Heungseon Daewongun

Heungseon Daewongun (흥선대원군, 興宣大院君, 21 December 1820 - 22 February 1898; lit. 'Grand Internal Prince Heungseon'), also known as the Daewongun (대원군, 大院君), Guktaegong (국태공, 國太公, "The Great Archduke") or formally Internal King Heungseon Heonui (흥선헌의대원왕, 興宣獻懿大院王) and also known to contemporary western diplomats as Prince Gung, was the title of Yi Ha-eung, the regent of Joseon during the minority of Emperor Gojong in the 1860s and until his death a key political figure of late Joseon Korea.

Daewongun literally translates as "prince of the great court," a title traditionally bestowed on the reigning monarch's father when the monarch does not reign himself (usually because his son had been adopted as heir of a relative who did reign). While there were three other Daewonguns during the Joseon dynasty, no one was so dominant as Yi Ha-eung in the Joseon dynasty's history that the term Daewongun is usually reserved for him.

Grand Internal Prince Heungseon had to deal with the difficult problems of a new world historical trend while also rebuilding the impoverished nation. The Daewongun is remembered for his "vigorous enforcement of the seclusion policy, persecution of Christians, and the killing or driving off of foreigners who landed on Korean soil" during his regency. The Daewongun died in 1898, just over a year after the Korean Empire was established.

Birthdate: December 21, 1820
Birthplace: Seoul, South Korea
Died: February 22, 1898