Жосон әулетінің үшінші патшасы Тэджон

Third king of Joseon from 1400 to 1418

Taejong (hangul=태종; 16 May 1367 – 10 May 1422), personal name Yi Bang won (hangul=이방원), was the third monarch of the Joseon dynasty of Korea and the father of Sejong the Great. He was the fifth son of King Taejo, the founder of the dynasty. Before ascending to the throne, he was known as Prince Jeongan (hangul=정안군).

Born in 1367 as the fifth son of Yi Seong gye and his first wife Lady Han, Yi Bang won qualified as an official in 1382. He studied under Confucian scholars such as Won Cheon seok. During his early years, he assisted his father in gathering the support of the commoners and of many influential figures in the government; Yi Bang won also helped in the founding of Joseon by assassinating powerful officials who remained loyal to Goryeo, most prominently Jeong Mong ju.

After contributing heavily to the overthrowing of the previous dynasty and the establishment of Joseon, he expected to be appointed as successor to the throne. However, his father and Chief State Councillor Jeong Do jeon favored Taejo's eighth son and Yi Bang won's youngest half brother (second son of Queen Sindeok), Yi Bang seok. This conflict arose chiefly because Jeong Do jeon, as the principal architect of the ideological, institutional and legal foundations of the new dynasty, saw Joseon as a kingdom led by its ministers by virtue of the king's appointment. In contrast, Yi Bang won sought direct rule through an absolute monarchy. These differences ultimately contributed to an environment of deep political tension. In 1398, following the sudden death of Queen Sindeok, Yi Bang won led a coup d'état while King Taejo was still in mourning for his second wife. This event led to the deaths of Jeong Do jeon and his supporters, as well as the deaths of the late Queen Sindeok's two sons, including the crown prince. The incident became known as the 'First Strife of Princes' (hangul=제1차 왕자의 난). Aghast at the fact that his sons were willing to kill each other for the crown, and psychologically exhausted by the death of his second wife, Taejo abdicated; his eldest surviving son, Yi Bang gwa (posthumously King Jeongjong), immediately became the new ruler. Yi Bang won quickly emerged as the real force behind the throne and was soon in conflict with his disgruntled elder brother, Yi Bang gan, who also yearned for power. In 1400, General Park Bo, who found the rewards for his deeds during the First Strife of Princes lacking, allied with Yi Bang gan and rebelled in what came to be known as the 'Second Strife of Princes' (hangul=제2차 왕자의 난). Yi Bang won successfully defeated his brother's forces, then executed Park Bo and sent Yi Bang gan into exile. King Jeongjong, now fearful of his formidable younger brother, named Yi Bang won his successor and abdicated in the same year. At long last, Yi Bang won (posthumously King Taejong), assumed the throne of Joseon and became the dynasty's third monarch.

One of Taejong's first acts as king was to abolish the privilege to maintain private armies which was enjoyed by the aristocracy and the upper echelons of the government. His revoking of the right to keep independent forces effectively severed the upper class' ability to muster large scale revolts, and drastically increased the number of soldiers employed by the national army. Taejong's next act was to revise the existing legislation concerning land taxation. With the discovery of previously hidden land, national wealth increased twofold. In addition, Taejong created a strong central government. In 1400, before taking the throne, he had played a key role in eradicating the 도평의사사, a branch of the old administration that had monopolized the executive power during the waning years of Goryeo, in favor of the Privy Council; during Taejong's reign, the Privy Council was replaced by the State Council. Taejong also issued a decree according to which all decisions passed by the State Council could only come into effect with the approval of the king. This ended the custom of court ministers making decisions through debate and negotiations among themselves, and thus brought the royal authority to new heights. Shortly thereafter, Taejong installed a new department known as the Sinmun Office, to hear cases in which aggrieved subjects felt that they had been exploited or treated unjustly by officials or aristocrats. In 1403, Taejong ordered 100,000 pieces of metal type and two complete fonts. Predating Gutenberg and Laurens Janszoon by several decades, he accomplished the metal movable type. He promoted publications, commerce and education, and also gave full independence to the Uigeumbu (roughly equivalent to the Supreme Court).

In 1418, Taejong abdicated in favor of his third legitimate son, Yi Do (posthumously Sejong the Great), but continued to rule with an iron fist and decide on important matters. Along the years, as a means to strengthen royal authority and subdue corruption, he executed or exiled some of the supporters who helped him ascend to the throne; he also executed the four brothers of his wife Queen Wongyeong, as well as Sejong's father in law Shim On and his younger brother Shim Jeong, in order to limit the influence of in laws and powerful clans. King Taejong died four years after his abdication, on 10 May 1422, in Sugang Palace. He was buried alongside Queen Wongyeong at Heonneung (hangul=헌릉), Heoninneung Cluster, in present day Seocho District, Seoul, South Korea.

Taejong remains a controversial figure in Korean history who eliminated many of his rivals (such as Jeong Mong ju and Jeong Do jeon) and yet ruled effectively to improve the populace's lives, strengthen national defense, and lay down a solid foundation for his successor's reign.

Im Hyuk joo in the 1983 KBS1 TV series Foundation of the Kingdom. Lee Jung gil in the 1983 MBC TV series The King of Chudong Palace. Yoo Dong geun in the 1996–1998 KBS1 TV series Tears of the Dragon. Kim Yeong cheol in the 2008 KBS TV series The Great King, Sejong and the 2016 KBS1 TV series Jang Yeong sil. Baek Yoon sik in the 2011 SBS TV series Deep Rooted Tree. Choi Tae joon in the 2012–2013 SBS TV series The Great Seer. Park Yeong gyu in the 2012 film I Am the King. Ahn Jae mo in the 2014 KBS1 TV series Jeong Do jeon. Ahn Nae sang in the 2015 JTBC TV series More Than a Maid. Jang Hyuk in the 2015 film Empire of Lust and the 2019 JTBC TV series My Country: The New Age. Nam Da reum and Yoo Ah in in the 2015–2016 SBS TV series Six Flying Dragons. Kam Woo sung in the 2021 SBS TV series Joseon Exorcist. Joo Sang wook in the 2021–2022 KBS1 TV series The King of Tears, Lee Bang won.