Queen dowager of Joseon
Queen Inseong (28 October 1514 – 16 January 1578[1]), of the Bannam Park clan, was a posthumous name bestowed to the wife and queen consort of Yi Ho, King Injong. She was queen consort of Joseon from 1544 until her husband's death in 1545, after which she was honoured as Queen Dowager Gongui (공의왕대비).
Biography
Lady Park was born into the Bannam Park clan on 28 October 1514 to Park Yong and his second wife, Lady Kim of the Uiseong Kim clan. She was the only child and daughter therefore, and although her father had two sons with his concubine, her father adopted a cousin from her immediate family. Through her great-great-great-grandmother, Lady Park was also a great-great-great-grandniece of Yi Saek.
The 10-year-old Lady Park became Crown Princess Consort in March 1524 when she married the 9-year-old Crown Prince Yi Ho (the future King Injong). That same year in the summer, her father died.
Her mother was given the royal title of "Internal Princess Consort Munso" (문소부부인, 聞韶府夫人) and her father was given the royal title of "Internal Prince Geumseong" (금성부원군, 錦城府院君) when she became Crown Princess.
In 1544, when her husband became king after the death of her father-in-law, the now Queen Consort moved from Gyeongbok Palace's Jaseondang Hall to Gyotaejeon Hall (교태전, 交泰殿).
One year later, when her husband died on 8 August 1545, she became Queen Dowager Gongui and the king's younger half-brother became King Myeongjong since the royal couple did not have any children. But he also died on 3 August 1567 without issue, and so his half-nephew, King Seonjo, became king that same year. Her first cousin thrice removed, later Queen Uiin, was the first wife of King Seonjo.
Queen Inseong died 11 years later on 16 January 1578 in Gyeongbok Palace's hall, Gyotaejeon, at the age of 64.
