Yeongjo of Joseon

Yeongjo of Joseon (31 October 1694 - 22 April 1776), personal name Yi Geum (Korean: 연잉군, Hanja: 延礽君), was the twenty-first monarch of Korea's Joseon dynasty. He was King Sukjong's second son by his concubine Royal Noble Consort Suk of the Haeju Choe clan. Prior to assuming power, he was known as Prince Yeoning (Korean:, Hanja:). Because of his biological mother's low-born origins, his life was marked by political infighting and resentment.

Yeoning became Crown Prince in 1720, a few months after his older half-brother, Yi Yun (posthumously known as King Gyeongjong), was crowned as the 20th King. This sparked a heated debate among political factions. Nonetheless, four years later, upon Gyeongjong's death, he ascended to the throne.

Yeongjo's reign lasted nearly 52 years and was marked by his perseverance in reforming the taxation system and minimizing and reconciling factional fighting under his Tangpyeong policy ("Magnificent Harmony"; 蕩平, 탕평). In 1762, his reign was also marked by the highly publicized execution of his only son, Crown Prince Sado. Despite this controversy, Yeongjo's reign has earned a positive reputation in Korean history as a result of his sincere efforts to rule in accordance with Confucian ethics. Therefore, he is regarded as one of the most important historical figures in Korea.

Birthdate: October 31, 1694
Birthplace: Gyeonghuigung, Seoul, South Korea
Died: April 22, 1776