Violence of Greater Northerner Faction
When King Seonjo died, he named Prince Gwang-hae as his official successor to the throne, and ordered his advisers to make a royal document. However, Lyu Young-gyong of Lesser Northerners faction hid the document and plotted to install Prince Yeong-chang as king, only to be found out by the head of Great Northerners faction (북인; 大北), Chung Inong. Lyu was executed immediately and Prince Yeong-chang was arrested and died the next year.
After the incident, Gwang-hae tried to bring officials from various political and regional background to his court, but his plan was interrupted by Greater Northerners including Lee Icheom and Chung Inong. Then Greater Northerners began to take out members of other political factions out of the government, especially Lesser Northerners. At last in 1613 Greater Northerners put their hand on Prince Yeong-chang; his grandfather Kim Jenam was found guilty of treason and executed, while Yeong-chang was sent into exile, where he was executed. At the same time Greater Northerners suppressed the Lesser Northerners; In 1618, Yeong-chang's mother, Queen In-mok, was stripped off her title and imprisoned. However, Gwang-hae had no power to stop this even though he was the official head of the government.
Read more about this topic: Gwanghaegun Of Joseon
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“Where the greater malady is fixed,
The lesser is scarce felt.”
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616)
“A state of war or anarchy, in which law has little force, is so far valuable, that it puts every man on trial. The man of principle is known as such, and even in the fury of faction is respected.”
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