Overcoming the original sin of 'usurpation' and achieving a wealthy and powerful nation
A Look at the Problematic Monarch, Sejo Lee

In our history, there are few monarchs whose evaluations are as mixed as those of King Sejo, the seventh king of Joseon.
The contrast between his ascension to the throne by usurping the throne from his nephew and his abilities as a king is stark.
Therefore, various studies have been conducted focusing on topics that may be different in color, such as the process of ascending to the throne, the exercise of power centered on meritorious subjects and close relatives, and the policy of strengthening the country and its military and its results.
This book, written by an author who majored in early Joseon political history, is a little different.
Based on the Annals of King Sejo, it fully portrays the ‘political life’ of King Sejo, leaving aside criticism.
Following the author's pen, who saw King Sejo, who came to power through the Gye-Yu Jeongnan, which mobilized private physical force to neutralize the public system, as a politician who dreamed of becoming a "transcendent absolute monarch," we come to see King Sejo's "politics" in a new light.

If it weren't for my brother, I would have been in my 80s and wouldn't even be able to breathe.
On the other hand, the world of Uijeongbu was wide open.
As King Munjong's health deteriorated, the State Council had been handling state affairs without even reporting to the king.
The government took control of the palace, using the crown prince as a hostage.
No one could have predicted what the government would do.
--- p.45

After ascending to the throne, King Danjong declared through a royal decree that he would leave all matters to the State Council.
A world in which the government is the master has arrived.
In this political situation, Suyang and Anpyeong protested against their inclusion in the category of subjects prohibited from participating in the competition in Danjong's encyclical.
--- p.53

On October 11, 1453 (the first year of King Danjong's reign), the day after the bloody storm, a major personnel reshuffle took place.
Suyang became the Chief State Councillor, the Chief State Councillor, and the Chief of the Royal Secretariat.
In the royal court, the Prime Minister was the highest authority among the subjects.
If King Danjong was a king in name only, the real power holder was Prime Minister Suyang.
Moreover, although the chief judge of each department was the highest official, he also held the position of judge, which was higher than that, and controlled the Ministry of Personnel and the Ministry of War.
--- p.97

Suyang ascended to the throne as the 7th king of Joseon at Gyeongbokgung Palace on June 11, 1455 (the first year of King Sejo's reign).
It was two years after he seized power through the Gye-Yu Rebellion and suppressed the Yi Jing-ok Rebellion.
--- p.111

There were a total of 44 left-wing public officials.
One-third of those named, including Kwon Ram, Han Myeong-hoe, and Shin Suk-ju, who played a key role in King Sejo's rise to power, were appointed as Jeongnan Gongsin (contributors to the uprising).
The number of people with royal family or relatives was greater than that of Jeongnan Gongsin.
There were also quite a few people who were blood-related to the meritorious subjects, such as Han Myeong-hoe and Han Kye-mi, and Kwon Ram and Kwon Ji.
--- p.116

Throughout his 14-year reign, Sejo suffered from constant slanderous remarks that directly targeted the legitimacy of his regime.
This went beyond mere rumors and led to negative consequences, such as actual treason, being used as a means to falsely accuse others, or disrupting the command structure of local leaders.
The stability of the regime depended on the control of the verbal abuse.
--- p.158

During Sejo's reign, meritorious retainers, including Han Myeong-hoe and Shin Suk-ju, executed important national affairs on the spot.
Sejo sent them to the provinces to enforce his ruling will.
They monitored and monitored the activities of each region, and took the lead in promoting major national affairs that had to be handled locally, such as the construction of fortresses, the construction of garrisons, the compilation of military registers, and the inventory of civilians and military supplies.
Their area of ​​activity spanned eight provinces across the country.
--- p.171

King Sejo, who wanted to solve the problem of 'few people but vast land' in Pyeongan Province through a private citizen system, first recruited people to enter Pyeongan Province from the lower three provinces.
To this end, in December 1459 (the 5th year of King Sejo's reign), Hwang Su-sin, the Left State Councillor, was appointed as the Inspector General of Gyeongsang Province, Sim Hoe, the Chief State Councillor of Jeolla Province, and Seong Bong-jo, the Left State Councillor, was appointed as the Inspector General of Chungcheong Province, and each was given a ministry.
--- p.183

