Korea’s Joseon Dynasty had been founded by…

Korea’s Joseon Dynasty had been founded by Taejo Yi Seong-gye in 1392 in the aftermath of the overthrow of the Goryeo Kingdom at what is today the city of Kaesong, Korea.

The capital had been relocated to Hanseong (modern-day Seoul) from Gaegyeong (modern-day Gaeseong) in 1394 and the Gyeongbokgung palace had been erected.

Munmyo, Korea's primary Confucian shrine, is established in Hanseong by the scholar An Hyang in 1398, in the seventh and final year of the reign of King Taejo on the campus of Sungkyunkwan University, established in the same year to offer prayers and memorials to Confucius and his disciples, and to promote the study of the Confucian canon.

When the new Joseon dynasty was promulgated and officially brought into existence, Taejo had raised the issue of which son will be his successor.

Although Taejo's fifth son by Queen Sineui, Yi Bang-won, had contributed most to assisting his father's rise to power, he harbors a profound hatred against two of his father's key allies in the court, the prime minister Jeong Do-jeon and Nam Eun.

Both sides are fully aware of the mutual animosity that exists between each other and constantly felt threatened.

When it becomes clear that Yi Bang-won is the most worthy successor to the throne, Jeong Do-jeon uses his influence on the king to persuade him that the wisest choice would be in the son that Taejo loves most, not the son that Taejo feels is best for the kingdom.

In 1392, the eighth son of King Taejo (the second son of Queen Sindeok), Grand Prince Uian (Yi Bang-seok), had been appointed Prince Royal, or successor to the throne.

After the sudden death of the queen, and while King Taejo was still in mourning for his second wife, Jeong Do-jeon conspires to preemptively kill Yi Bang-won and his brothers to secure his position in court.

In 1398, upon hearing of this plan, Yi Bang-won immediately revolts and raids the palace, killing Jeong Do-jeon, his followers, and the two sons of the late Queen Sindeok.

This incident becomes known as the First Strife of Princes.

Aghast at the fact that his sons are willing to kill each other for the crown, and psychologically exhausted from the death of his second wife, King Taejo immediately crowns his second son Yi Bang-gwa, later King Jeongjong, as the new ruler.

Hereafter, King Taejo retires to the Hamhung Royal Villa.