Princess Hyesun

Princess Hyesun (惠順翁主, February 22, 1512 (25th day of the 1st lunar month) – January 16, 1584 (4th day of the 12th lunar month, 1583)) was a royal of Joseon, the eldest daughter of Jungjong by his secondary consort, Royal Consort Gyeongbin Park. Her personal name was Cheolhwan (鐵環).

Life

On the 25th day of the 1st lunar month of 1512 (7th year of Jungjong's reign), she was born as the eldest of one son and two daughters of Jungjong and Royal Consort Gyeongbin Park, who was then a Sukui of the Senior Second Rank.

In 1522 (17th year of Jungjong's reign), she married Kim In-gyeong, Lord Gwangcheon, a son of Kim Heon-yun. In 1527 (22nd year of Jungjong's reign), her female servants were interrogated in connection with the Jakseo incident plotted by Kim Anro and his son Kim Hui and others.

Her female servants Mo Igang (毛伊姜), Jagwi (者歸), and Gwiin (貴仁), serving Princess Hyesun, and the male and female servants of Gyeongbin, Sabi (四非), Chunwol (春月), and Deokbok (德福), were interrogated about making effigies to be executed by beheading and about the burning of rats. They were subjected to one round of torture but did not confess.

— 《Veritable Records of Jungjong》, 58th volume, 22nd year of Jungjong (April 15, 1527, Ming Jiajing 6) (Sinyu)

Because of this incident, her mother, Royal Consort Gyeongbin Park, and her brother Prince Bokseong were stripped of their status as commoners and banished. In 1533 (28th year of Jungjong's reign), her husband Kim In-gyeong was also implicated in the same incident and exiled to a border region under penal servitude, and Princess Hyesun was demoted to commoner status and exiled to Sangju in Gyeongsang Province. At this time, her mother Gyeongbin and her brother Prince Bokseong were executed.¹ Afterward, in 1541, she and her husband had their official certificates restored.