Prince Nakcheon
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Prince Nakcheon (Korean: 낙천군; Hanja: 洛川君; November 26, 1720 – September 28, 1737) was a royal family member of the Joseon dynasty. His name was Yi On (이온; 李縕) while he was originally named Yi Susin (이수신; 李守愼);[1] his courtesy name was "Onjung" (온중; 蘊仲).[2]
Prince Nakcheon was by birth the only son of Yi Chae (이채; 李埰),[3] and he later became an adoptive son of late Prince Yeollyeong in 1734.[1]
Prince Nakcheon was born as the only son of Yi Chae and Lady Yu of the Jinju Yu clan (daughter of Yu Man-jung). Through Yi Chae, he was a 4-great-grandson of Prince Gyeongchang (9th son of King Seonjo).[4]
Prior to the adoption, Prince Yeollyeong, the youngest son of King Sukjong, died without issue in 1719; therefore, a descendant of Crown Prince Sohyeon became Prince Yeollyeong's heir in the same year, and was later known as Yi Gong, Prince Sangwon (상원군 이공; 商原君李糼; 1715–1733) as of 1727.[5][6] However, Prince Sangwon's birth family got involved in the Musin Revolt in 1728; as a relative to a "criminal", Sangwon himself died unmarried in 1733 and he had no issue, the adoption relationship was soon annulled in the same year as well.[7][8] And so, King Yeongjo asked the officials to seek another heir for his late brother.[9]
Later, among some of the king's closest relatives, Yeongjo was impressed by Yi Soosin, the son of Yi Chae;[10] it was soon decided that Yi Soosin was to be the heir to Prince Yeollyeong and, as he was aged enough, he was eligible to receive the royal title, in 1734.[11] In the same year, Yi Soosin's name was changed to "Yi Ohn" and received the title, Prince Nakcheon.[12]
Around 1735 to 1737, Yeongjo decided to find a bride for his nephew, and daughters from some of the officials, including Kim Chi-man (김치만; 金致萬) and Seo Jong-su (서종수; 徐宗秀; 1678–1744[13]) from noble families, were chosen, but they both refused to have their daughter marry the prince; both of them were imprisoned by the order of Yeongjo[14][15] and Lady Seo married Prince Nakcheon in 1737.[16] Lady Seo was a great-great-granddaughter of Princess Jeongsin, the eldest daughter of King Seonjo;[17] the couple had no children. After he married, Prince Nakcheon died suddenly in the same year, aged 16.[18]
After his death, Prince Nakcheon was buried in the family graveyard at Geumcheon of Gyeonggi Province (now Siheung County, Gyeonggi Province), near to his adoptive parents and grandmother's burial.[19][20]