Queen Inheon

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Queen Inheon of the Neungseong Gu clan (Korean: 인헌왕후 구씨; Hanja: 仁獻王后 具氏; 2 June 1578 – 10 February 1626), also known as Lady Gyewoon (계운궁; 啓運宮; lit. Gyewoon Palace), was the wife of Grand Internal Prince Jeongwon and the biological mother of King Injo of Joseon.

The future Queen Inheon was born on 2 June 1578, as the fifth daughter and second youngest child of Gu Sa-maeng and his second wife, Lady Shin of the Pyeongsan Shin clan. She had ten siblings: six older brothers, four older sisters and one younger sister.

It is said that because of the shared Royal blood the Queen's parents have, they are 6th cousins as they share King Sejong as their 5th great-grandparent. Gu Sa-maeng through his 4th great-grandfather, Grand Prince Yeongeung, and Lady Shin through her 4th great-grandfather, Prince Gyeyang; as both princes were half-siblings. Also making Lady Gu and her future husband 7th cousins.

Her paternal great-grandmother was Lady Shin of the Geochang Shin clan, Queen Shin's niece and Queen Dangyeong's younger cousin, and her great-great-grandmother was Princess Gilan; a granddaughter of King Sejong the Great and Queen Jeongsun's paternal cousin.

Her uncle, Gu Sa-an, married Princess Hyosun, second daughter of King Jungjong and Queen Munjeong, and her great-granduncle, Gu Mun-gyeong, was the husband of Princess Hwishin; only daughter of Yeonsangun and Queen Shin, and another younger cousin of Queen Dangyeong).

In 1587, the 9-year-old Lady Gu married the 7-year-old Yi Bu, Prince Jeongwon, third son of Seonjo of Joseon with Royal Noble Consort In of the Suwon Kim clan. Thus becoming a sister-in-law to Princess Jeongmyeong and Grand Prince Yeongchang. She was titled Princess Consort Yeonju (연주군부인; 連珠郡夫人).

In March 1623, when her eldest son, Prince Neungyang, deposed Gwanghaegun and ascended the throne as King Injo, she moved into Gyeonghuigung. After doing so, she was elevated to Princess Consort Yeonju (연주부부인; 連珠府夫人) but was eventually given Lady Gyewoon (계운궁; 啓運宮) as a separate title.

Princess Consort Yeonju died on January 14, 1626, 4th year of King Injo's reign, at the age of 47.^[1] Her tomb is located in Gimpo, Gyeonggi Province, South Korea and is known as Jangneung (Korean: 장릉).^[2]

In 1632, she was elevated to Queen Inheon, after her husband, Grand Internal Prince Jeongwon, was posthumously honoured as King Wonjong of Joseon.

• Father
  • Gu Sa-maeng, Internal Prince Neungan (구사맹 능안부원군; 1531–1604)
• Mother
  • Step – Internal Princess Consort Seowon of the Cheongju Han clan (서원부부인 청주 한씨; 1532–1554)
    • Step-Grandfather - Han Geuk-gong (한극공; 韓克恭)
  • Biological - Shin Ji-hyang, Internal Princess Consort Pyeongsan of the Pyeongsan Shin clan (신지향 평산부부인 평산 신씨; 申芝香 平山府夫人 平山 申氏; 1538–1662)
• Siblings
  • Older brother – Gu Seong (구성; 具宬; 1558–1618)
  • Older brother – Gu Hwing (구횡; 具宖; 1562–1636)
  • Older sister – Gu Gyeong-wan (구경완; 具敬婉), Lady Gu of the Neungseong Gu clan (1563–1620)
  • Older sister – Gu Hyo-wan (구효완; 具孝婉), Lady Gu (구씨; 具氏; 1567–?)
  • Older sister – Gu Jeong-wan (구정완; 具靜婉), Lady Gu (구씨; 具氏; 1568–?)
  • Older brother – Gu Yong (구용; 具容; 1569–1601)
  • Older brother - Gu Hong (구홍; 具宖; 1569–1601)
  • Older sister – Gu Jang-wan (구장완; 具莊婉), Lady Gu (구씨; 具氏; 1571–?)
  • Older brother – Gu Gwing (구굉; 具宖; 1577–1642)
  • Younger sister – Gu Shin-wan (구신완; 具愼婉), Lady Gu (구씨; 具氏; 1589–?); Ryu Chung-geol's first wife
• Husband
  • Wonjong of Joseon (조선 원종; 2 August 1580 – 2 February 1620)

Issue(s):

• Son – Yi Jong, King Injo (이종 조선 인조; 7 December 1595 – 17 June 1649)
• Son – Yi Bo, Grand Prince Neungwon (이보 능원대군; 李俌 綾原大君; 15 May 1598 – 26 January 1656)
• Son – Yi Jeon, Grand Prince Neungchang (이전 능창대군; 李佺 綾昌大君; 16 July 1599 – 17 November 1615)

• Wonjong of Joseon
• Injo of Joseon
• Queen Dangyeong

• Queen Inheon in Doosan Encyclopedia (in Korean)