憲宗 10년(1844) 懷平君 李元慶 謀反 사건과 그 의미 - 哲宗 즉위의 숨겨진 배경 -

Abstract

The rebellion raised by Hoipyeonggun Lee Won-gyeong used to be difficult to approach for its facts since the related records in the chronicles were deleted after the enthronement of King Cheoljong. It is such a fortunate case, however, that some examination records including Chuangeupgukan and Podocheongdeungrok remain to allow for an investigation into the rebellion. The main figure of the event was Hoipyeonggun Lee Won-gyeong, who was the eldest son of Jeongye Daewongun, who was the third eldest son of Euneongun. He was thus the closest to the royal family in terms of lineage and therefore the most powerful candidate for the next throne. However, his family had been bound to the status of criminal after Euneongun and fell to the status of common people. Such contradictory situations provided the setting for the rebellion. Lee Won-gyeong's complaints around his family's fall escalated to “rebellion" as he started to get along with the noble class including the former royal court officials that approached him for his lineage. The “rebellion," however, was merely a modest expectation for the uncertain future that was not accompanied by concrete revolt or replacement plans. After Hoipyeonggun was sacrificed in the rebellion, the royal family shrank even further. Under those circumstances, it was fairly difficult to hope for the recovery of the royal power by King Cheoljong, who was selected by the political group of the maternal relatives. Focusing on the reconstruction of the rebellion with the examination records, the study failed to take an overall approach toward it from a perspective of encompassing the entire political history of those days and thus suggests that future study will address the shortcoming. In addition, researches should be conducted on the records and documents management system of the days in order to understand the background of the examination records being preserved intact despite the massive deletion of the chronicles at that time.