Sejong the Great
Sejong (Korean: 세종; Hanja: 世宗; 10 April 1397 – 17 February 1450), personal name Yi Do (이도; 李祹), commonly known as Sejong the Great (세종대왕; 世宗大王), was the fourth monarch of the Joseon dynasty of Korea. Today, he is regarded as one of the greatest rulers in Korean history, and is remembered as the inventor of Hangul, the native alphabet of the Korean language.
| Sejong the Great 세종대왕 世宗大王 | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Bronze statue of King Sejong at Deoksu Palace | |||||||||||||
| King of Joseon | |||||||||||||
| Reign | 10 August 1418 – 17 February 1450 | ||||||||||||
| Enthronement | Geunjeongjeon Hall, Gyeongbok Palace, Hanseong | ||||||||||||
| Predecessor | Taejong | ||||||||||||
| Successor | Munjong | ||||||||||||
| Regent | Crown Prince Yi Hyang (1439–1450) | ||||||||||||
| Crown Prince of Joseon | |||||||||||||
| Tenure | 3 June 1418 – 10 August 1418 | ||||||||||||
| Predecessor | Crown Prince Yi Je | ||||||||||||
| Successor | Crown Prince Yi Hyang | ||||||||||||
| Born | Yi Do (이도; 李祹) 10 April 1397 Junsu-bang, Hanseong, Joseon | ||||||||||||
| Died | 17 February 1450 (aged 52) Grand Prince Yeongeung's Mansion, Hanseong, Joseon | ||||||||||||
| Burial | |||||||||||||
| Spouse | |||||||||||||
| Issue among others... | |||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||
| Clan | Jeonju Yi clan | ||||||||||||
| Dynasty | House of Yi | ||||||||||||
| Father | Taejong of Joseon | ||||||||||||
| Mother | Queen Wongyeong | ||||||||||||
| Religion | Korean Confucianism (Neo-Confucianism) → Korean Buddhism | ||||||||||||
| Korean name | |
| Hangul | 세종 |
|---|---|
| Hanja | |
| Revised Romanization | Sejong |
| McCune–Reischauer | Sejong |
| Birth name | |
| Hangul | 이도 |
| Hanja | |
| Revised Romanization | I Do |
| McCune–Reischauer | Yi To |
| Childhood name | |
| Hangul | 막동 |
| Hanja | |
| Revised Romanization | Makdong |
| McCune–Reischauer | Maktong |
| Courtesy name | |
| Hangul | 원정 |
| Hanja | |
| Revised Romanization | Wonjeong |
| McCune–Reischauer | Wŏnjŏng |
| Monarchs of Korea | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Joseon monarchs | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Initially titled Grand Prince Chungnyeong (충녕대군; 忠寧大君), he was the third son of King Taejong and Queen Wongyeong. In 1418, Sejong replaced his eldest brother, Yi Je, as crown prince; a few months later, Taejong voluntarily abdicated the throne in his favor. Despite this, Sejong was a mere figurehead, while his father continued to hold the real power and govern the country until his death in 1422.
Sejong reinforced Korean Confucian and Neo-Confucian policies, and enacted major legal amendments (공법; 貢法). He personally created and promulgated the Korean alphabet, encouraged advancements in science and technology, and introduced measures to stimulate economic growth. He dispatched military campaigns to the north and instituted the Samin Jeongchaek (사민정책; 徙民政策; lit. 'Peasants Relocation Policy') to attract new settlers to the region. To the south, he helped subjugate Japanese pirates through the Ōei Invasion.
From 1439, he became increasingly ill and his eldest son, Crown Prince Yi Hyang (future King Munjong), acted as regent.