憲宗初 純元王后 垂簾聽政期의 官人 임용 양상과 權力 關係

Abstract

This paper discusses the six-year period following King Heonjong's coming to the throne, when the nation was under a regency by Queen Sunwon. The aim is to examine the practice of appointing bureaucratic officials and to understand power relations of those times. The early days of King Heonjong's reign are characterized by Politics by In-powers, with the Office of Border Defense being the focal point of all powers. The Office was mainly run by maternal relatives of the king or people who had connections with them. Despite Queen Sunwon's regency, her family, the Kims based in Andong, was not the only power group. Equally influential was the Cho family based in Pungyang, where the king's mother was from. Major bureaucratic positions were assumed proportionately by both families, independently or in collaboration, though the Office, the essence of the power, was mostly run by the Kims. Perceptions towards Politics by In-powers are generally negative. People think that the queen conducts all state affairs on behalf of the little king, and her family monopolize the power. It really means, however, the dying king asking his retainer to provide utmost assistance to the succeeding king. It was at the request of the former king that the retainer took the lead over state affairs. The queen was given the authority of a regent, because she was the wife of the former king, and thus was obligated to honor his wishes. King Sunjo left his grandson, King Heonjong, in the care of the Cho family, and Queen Sunwon had to honor the decision, regardless of her own family background. For this reason, balance was maintained between the two powerful families, which reflects the power relations in the early days of the King Heonjong era.