What rank was a concubine in Joseon?

The order of the ranks for the concubines or the Royal Noble Consorts of Joseon Dynasty Kings is: Bin (빈, 嬪) – 1st senior rank. Kwi-in (귀인, 貴人) – 1st junior rank. So-ui (소의, 昭儀) – 2nd senior rank.


What is a royal concubine in Korea?

Concubines in ancient Korea played a huge role in paving the way for the next heir to the king. Their ranks determine who would be the closest to the King. Even though they were of lower ranks than the queen, they were still higher in rank than most court ladies, making them part of the royal family.

Can joseon concubine become queen?

Can joseon concubine become queen? This was because rumours spread that she had a role in the death of the Queen Mother. So King Sukjong later demoted her back to Hee-bin and passed a law that no concubine could ever become Queen.


What is the highest position in Joseon dynasty?

The King, the current monarch. He was addressed in different ways depending on the speaker and the situation. Former King, a yet living king who has voluntarily abdicated to the current king. Grand King Former, an abdicated king whose relinquishment of power precedes that of another former king.

Can a royal concubine be a queen?

Ironically, King Sukjong changed the law so that no concubine could ever become a queen after she was dethroned. Afterward, noble families became reluctant to send their daughters to become concubines, because the possibility of ascending to the throne was zero.


Royal concubines of Joseon Dynasty, Korea



What purpose did a royal concubine serve?

Mostly concubines served to satisfy sexual pleasure since any children that resulted from a mistress was considered illegitimate, and unless allowed by their father, had no rights of inheritance.

Who is the most famous concubine?

Lady Yehenara, otherwise known as Empress Dowager Cixi, was arguably one of the most successful concubines in Chinese history. Cixi first entered the court as a concubine to Xianfeng Emperor and gave birth to his only surviving son, who later became Tongzhi Emperor.

How many concubines can a Joseon king have?

King Taejong laid the foundation of the system of concubines so that a king could have three gantaek concubines. King Sejong selected three concubines for his son Munjong. During the early years of the Joseon dynasty, the average number of concubines was 7 to 8.


Are twins allowed in Joseon dynasty?

During the Joseon era, some believed that fraternal twins were bad luck. One of the twins had to be eliminated and it was usually the girl, since a woman was considered less worthy and certainly could not inherit the throne.

What is queen dowager in Korean?

Wangbi/Daebi (왕비/대비) — Queen/Queen Dowager

“Wangbi” (왕비) denotes a current wife of the king, whereas “daebi” (대비) is a Queen Dowager: the wife of a deceased king. Because the Queen Dowager is usually the mother of the current king, you may see her addressed as “Queen Mother” in subtitles.

Has there ever been male concubine?

In the Judeo-Christian world, the term concubine has almost exclusively been applied to women, although a cohabiting male may also be called a concubine.


How an emperor chose a concubine?

Lists of candidates were made and presented to the palace in groups of three or five. Those selected would either become palace concubines, be married to either the emperor's sons or grandsons, or be married to princes and dukes and their sons and grandsons.

What is a concubine to an emperor?

Concubines were women who cohabited with Emperors throughout the dynasties, but were never officially married and were subordinate to wives. An Emperor could have as many or as few concubines as he wished, with the main purpose of bearing him lots of children.

What is the concubine position?

In the family the concubine held an intermediate place between the wife of first rank and an ordinary slave. In most cases she was a slave raised to a higher dignity by marriage to the master (Gn 16.3). The concubine held position as a wife of inferior or secondary rank.


Is concubine higher than consort?

One occupies a higher position than the other. A consort can have a concubine, but a concubine is like a second-class wife.

Which king had most concubines?

Solomon, third king of Israel (reigned c. 968–928 B.C.E.), is said to have had a harem that included 700 wives and 300 concubines (1 Kgs 11:3).

Did Korean eunuchs have wives?

Until the late 19th century, Korean rulers employed eunuchs to serve the royal court. These eunuchs were allowed to marry and adopt castrated boys as their sons.


Are there still descendants of the Joseon dynasty?

The House of Yi, also called the Yi dynasty (also transcribed as the Lee dynasty), was the royal family of the Joseon dynasty and later the imperial family of the Korean Empire, descended from the Joseon founder Yi Seong-gye. All of his descendants are members of the Jeonju Yi clan.

Was there an emperor without concubine?

His era name, "Hongzhi", means "great governance". A peace-loving emperor, the Hongzhi Emperor also had only one empress and no concubines, granting him the distinction of being the sole perpetually monogamous emperor in Chinese history, besides Emperor Fei of Western Wei.

What is the difference between consort and wife?

A queen consort is the female partner, spouse or companion to the King. The consort is not a formal role, and is symbolic of the support the person gives the monarch. It is different to the queen regnant, who is the ruler in their own right, like Queen Elizabeth II.


Did Korea ever have a female king?

Queen Seondeok of Silla (Korean: 선덕여왕 Korean pronunciation: [sʌn. dʌk jʌ. waŋ]; c. 595~610 – 17 February 647/January 8, Lunar Calendar) reigned as Queen Regnant of Silla, one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, from 632 to 647.

What were male concubines called?

The masculine form of the term, concubinus, is frequently explained as the term for a young male slave used for sexual release until his master married. Usually no other possibilities are given.

What happened to concubines when emperor died?

The imperial consorts were either executed by palace eunuchs or chose to commit suicide, normally by hanging themselves with a silk scarf or by taking poison. In the first part of the Ming dynasty concubines were often immolated and buried in separate tombs near the deceased emperor.


How many concubines can a man have?

This was forbidden by Qur'an 4:22. A man could not have two sisters simultaneously as wives or concubines. Thus, when Muhammad received two sisters as a gift, he took one as a concubine but not the other.