By defining the military wing as a military province, the complexity of confusion between administrative provinces and military provinces can be avoided.
… … almost made Jejin belong to the Jin clan.
This was the Jin-gwan system.
By organizing it into a Jin-gwan system, each county became a military unit.
Several Jejins were grouped together and formed into a garrison.
Sejo achieved this difficult task of harmonizing administrative and military organizations during his own time.
--- p.191

Sejo established the Jin-gwan system, aligning the eight-province local administrative system based on the governor and magistrate with the military system of Ju-jin, Geo-jin, and Je-jin.
By making each county an independent military unit called a jin and organizing it into jin-gwans, the ideal of a tight-knit defense system that could fight and defend itself was realized in Joseon.
Sejo made the dream of a strong national defense system in Joseon, something even his father, Sejong, could not achieve, a reality.
--- p.193

On February 1, 1459 (the 5th year of King Sejo's reign), King Sejo finally implemented the Ho-Pae Law again.
Then, he immediately asked them to describe in detail the method of clarifying the household register and military register.
King Sejo, who had implemented the Ho-Pae Law for two years, announced in July 1461 (the 7th year of King Sejo's reign) his intention to revise the family register and military register based on his policy experience during that period.
--- p.197

In March 1460 (the 6th year of King Sejo's reign), King Sejo finally decided to mobilize the military on a large scale to subdue the Moryeonwi barbarians.
… … Soon, the new host was appointed as the inspector general.
Shin Suk-ju conquered the barbarians of Moryeonwi from August 27 to August 30.
… … This is the so-called ‘Gyeongjinbukjeong’ of August 1460 (6th year of King Sejo’s reign)
--- p.207

The Gyeongjinbukjeong was a campaign to subdue the barbarians that King Sejo decided on his own without prior notice to the Ming Dynasty.
With this conquest, Sejo was able to demonstrate his power as the king of Joseon and externally send a warning message to the barbarians who had collaborated during the Yi Jing-ok Rebellion.
At the same time, internally, he was able to show off his authority as a king.

--- p.208

In September 1467 (13th year of King Sejo's reign), Joseon mobilized its military to subdue Jianzhouwei at the request of the Ming Dynasty.
The 10,000 soldiers mobilized at this time were the Jeongto Army that suppressed Yi Si-ae's rebellion.
This expedition was carried out at the request of the Ming Dynasty, but was carried out solely by Joseon.
--- p.211

Sejo personally performed a ritual to heaven from the third year of his reign to the tenth year, something that neither his grandfather Taejong nor his father Sejong had done.
It was not a special event to pray for, such as a rain shower or a tithe, but rather a regular event held at the beginning of each new year.
In the Hwanghudan, being a kinsman was an act of acknowledging oneself as a son of heaven.
--- p.223

While Sejo emphasized his dignity as a king through royal performances and martial arts, he also showed respect and trust for his meritorious subjects.
At the same time, officials who were deferential to the powerful officials were punished for disrespect.
Meanwhile, their rudeness, disrespect, and laziness continued to be deviant behaviors.
However, Sejo could not punish him immediately.
It was just a warning.
There was a reason for this.
The relationship between the two parties began not as ruler and subject, but as they agreed to 'usurp power' and shared the 'original sin' of the Gye-Yu Rebellion.
Sejo appointed them as meritorious retainers and formed a community of shared destiny.
--- p.234

Before touring Chungcheong Province in January 1464 (the 10th year of King Sejo's reign), King Sejo warned the governors, military commissioners, and magistrates of the region not to show off for the sake of flattery.
… … All activities such as piling firewood and gathering torches in roadside valleys and repairing roads are prohibited. Anyone who disobeys the order and flatters the king will be severely punished by the governor or lower.
--- p.250

