朝鮮初期 宗親 仕宦의 推移

Abstract

In General, the patrilineal relative of the royal family is said to be the royal relative. King Taejo received much assistance from the military strength of the royal relative in the process of establishing the Joseon Dynasty. The royal relatives performed a central role in the foundation of the Joseon Dynasty, and King Taejo ignored the principle of ‘prohibiting the royal relatives from leading an official life’ that had been handed down from the Koryo Dynasty and allowed them to serve as a government official. But the subject and private soldiers of the royal relatives were the elements that interrupted the reinforcement of the royal power, and King Jeongjong disbanded the private soldiers of the royal relatives and banned them from serving as a government official. But not consistently observed all the way until Keongguktaejon was codified. Some rulers paradoxically allowed their royal relatives to serve as a government official with a view to reinforcing the royal power and administering national states smoothly. Appointment of royal relative as government officials was reassumed under the reign of King Taejong, who was compelled to appoint the royal relative of the non-Taejo family to suppress the revolt when the Revolt of Cho Sa-euo occurred in the first half of his regime. The appointment of royal relatives as government officials was expanded to the royal relatives of the Taejo family under the reign of King Sejong. The royal relatives of the Taejo family were promoted to responsible posts around the military post under the reign of King Sejo. But the official career of royal relatives became burdensome to the forces of vested interests and Empress Jeonghui that exercised the real power after the reign of Sejo. Empress Jeonghui administering state affairs behind the veil at the first half of Seongjong deposed the royal relative who governed the military affairs. Given that Seongjong was enthroned in his young age, his measure taken to check the royal relatives of the patrilineal family can be said to disconnect the forces threatening to the royal power at an early period and enhance the power of seizing a political situation. It can be seen that under the reign of Seongjong, the prohibition of royal relative from leading an office life was codified in Keonguktaejon, which was the result his will rather than Seongjong's will.