Queen Inyeol

Queen Inyeol (Korean: 인열왕후 한씨; Hanja: 仁烈王后 韓氏; 6 August 1594 – 6 January 1636) of the Cheongju Han clan, was a posthumous name bestowed to the wife and first queen consort of Injo of Joseon, the 16th Joseon monarch. She was queen consort of Joseon from 1623 until her death in 1636.

Queen Inyeol 인열왕후
Queen consort of Joseon
Tenure	24 April 1623 – 6 January 1636
Predecessor	Queen Hyejang
Successor	Queen Jangryeol
Born	6 August 1594 Wuso, Wonju-eupnae, Gangwon Province, Joseon
Died	6 January 1636 (1636-01-07) (aged 41) Sansilcheong, Yeohwidang Hall, Changgyeong Palace, Hanseong, Joseon
Burial	Jangneung
Spouse	Injo of Joseon (m.1610–1636)
Issue	Crown Prince Sohyeon Hyojong of Joseon Grand Prince Inpyeong Grand Prince Yongseong Unnamed daughter Unnamed son Unnamed son
Posthumous name 정유명덕정순인열왕후 正裕明德貞順仁烈王后
House	Cheongju Han (by birth) Jeonju Yi (by marriage)
Father	Han Jun-gyeom
Mother	Internal Princess Consort Hoesan of the Changwon Hwang clan
Korean name
Hangul	인열왕후
Hanja	仁烈王后
Revised Romanization	Inyeol wanghu
McCune–Reischauer	Inyŏl wanghu

Biography

Lady Han was born on 6 August 1594 into the Cheongju Han clan to Han Jun-gyeom and his wife, Lady Hwang of the Changwon Hwang clan, as their youngest child of five children. Her parents were 5th cousins as they shared Grand Prince Hyoryeong as their 4th great-grandfather.

Her mother later died a few days after her birth, but Lady Han was born and raised in the town of Wonju until she married.

In 1610, she married Prince Neungyang (능양군), Injo of Joseon, when she was 17 and was known as “Princess Consort Cheongseong” (청성군부인; 淸城郡夫人). Princess Cheongseong gave birth to Crown Prince Sohyeon in 1612, Grand Prince Bongrim (later known as King Hyojong) in 1619, and Grand Prince Inpyeong in 1622.

On 24 April 1623, she became the queen consort upon her husband's ascension to the throne. The Queen gave birth to a fourth son, Prince Yongseong, in 1624, her first daughter in 1626, and a fifth son in 1629, but both died prematurely.

On 14 October 1635, she gave birth to a prince, her sixth son, who died later on 22 December 1635. A month later on 6 January 1636, the Queen died at the age of 41 in Changgyeong Palace as she was suffering from postpartum illness.

Her husband, King Injo wanted to bestow Myeongheon (명헌; 明憲) as her posthumous title, but Kim Sang-heon persuaded the king to change the name into Inyeol. “In” (인; 仁) for benevolence and “Yeol” (열; 烈) for pillar.

King Injo had decided to have his own tomb be made next to the queen in Jangneung. After the king died, their son, King Hyojong granted his wish and buried his father there. Jangneung was originally located in Uncheon-ri, Paju, but when snakes and scorpions began to live and infest around the tomb, King Yeongjo moved the tomb to Galhyeon-ri, Paju, Gyeonggi Province.

Family

• Father - Han Jun-gyeom (한준겸; 韓浚謙; 1557–1627)
• Mother
  • Biological - Internal Princess Consort Hoesan of the Changwon Hwang clan (회산부부인 창원 황씨; 1561–1594)
  • Step - Yi Kang-ah-ji (이강아지; 李强阿之), Lady Yi of the Jeonju Yi clan (1583–?)

Siblings

• Older sister - Lady Han (한씨; 1577–?)
• Older brother - Han So-il (한소일; 韓昭一; 1584–1608)
• Older sister - Lady Han (한씨; 1588–1637); died during the Manchu war
• Older sister - Lady Han (정부인 청주 한씨; 貞夫人 淸州 韓氏; 1590–1637); died during the Manchu War
• Younger brother - Han Hoe-il (한회일; 韓會一; ?–1642)
• Younger half-sister - Lady Han (한씨; 1592–?)
• Younger half-sister - Princess Consort Han of the Cheongju Han clan (현부인 청주 한씨; 縣夫人 淸州 韓氏; 1596–1637); died during the Manchu war
• Husband - Injo of Joseon (조선 인조; 7 December 1595 – 17 June 1649)
  • Mother-in-law - Queen Inheon of the Neungseong Gu clan (인헌왕후 구씨; 17 April 1578 – 14 January 1626)
  • Father-in-law - Wonjong of Joseon (조선 원종; 2 August 1580 – 29 December 1619)

Issue

1. Son - Yi Wang, Crown Prince Sohyeon (이왕 소현세자; 5 February 1612 – 21 May 1645)
   1. Daughter-in-law - Crown Princess Minhoe of the Geumcheon Kang clan (민회빈 강씨; 1611 – 30 April 1646)
2. Son - Yi Ho, King Hyojong (봉림대군; 3 July 1619 – 23 June 1659)
   1. Daughter-in-law - Queen Inseon of the Deoksu Jang clan (인선왕후 장씨; 9 February 1619 – 19 March 1674)
3. Son - Yi Yo, Grand Prince Inpyeong (이요 인평대군; 10 December 1622 – 13 May 1658)
   1. Daughter-in-law - Princess Consort Bokcheon of the Dongbok Oh clan (복천부부인 동복 오씨; 22 April 1622 – 6 August 1658)
4. Son - Yi Gon, Grand Prince Yongseong (이곤 용성대군; 24 October 1624 – 22 December 1629)
5. Unnamed daughter (1626–1626)
6. Unnamed son (1629–1629)
7. Unnamed son (12 January 1636 – 16 January 1636)

In popular culture

• Portrayed by Seo Woo-rim in the 1981 KBS1 TV Series Daemyeong.
• Portrayed by Kim Do-yeon in the 1986–1987 MBC TV series Namhansanseong Fortress
• Portrayed by Lee Seung-ha in the 2015 MBC TV series Splendid Politics