Shin Su-yeong (愼守英, 1461 – 2 September 1506) was a civil official and royal in-law of early Joseon. His family seat was Geochang (居昌). His father was Chief State Councillor Shin Sung-seon, and he was the brother-in-law of Yeonsangun and the maternal grandson of Grand Prince Imyeong Yi Gu, the fourth son of King Sejong the Great. He became a royal in-law of four reigns: Sejong, Yejong, Yeonsangun, and Jungjong.
Beginning with a post as Dogam nangcheong under Yeonsangun, he became Gyeonguibu gyeongnyeok of the Uibinbu in 1500 (the 6th year of Yeonsangun), a 5th-rank post. In the same year he was promoted to Vice Director of the Royal Secretariat, and he then served as Right Royal Secretary, Right Deputy Royal Secretary, Left Deputy Royal Secretary, and again as Right Royal Secretary before being promoted to Director of the Royal Secretariat. He subsequently served as Vice Minister of Revenue, Vice Minister of Justice, and Vice Minister of War. In April 1506 he became Minister of Justice of the Ministry of Justice concurrently as Chief Commander of the Office of the Five Military Commands. In September of that year, during the Jungjong Restoration, he was killed.
Life
His father was State Councillor and Chief State Councillor Shin Sung-seon, and his mother was Lady Yi of the Jeonju Yi clan, daughter of Grand Prince Imyeong Yi Gu, the fifth son of King Sejong. He was the great-grandson of King Sejong through his mother and the brother-in-law of Yeonsangun. His sister was Lady Shin of Geochang, Yeonsangun's consort. He was the younger brother of Shin Su-geun and the uncle of Queen Danggyeong Shin, the first wife of Jungjong.
He was a sixth-degree cousin of Consort Suk-ui Shin, a concubine of Crown Prince Uigyeong (King Deokjong).
His wife was of the Cheongju Han clan, the daughter of Right State Councillor Han Baek-ryun, posthumously honored as Duke Yanghye. She was the younger sister of Queen Annsun Han, the second wife of Yejong, and the maternal aunt of Grand Prince Jeian. He was the brother-in-law of Yeonsangun and the maternal uncle-in-law of Grand Prince Jeian. Through the paternal line, Grand Prince Jeian was his cousin-in-law's uncle, and Yeonsangun was his nephew by marriage.
In 1498 (the 4th year of Yeonsangun), his elder brother Shin Su-geun recommended him and his younger brother Shin Su-gyeom as Dogam nangcheong (都監郞廳). In the twelfth month of that year, Office of the Inspector-General Senior Censor Kim Sook-jeong and Junior Censor Choi Hae and others impeached him. Afterward, Kim Sook-jeong, Choi Hae, and others repeatedly impeached him, but Yeonsangun did not heed them. In 1500 (the 6th year of Yeonsangun) he became Gyeonguibu gyeongnyeok (儀賓府經歷) and in the seventh month of that year was granted 20 seok of middle-grade rice. In the ninth month he became Vice Director of the Royal Secretariat and was appointed Right Royal Secretary. Soon after, Office of the Inspector-General Junior Censor Heo Jeong, Censor Son Se-ong, and others criticized him for being young and for becoming a royal secretary shortly after being promoted to 5th rank, but the king did not heed them. In the same ninth month, Yun Pil-sang, Han Chi-hyeong, Seong Jun, Yi Geuk-gyun, and others recommended him as a man of careful, clear judgment and prudent conduct who was fit for office.
In the tenth month of that year he was promoted to Right Deputy Royal Secretary. He asked to resign, but the king did not grant it. In the second month of 1501 he served as Left Deputy Royal Secretary, then was appointed Right Royal Secretary and Left Royal Secretary. In that year his elder brother, Right Councillor Shin Su-geun, was subject to impeachment, and he joined in offering his own resignation, but the king did not accept it. In the eleventh month of 1501 (the 7th year of Yeonsangun) he served as Royal Secretary and in the first month of 1502 became Director of the Royal Secretariat. Afterward, Junior Censor Yi Hyo-don and others criticized the royal in-laws for monopolizing the Royal Secretariat, but the king did not heed them. He soon asked to resign, and his request was rejected.
After that, he was repeatedly impeached by the Office of the Inspector-General and others, but Yeonsangun did not heed them. He repeatedly resigned from the post of Director of the Royal Secretariat, but Yeonsangun did not accept his resignations. In the second month of 1502 (the 8th year of Yeonsangun), the Office of Special Advisers and the Office of Remonstrance also argued that his appointment was improper, but the king did not heed them and instead promoted him by one grade of rank, citing his father's illness. On 29 May of that year he resigned upon the death of his father, Shin Sung-seon. On 28 September of that year, Yeonsangun issued a special order granting Shin Su-geun and Shin Su-yeong, the two brothers, a special stipend. In May 1504 he was implicated in the delay of a eunuch of the Daejeon and, together with Shin Yong-gae and others, was interrogated and then released. Soon after, he paid 80 blows' worth of penalty in lieu of flogging and had his third-grade certificate of appointment revoked, but in the ninth month of that year he received an order for reinstatement.
In the ninth month of that year he became Vice Minister of Revenue of the Ministry of Revenue with the rank of Jaheon Daebu, and in the tenth month he became Vice Minister of Justice. In the twelfth month of that year he was again appointed Royal Secretary. In 1505 (the 11th year of Yeonsangun) he became Vice Minister of War of the Ministry of War. Soon after, he was appointed envoy to the Ming dynasty and was dispatched to Yeonkyeong with Shin Su-geun, Shin Su-gyeom, and others, but the mission was canceled in the sixth month by Yeonsangun's order. Soon after, he went out as Governor of Gangwon Province, and in the ninth month of that year he was appointed Director of the Office of Royal Relatives in place of Shin Su-gyeom. In the eleventh month he became Supervisor of the Yeonbangwon.
In the fourth month of 1506 (the 12th year of Yeonsangun), when Minister of Personnel Kim Su-dong (金壽童) suffered the death of his mother, he was appointed Minister of Justice in the promotion appointments of the sixth day of the fourth month. He was then promoted to Jeongheon Daebu and concurrently served as Chief Commander of the Office of the Five Military Commands. On 12 September of that year, during the Jungjong Restoration (中宗反正), Shin Su-geun, who had not abandoned his loyalty to Lady Shin of Geochang, was killed by the rebel forces, and he too was killed by the rebel forces together with Shin Su-gyeom and others.
His remains were buried in Jaja-dong, Seori-dong, Sinhyeol-myeon, Yangju County, Gyeonggi Province.
Family
References
- Veritable Records of Yeonsangun (燕山君日記)
- Veritable Records of Jungjong (中宗實錄)