant decline from the previous period. Therefore, the spouses of King Hyeon jong's children were politically children of figures who followed Song Si-yeol, but the chosen figures had a relationship with Queen Hyojong's Inseon and Queen Myeongseong, compared to that of the time. It seems that King Hyeon jong and Queen Myeongseong sought to expand the royal power through their children's spouse's house, and later fostered them as a force to protect the royal authority