Nam Eun (南誾; 1354 – 6 October 1398 (26th day of the 8th lunar month)) was a civil official of the late Goryeo and early Joseon periods. He was from the Uiryeong clan. In the late Goryeo period he was active in suppressing Wokou raids and as a politician of the Sinjin sadaebu. He assisted Yi Seong-gye and contributed to the founding of the Joseon dynasty. He was enfeoffed as Marquis of Uiseong as a First-Class Founding Merit Subject, and after his death he was posthumously appointed Chief State Councillor of the Uijeongbu and then enfeoffed as Prince Consort Uiseong.
His bon-gwan was Uiryeong (宜寧), his hao was also Uiryeong (宜寧), and his posthumous name was Gangmu (剛武). He was also a son-in-law of the granddaughter of Yi Am (Haengchon).
Biography
Birth
Nam Eun was born in 1354 as the son of Nam Eul-beon (南乙蕃), Gyeomgyo1 Sijung (檢校侍中). His elder brother was Nam Jae, who later became a Founding Merit Subject of Joseon and served as Chief State Councillor, and his younger brother was Nam Ji (南贄), who served as Right Gyeong Provincial Military Commander (右廂節度使). Nam Gu-man, who later served as Chief State Councillor, and General Nam I were descendants of his elder brother Nam Jae.
From childhood he had a remarkable memory and was skilled at writing. He also had the temperament of a military man.
Political activities
In 1373 he was first recommended to a civil post through eumseo, and a year later, in 1374 (23rd year of King Gongmin of Goryeo), he passed the civil service examination. During the reign of King U he defeated Wokou raiders at Samcheok. In 1380 (6th year of King U) he became Sajikdanjik (社稷壇直), and then while serving as Magistrate of Samcheok (知三陟郡事) under King U, after repelling the Wokou at Samcheok he was promoted to Vice Director of the Sabokshi. Weary of the corruption of the Gwonmun segjok of Goryeo, he then joined the Sinjin sadaebu led by Yi Seong-gye, Jeong Do-jeon, Jeong Mong-ju and others who advocated reform. Together with Jeong Do-jeon and others, he became one of the central figures of Yi Seong-gye's faction, and afterwards, together with Jeong Do-jeon, Jeong Mong-ju and others, he strongly argued that diplomatic relations should be established with the Ming dynasty. During the Liaodong campaign of 1388 (14th year of King U), he clashed with the Gwonmun segjok and opposed the Liaodong campaign on the grounds that one should not challenge the great state. Together with Jo In-ok (趙仁沃) and others, he urged Yi Seong-gye, then Right Commander-in-Chief, to carry out the Wihwado Retreat on the grounds of the situation.
In 1388 Yi Seong-gye accepted his advice and carried out the Wihwado Retreat. After the retreat he took part in planning Yi Seong-gye's enthronement. In 1389 (1st year of King Gongyang) he took part in the enthronement of King Gongyang, after which he became Sangho Gunsang (上護軍) concurrently Panseo of the Military Affairs Office (軍簿判書) of the Eungyang Army (鷹揚軍), and soon was promoted to Miljik Busa (密直副使). However, in 1391 (1st year of King Gongyang) while Yi Seong-gye was away at Haeju, he was impeached by the Chief Councillor of the Munha Sijung Jeong Mong-ju and exiled together with Jo Jun, Jeong Do-jeon, Yun So-jong (尹紹宗), Jo Bak (趙朴) and others.
Founding of Joseon
In April 1392 (2nd year of King Gongyang), after Jeong Mong-ju was assassinated at Seonjukgyo, he was released from exile and returned to politics, appointed as Vice Director of the Office of Military Affairs (同知密直司事). In the same year, together with Jeong Do-jeon, Jo Jun, Jo In-ok and 52 others, he enthroned Yi Seong-gye as king and founded the Joseon dynasty.
Immediately after the founding, in August of that year he was granted the title of Gyeongmyeong Merit Subject (佐命功臣), and after being appointed Panjungchuwonsa (判中樞院事) concurrently Uiheung Chinwigun Dongji Jeolje Sa (義興親軍衛同知節制使), he was recorded as a First-Class Founding Merit Subject and enfeoffed as Marquis of Uiryeong (宜寧君). He was granted 200 gyeol of land (田) and 25 slaves. Afterwards he was re-enfeoffed as Marquis of Uiseong (宜城君) and became Chamchan Munhabusa (參贊門下府事). However, he actively took part in designating Lady Gang's son, Yi Bang-seok, as crown prince. It is recorded that “when Taejo looked at the site of Gyeryong Mountain and returned, Jeongan Grand Prince Yi Bang-won entered Nam Eun's tent, and Nam Eun did not like it and said, ‘From now on, do not enter my tent.’ Yi Bang-won then came out and did not enter again. At this time Taejo (Yi Seong-gye) entrusted the crown prince to Nam Eun.” Through this he became an enemy of Jeongan Grand Prince.
In March 1394 he became Samsa Jwabokya (三司左僕射).
Attempt and failure of the Liaodong campaign
In 1395 (4th year of Taejo) he resigned upon the death of his father, but together with his elder brother Nam Jae he was specially reinstated, and in 1396 he became Chamchan Munhabusa concurrently Pansangseosa (判尙瑞司事).
