Duke Changwon

Wang Ch'i (1197–1262^[a]) was a Goryeo Royal Prince as the first and oldest son of King Huijong and Queen Seongpyeong^[1] who got exiled to Inju following his father who was forced to abdicated the throne by Ch'oe Ch'ung-hŏn. Wang Ch'i was known for being the Deposed Crown Prince.

Wang Ch'i
Heir Successor (wonja) of Goryeo
Reign	c.1200–1204
Monarch	King Sinjong (grandfather)
Crown Prince of Goryeo
Reign	1204–1211
Coronation	1204
Predecessor	Crown Prince Wang Yŏng
Successor	Crown Prince Wang Chin
Monarch	King Huijong (father)
Born	1197 Gaegyeong, Goryeo
Died	1262 (aged about 65/6) Goryeo
Regnal name The Deposed Crown Prince (폐태자; 廢太子) Marquess Changwon (창원후; 昌原侯) Duke Changwon (창원공; 昌原公)
House	Wang
Father	Huijong of Goryeo
Mother	Queen Seongpyeong
Korean name
Hangul	왕지
Hanja	王祉
Revised Romanization	Wang Ji
McCune–Reischauer	Wang Ch'i

Biography

Wang Ch'i was born in 1197 as the first child and son of Wang Yŏng, from his wife, Lady Im, making him became the eldest grandson to King Sinjong and Queen Seonjeong. He had four younger brothers^[2] and five sisters,^[3] which the first sister became the wife of the future King Gojong.^[4]

When King Myeongjong exiled by the Goryeo military regime, Wang T'ak, as his younger brother, succeeded the throne instead of his only son, Crown Prince Wang O.^[5] However, Wang T'ak suddenly died in 1204 and his eldest son, Wang Yŏng succeeded the throne. As a monarch's eldest son, the Heir Successor (원자; 元子) Wang Ch'i became the crown prince at the age 8 in 1204^[6] and did the Guan Li seven years later in 1211.^[7]

However, the powerful Ch'oe Ch'ung-hŏn deposed King Huijong from the throne and sent him into exile at Ganghwa Island in the same year after Ch'oe discovered that Huijong plotted to kill him in a conspiracy along with his eunuch, Wang Chun-myŏng (왕준명) and others.^[8] Thus, Wang Ch'i was exiled to Inju and the former-crown-prince Wang O ascended the throne as King Gangjong in 1212.^[9]

After suffered throughout of his life and being pardoned, Wang Ch'i became Marquess Changwon (창원후; 昌原侯) and Duke Changwon (창원공; 昌原公) while later died unmarried at the age 66 in 1262 (3rd years reign of King Wonjong).^[10] There was no records left about where is his death place or tomb location.

Notes

1. In the Korean calendar (lunisolar), he died on 17th day and 12th month of 1262.

References

1. Young-kyoo, Park (2000). 한권으로읽는고려왕조실록 [Annals of the Goryeo Dynasty in one volume] (in Korean). University of Michigan: Deullyeok. p. 367. ISBN 9788975271540.
2. 고려사 > 권91 > 열전 권제4 > 종실(宗室) > 희종 소생 왕자. History of Goryeo (in Korean). Retrieved April 17, 2022.
3. 고려사 > 권91 > 열전 권제4 > 공주(公主) > 희종 소생 공주 > 희종 소생 공주. History of Goryeo (in Korean). Retrieved April 17, 2022.
4. 고려사 > 권88 > 열전 권제1 > 후비(后妃) > 고종 후비 안혜태후 유씨. History of Goryeo (in Korean). Retrieved April 17, 2022.
5. 고려사 > 권20 > 세가 권제20 > 명종(明宗) 27년 > 9월 > 최충헌 형제가 왕을 유폐시키고 왕민을 새로 옹립하다. History of Goryeo (in Korean). Retrieved April 17, 2022.
6. 고려사 > 권21 > 세가 권제21 > 희종(熙宗) 즉위년 > 11월 > 원자 지를 왕태자로 삼다. History of Goryeo (in Korean). Retrieved April 17, 2022.
7. 고려사 > 권21 > 세가 권제21 > 희종(熙宗) 7년 > 4월 > 태자 지의 관례를 행하다. History of Goryeo (in Korean). Retrieved April 17, 2022.
8. 고려사 > 권21 > 세가 권제21 > 희종(熙宗) 7년 > 12월 > 최충헌 암살 시도가 실패하다. History of Goryeo (in Korean). Retrieved April 17, 2022.
9. Jae-ha, Yoo (2000). 高麗王朝史: 明宗 - 元宗 [Goryeo Dynasty History: Myeongjong - Wonjong] (in Korean). University of Michigan: Scholarship. p. 280. ISBN 9788946790797.
10. 고려사 > 권25 > 세가 권제25 > 원종(元宗) 3년 > 12월 > 창원공 왕지가 죽다. History of Goryeo (in Korean). Retrieved April 17, 2022.

Sources

• Wang Ji on the Encyclopedia of Korean Culture (in Korean).
• Wang Ji on Doosan Encyclopedia (in Korean).
• Wang Ji on Goryeosa (in Korean).