Jeonjong of Goryeo (r. 946–949) was the third monarch

Monarch

A monarch is the person who heads a monarchy. This is a form of government in which a state or polity is ruled or controlled by an individual who typically inherits the throne by birth and occasionally rules for life or until abdication...

 of the Goryeo

Goryeo

The Goryeo Dynasty or Koryŏ was a Korean dynasty established in 918 by Emperor Taejo. Korea gets its name from this kingdom which came to be pronounced Korea. It united the Later Three Kingdoms in 936 and ruled most of the Korean peninsula until it was removed by the Joseon dynasty in 1392...

 dynasty of Korea

Korea

Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...

. He was the second son of Emperor Taejo

Taejo of Goryeo

Taejo of Goryeo was the founder of the Goryeo Dynasty, which ruled Korea from the 10th to the 14th century. Taejo ruled from 918 to 943.-Background:...

, the founder of the kingdom, and was born more than a decade before Goryeo was formally established. His mother was the daughter of a noble from the Chungju

Chungju

Chungju is a city in North Chungcheong province, South Korea. Namsan is a mountain located on the outskirts of the city.The city is famous for the annual martial arts festival held in October. Also of note, UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon grew up here....

 region, Yu Geung-dal.

Jeongjong rose to the throne after his half-brother King Hyejong

Hyejong of Goryeo

Hyejong of Goryeo 　惠宗　 was the second monarch of the Goryeo dynasty of Korea. He was preceded by Emperor Taejo and succeeded by Jeongjong I of Goryeo.-Early life:...

, and set to reducing the power of various royal in-laws, including Wang Gyu and Pak Sul-hui. However, lacking the support of the Gaegyeong

Kaesong

Kaesŏng is a city in North Hwanghae Province, southern North Korea , a former Directly Governed City, and the capital of Korea during the Koryo Dynasty. The city is near Kaesŏng Industrial Region and it contains the remains of the Manwoldae palace. It was formally named Songdo while it was the...

 elites, he was unable to substantially strengthen the throne.

In 946, he spent 70,000 sacks of grain from the royal storehouses to support Buddhism

Korean Buddhism

Korean Buddhism is distinguished from other forms of Buddhism by its attempt to resolve what it sees as inconsistencies in Mahayana Buddhism. Early Korean monks believed that the traditions they received from foreign countries were internally inconsistent. To address this, they developed a new...

 in the country. In 947, he had the fortress of Pyongyang

Pyongyang

Pyongyang is the capital of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, commonly known as North Korea, and the largest city in the country. Pyongyang is located on the Taedong River and, according to preliminary results from the 2008 population census, has a population of 3,255,388. The city was...

 constructed as the country's Western Capital. He sought to move the capital from Gaegyeong to there, but was not successful.

Family

• Father: Emperor Taejo
  Taejo of Goryeo
  Taejo of Goryeo was the founder of the Goryeo Dynasty, which ruled Korea from the 10th to the 14th century. Taejo ruled from 918 to 943.-Background:...
  
   (태조)
• Mother: Empress Sinmyeongsunseong (신명순성왕후)
• Consorts:

1. Empress Mungong (문공왕후)
2. Empress Munseong (문성왕후)
3. Lady Cheongjunamwon
   • Children:
4. Prince Gyeongchunwon (경춘원군), 1st Son of Empress Munseong.
5. Unknown Princess

See also

• List of Korea-related topics
• List of Korean monarchs
• Jeongjong, 10th Monarch of Goryeo