Sejo began compiling the Gyeongguk Daejeon.
The Gyeongguk Daejeon, commonly called the Joseon Dynasty's eternal law, is classified as the achievement of King Seongjong, the grandson of King Sejo, but it was King Sejo who actually laid the foundation for the Gyeongguk Daejeon and completed the draft.
--- p.279

In June 1467 (the 13th year of King Sejo's reign), King Sejo received the newly established 『Daejeon』 from each of the Sangjeongso ministers and discussed them one by one.
Next month, the draft of the newly created 『Gyeongguk Daejeon』 was finally submitted.
At that time, King Sejo had various royal relatives and ministers present their opinions on each item and logically point out any errors.
--- p.281

King Sejo, who began compiling the Dongguk Tonggam as a general, worked hard to see results in the latter half of his reign.
But it was not achieved in that time.
This is because a local rebellion occurred in May 1467 (the 13th year of King Sejo's reign) and he returned in September of the following year.
Dongguk Tonggam was completed during the reign of his grandson, King Seongjong.
The characteristic of this Dongguk Tonggam system was that it traced the beginning of our history back to Dangun.
--- p.286

Thanks to King Sejo's driving force, a trial version of the book was printed in various fields on November 12, 1467 (the 13th year of King Sejo's reign).
Sejo promulgated this and sent it down to the relevant government offices.
With this, regulations on expenditures were established in addition to revenues.
National finances could be standardized.
--- p.290

These remarks by the royal advisors ultimately meant Sejo's abdication.
It was an act of disrespect toward King Sejo himself.
It could be interpreted that Jeong In-ji's previous drunken remark was possible because of their close relationship based on trust.
However, the remarks about "Tae Sang" in the latter half of his reign were made because Sejo was considered a king who had abdicated from the throne.
--- p.300

On June 25, 1466 (the 12th year of King Sejo's reign), King Sejo sent his envoys and officials outside Gwanghwamun.
There, they took turns hearing about the benefits and losses of the people, and the good and bad points of the city administration, which the people could not express for themselves.
At this time, anyone who wanted to express their grievance had to draw lots.
The secretary and the officer listened to the words of the chosen person, recorded them, and reported them.
Then, Sejo received their report, personally questioned them, and took action.
As for the military, the Commander-in-Chief of the Military Command was in charge of this role.
--- p.308

Sejo used Yi Si-ae's rebellion for political purposes.
At this time, the rebellion was a tool to target and punish those who had been deified.
… … He kept in check those who were his benefactors and comrades, but also a burden.
The Yi Si-ae Rebellion in May 1467 (the 13th year of King Sejo's reign) became the trigger for political restraint against them to reach its peak.
On June 5, King Sejo declared the crimes of Han Myeong-hoe and Shin Suk-ju to be "exclusive punishment."
--- p.331

After the Yi Si-ae Rebellion and the appointment of Jeokgae Gongsin, King Sejo seems to have tried to induce a competition of loyalty between the new and old meritorious retainers through unconventional personnel appointments.
In other words, he attempted to elicit loyalty to himself by creating a confrontational structure by placing powerful candidates for the enemy contributors at the core of the State Council and the six ministries, and by placing Han Myeong-hoe and Shin Suk-ju, who were the contributors to the Jeongnan and left-wing contributors, in the Seungjeongwon.
Therefore, although the greetings of Lee Jun, Nam I, and Heo Jong were unconventional, they were desirable to Sejo.
--- p.346

On September 8, 1468 (14th year of King Sejo's reign), the day after he handed over the throne to his son, he left behind a will asking that a stone chamber not be built for his tomb and ended his life in the main room of Suganggung Palace.
He was 52 years old and in his 14th year of reign.
--- p.352

The Nam-i affair, which began with Yu Ja-gwang's report in the year of King Yeongjong's accession to the throne, also involved Kang Sun.
This incident put the leading figures of the enemy faction in a political crisis, accused of treason.
The competition for loyalty among the meritorious retainers during the late reign of King Sejo led to a power struggle during the reign of King Yejong, which ultimately ended in a decisive victory for the old meritorious retainers.
The power structure was reorganized again.

--- p.356