At this time, among the autograph memorials (表文) of Yi Seong-gye carried by the Jeongjosa (正朝使) sent to the Ming dynasty, there was a word that offended Emperor Hongwu of the Ming. Envoys including Jeong Chong were killed or punished, and when the Ming pressured Joseon to hand over Jeong Do-jeon, the author of the text, to the Ming, he placated the Ming envoys and sent them back. He stockpiled military provisions and dispatched men to scout the situation around Liaodong. Afterwards he secretly made a battle diagram (陣圖) recording the geography, terrain and features around Liaodong, and planned the Liaodong campaign.
However, the plans for the Liaodong campaign were leaked to the Ming dynasty.
In 1397, in a letter (咨文) brought by the Ming's Sa'eunsa, the Ming warned the Joseon court to halt the Liaodong campaign. In order to fight the Ming for the purpose of the Liaodong campaign, he, together with Jeong Do-jeon, conscripted troops, and at the same time merged the private armies confiscated from royal family members and various powerful families into the newly established Uiheung Samgunbu, then conducted large-scale military training according to the battle diagram (陳圖) he had written. This reform by Jeong Do-jeon and the preparation for war with the Ming provoked opposition from fellow Founding Merit Subject Jo Jun and others, and in the end they broke with each other.
In June, Nam Eun and Jeong Do-jeon conducted battle diagram training in Hanyang with the troops they had secured, and requested King Taejo Yi Seong-gye to dispatch the army, but due to the strong opposition of Jo Jun it was not carried out.
First Strife of the Princes and death
In 1398, during the First Strife of the Princes, while he was gathered with others at the house of his concubine in Songhyeon-bang discussing affairs, he was attacked by Yi Bang-won. He fled with two attendants, Ha Gyeong (河景) and Choe Un (崔沄), but was captured and met his end. Jeongan Grand Prince also denounced him as a member of Jeong Do-jeon's faction, but did not apply guilt by association to his family or relatives, and his elder brother, younger brother and sons continued to be employed in office.
After death
His body was buried in Yongin County, Gyeonggi Province.
After the accession of Sejong, it was said that although Nam Eun had committed crimes, his merits could not be forgotten, and he was posthumously conferred as Left State Councillor of the Uijeongbu, then posthumously conferred again as Chief State Councillor and posthumously enfeoffed as Prince Consort Uiseong. After King Sejong the Great acceded, in 1421 (3rd year of Sejong) he was enshrined in the shrine of King Taejo, and the posthumous name Gangmu was bestowed upon him.
Although he was killed during the First Strife of the Princes because he had sided with Jeong Do-jeon, his sons Nam Gyeong-su (南景壽), Nam Gyeong-u (南景祐), Nam Gyeong-bok (南景福) and Nam Gyeong-ji (南景祉) were not implicated. By the time of his death four sons had already been born, and the names of the four sons are mentioned in his obituary (卒記) in the Annals of the Joseon Dynasty, though whether they were already adults is uncertain. His second son Nam Gyeong-u served in succession from the reign of King Sejong the Great through the reigns of Danjong and Sejo, holding posts in the Jungchuwon, as Chamchan of the Hyeongjo (刑曹參判), Jangnyeong of the Saheonbu (司憲府掌令) and Magistrate of Gyeongju (慶州府尹), among others, rose to a Jong 1-pum (從一品) official rank and entered the Bongjocheong (奉朝請).
Family relations
- Great-grandfather: Nam Ik-jeo (南益㫝)
- Grandfather: Nam Cheon-ro (南天老)
- Grandmother: Lady Park of Hamyang (咸陽朴氏), daughter of Jungnangjang Park Jong (朴琮)
- Uncle: Nam Eul-jin (南乙珍, 1331 – 1393/1400(?))
- Uncle: Nam Eul-gyeong (南乙敬 or 南乙卿2)
- Father: Nam Eul-beon (南乙蕃) 1320 – 13 February 1395, Gyeomgyo3 Munha sijung, posthumous name Gyeongyeol (敬烈)
- Mother: Lady Choe (崔氏)
- Elder brother: Chief State Councillor Nam Jae (南在) 1351 – 1419, original name Nam Gyeom (南謙)
- Younger brother: Nam Sil (南實)
- Younger brother: Nam Ji (南贄) – 1398, Right Gyeong Provincial Military Commander
- Spouse: Gaesun-taekju Gangneung Kim clan (嘉順宅主 江陵金氏), daughter of Kim Bo-son (金寶孫)
- Son: Nam Gyeong-su (南景壽)
- Son: Nam Gyeong-u (南景祐, 1387/1393 – 6 February 1467)
- Son: Nam Gyeong-bok (南景福)
- Son: Nam Gyeong-ji (南景祉)
- Father-in-law: Kim Bo-son (金寶孫)
- Wife's grandfather: Kim Gwang-byeong (金光丙)
- Wife's maternal grandfather: Yi Am (李嵒, pen name Haengchon, bon-gwan Goseong, 1297 (23rd year of King Chungnyeol) – 1334 (13th year of King Gongmin))
- Wife's uncle: Kim Deok-son (金德孫)
- Maternal grandfather: Choe Gang (崔江)
- Consort relative: Yi Geo-gyeong (李居敬)
- Consort relative: Jo Yeong-mu
Works in which Nam Eun appears
References
- Goryeosa
- Goryeosa Jeolyo
- Annals of King Taejo
- Annals of King Jeongjong
- Daedong Yasa
- Gukjo Gambo
Notes