Portrait of Queen Sindeok: “신덕왕후는 왕비의 지위에 오래 있지도 못했다. 즉위 초부터 병이 있었고, 결국 1396년(태조 5)에 세상을 떠났다. 태조는 왕비의 장례를 치르면서 권근(權近)에게 부인에 대한 감정을 풀어놓았다. 태조 이성계가 고려 말 관직에 있을 때부터 조선 건국의 과업을 이루기까지 왕후의 내조가 많았고, 이후 국정운영에 있어서도 부지런히 충고하고 도와주었다는 내용이다. 그리고 그는 신덕왕후의 죽음을 어진 재상[良佐]을 잃은 것으로 비유하였다. 이후 태조는 왕후가 묻힌 정릉을 자주 찾아가며 그리워하였다. 그러던 중 1398년(태조 7) 제1차 왕자의 난이 발생하였고, 정국은 요동쳤다. 왕위 계승을 둘러싼 이 변란은 신덕왕후의 아들들과 사위를 모두 죽음으로 내몰았다.”
Lady Kang (posthumous name: 순원현경신덕왕후, [順元顯敬神德王后]) was born in the year 1356 at 곡산군 (Koksan County), 서해도 (Seohae Province). She was the great granddaughter of Kang Suk-jae, granddaughter of Kang Seo, and the daughter of 강윤성 (Kang Yun-seong, [康允成], ?-1358). Born into the 곡산 강씨 Family (Goksan Kang Clan, [谷山 康氏]), she became King Taejo’s primary Queen consort in 1392. Her years as Queen was filled with uneasy tensions between the Royal Family members, particularly with Yi Bang-won.
Future Queen Sindeok/Queen Hyeon was born during the 28th year of King Chunghye’s reign (Late Goryeo). Through family connections, she was able to meet Yi Seong-gye around a little over 20 years before the fall of Goryeo. Upper class nobles in Goryeo usually had two wives during their lifetime. Yi Seong-gye’s first wife was Queen Sinui who unfortunately died in 1391. Following the downfall of Goryeo and the founding of Joseon in 1392, Lady Kang was established as the first Queen (현비, [顯妃]) of the Joseon Dynasty. Queen Sindeok participated often in politics alongside King Taejo and gave great support in Buddhism, “건국 이후 신덕왕후에 대한 기록이 많지는 않다. 대부분은 불교 행사와 관련된 기록이다. 신덕왕후는 태조와 함께 법회를 구경하러 다니거나 불경을 같이 듣는 일이 잦았다. 불교를 믿었던 태조는 불사를 자주 개최하였고, 주로 왕비와 함께 참여하는 모습을 보였다.” Queen Hyeon was also over 20 years younger than King Taejo and it is well known that she had taken care of the deceased Queen Sinui’s sons. Although Queen Hyeon took care of both her sons and stepsons, tensions began to emerge from the deceased Queen Sinui’s 5th son, Yi Bang-won.
King Taejo appointed Queen Hyeon’s second son, Prince Yi Bang-seok (Grand Prince Uian/의안대군) as Crown Prince. The Queen also made an alliance with one of King Taejo’s closest allies, Prime minister Jeong Do-jeon, in order to secure her second son as Crown Prince. Unfortunately for Queen Sindeok, her sudden death in 1396 led to King Taejo’s decline in mental health as well as handling political affairs at the time. King Taejo was primarily focused on honoring and mourning Queen Sindeok’s death. Prime Minister Jeong Do-jeon on the other hand, knew that Queen Sinui’s sons would soon pose a threat to Queen Sindeok’s line and Yi Bang-seok’s establishment as Crown Prince. Yi Bang-won quickly initiated a coup d'état before Prime Minister Jeong Do-jeon was even able to act. This led to the death of not only Jeong Do-jeon but also both of Queen Sindeok’s sons - Yi Bang-beon and Yi Bang-seok.
After Yi Bang-won’s ascension to the throne in 1400, Queen Sindeok’s status was downgraded as King Taejong only viewed her as a concubine of Taejo as well as being a disgraceful mother of the Royal line. As stated from source 1, “[…] 게다가 태종은 신덕왕후에게 갚을 만한 의리와 은혜가 전혀 없음을 분명하게 밝혔다. 다만 부왕 태조가 사랑하던 의리를 생각하여 어머니에 준하는 격식으로 제례를 지내고 있을 뿐이라고 하였다.”
진영: Portrait Artist not yet identified
Source: 우리역사넷