Mokjong of Goryeo
{{Short description|King of Goryeo from 997 to 1009}}
{{Infobox royalty
| name = Mokjong
{{lang|ko|목종}}
{{lang|ko|穆宗}}
| title =
| image =
| caption =
| reign =997 – 2 March 1009
| coronation =997
Gaegyeong, Goryeo
| predecessor =Seongjong of Goryeo
| successor =Hyeonjong of Goryeo
| spouse =Queen Seonjeong
| spouse-type =Queen Consort
| spouses =Lady Yoseok
| spouses-type =Concubine
| house =Wang
| dynasty = Goryeo
| father =Gyeongjong of Goryeo
| mother =Queen Heonae
|birth_name =Wang Song
| birth_date =5 July 980
| birth_place = Gaegyeong, Goryeo
| death_date =2 March 1009 (aged 28)
| death_place =Jeokseong-hyeon, Gaeseong-bu, Gaegyeong, Goryeo
| place of burial=Gongneung ({{Korean|hangul=공릉|hanja=恭陵|labels=no}}) → Uireung ({{Korean|hangul=의릉|hanja=義陵|labels=no}})
| posthumous name=Great King Hyosa Wihye Geukyeong Jeonggong Seonyang
효사위혜극영정공선양대왕
(孝思威惠克英定恭宣讓大王)
| temple name =Minjong ({{Korean|hangul=민종|hanja=愍宗|labels=no}}) → Mokjong ({{Korean|hangul=목종|hanja=穆宗|labels=no}})
}}
{{Infobox Korean name
|title=Korean name
|hangul=목종
|hanja=穆宗
|rr=Mokjong
|mr=Mokchong
|hangulph=선양대왕
|hanjaph=宣讓大王
|rrph=Seonyang Daewang
|mrph=Sŏnyang Taewang
|hangulborn=왕송
|hanjaborn=王訟
|rrborn=Wang Song
|mrborn=Wang Song
|hangulja=효신
|hanjaja=孝伸
|rrja=Hyosin
|mrja=Hyosin
}}
Mokjong (5 July 980 – 2 March 1009), personal name Wang Song, was the seventh ruler of the Goryeo dynasty of Korea.
Reign
Born as Wang Song, Mokjong was the only son of King Gyeongjong; however, when his father died, he was too young to become king, so it was his uncle, prince Gaeryeong Wang Ch'i, who succeeded to the throne as King Seongjong.{{Cite web |script-title=ko:목종[穆宗] - 비극적 결말에 가려진 12년의 치세 |url=http://contents.history.go.kr/mobile/kc/view.do?levelId=kc_n201800&code=kc_age_20 |access-date=2022-11-07 |website=contents.history.go.kr |language=ko}} Mokjong eventually became king after his uncle's death in 997 and chose his mother, Queen Honae, as regent.
Mokjong is known for his reform of the Jeonsigwa (land-allotment system) as well as his various efforts to reorganize the military system and rebuild Pyongyang's castle to strengthen Goryeo's northern defenses early in his reign.{{cite news |last1=김 |first1=경순 |script-title=ko:고려 : 7대 목종, 게이의 슬픔 |url=https://www.su-wan.co.kr/2020/02/25/%EA%B3%A0%EB%A0%A4-7%EB%8C%80-%EB%AA%A9%EC%A2%85/ |access-date=23 January 2024 |agency=수완뉴스 |date=February 25, 2020}} He is also remembered for a plot by his mother, Queen Honae and her lover Kim Ch'i-yang to overthrow him.{{cite news |title=[Why] [이한우의 역사속의 Why] 고려 목종을 폐립시킨 강조 |url=https://www.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2009/01/30/2009013001145.html |access-date=23 January 2024 |agency=Chosun Ilbo |date=January 31, 2009}} Queen Honae and Kim sought to replace Mokjong with their child, whom they had presented as a son of Mokjong's father, Gyeongjong of Goryeo, which Mokjong sought to prevent as it would have meant the end of the House of Wang's rule over Goryeo. Further complicating the situation was Mokjong's homosexuality, which led to his lack of heirs, and his sexuality would be used as an excuse for his eventual overthrow. Mokjong called in General Kang to stop Queen Honae and Kim's coup, but in the process, Mokjong himself was dethroned by general Kang Cho on charges that he had neglected the defense of the country which was in imminent danger from an invasion by the Khitan Liao as well as allegations that his homosexuality was a "sickness" and was forcefully sent into exile in Chungju.{{cite news |last1=Choe |first1=Chong Dae |title=Patriotism of Goryeo General Ha Gong-jin |url=https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/opinion/2024/01/137_130762.html |access-date=23 January 2024 |agency=Korea Times |date=February 19, 2013}} However, he was slain before he arrived there.
Mokjong's tomb was known as Gongneung, but its present location is not known.
Family
- Father: Gyeongjong of Goryeo
- Grandfather: Gwangjong of Goryeo
- Grandmother: Queen Daemok of the Hwangju Hwangbo clan
- Mother: Queen Heonae of the Hwangju Hwangbo clan
- Grandfather: Daejong of Goryeo
- Grandmother: Queen Seonui of the Chŏngju Yu clan
- Consorts and their respective Issue(s):
- Queen Seonjeong of the Chungju Yu clan; maternal first cousin or paternal second cousin – No issue.
- Palace Lady Yoseoktaek, of the Kim clan ({{Korean|hangul=요석택궁인 김씨|labels=no}}) – No issue.
In popular culture
- Portrayed by Lee In in the 2009 KBS2 TV series Empress Cheonchu.
- Portrayed by Baek Sung-hyun in the 2023 KBS2 TV series Korea–Khitan War.
{{Goryeo monarchs}}
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
- {{cite web|url=http://www.doopedia.co.kr/doopedia/master/master.do?_method=view&MAS_IDX=101013000841272|script-title=ko:목종|publisher=Doosan Encyclopedia|language=Korean}}
{{s-start}}
{{s-hou|House of Wang|5 July|980|2 March|1009}}
{{s-reg}}
{{s-bef|before=Seongjong}}
{{s-ttl|title=King of Goryeo|years=997–1009}}
{{s-aft|after=Hyeonjong}}
{{s-end}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:11th-century Korean monarchs
Category:10th-century Korean monarchs
Category:11th-century murdered monarchs
Category:Bisexual male politicians