Princess Gyeonghyeon

Princess Gyeonghyeon (敬顯公主, September 14, 1530 (13th day of the 8th lunar month) – September 16, 1584 (13th day of the 8th lunar month))¹ was a princess of Joseon, the tenth daughter of Jungjong and the fourth daughter by a secondary consort, born to Queen Munjeong. She was the elder full sister of Myeongjong. Her name was Ok-hyeon (玉賢).²

Life

On the 13th day of the 8th lunar month of 1530 (the 25th year of Jungjong's reign), she was born as the third daughter of Jungjong and Queen Munjeong. While Queen Munjeong was pregnant with Princess Gyeonghyeon, her mother-in-law, Queen Jeonghyeon, fell ill and took to her bed, and Queen Munjeong nursed her. Only seven days after giving birth to Princess Gyeonghyeon, while still unwell, she continued to care for Queen Jeonghyeon, and Queen Jeonghyeon is said to have been moved by this.³

In 1537 (the 32nd year of Jungjong's reign), Princess Gyeonghyeon (敬顯公主) was conferred the title of princess. In 1541 (the 36th year of Jungjong's reign), she was married to Yeongcheon-wi (靈川尉) Shin Ui (申檥), son of Shin Sugyeong (申秀涇), and had one son. However, her marriage was not peaceful, and her family life was unfortunate.

Her husband, Yeongcheon-wi Shin Ui, was frivolous and had a violent and depraved character. He committed assault and was exiled to Tongcheon, and later he committed murder, for which his official rank and certificate were stripped.

In 1554 (the 9th year of Myeongjong's reign), although Shin Ui had been ordered not to visit the princess's house, he ignored this, forcibly stripped the princess of her clothing and gave it to a gisaeng, and quarreled with the princess, hurling harsh words at her. As a result, he was sent into exile in Tongcheon, Gangwon Province.