Queen Daemok


Queen Daemok of the Hwangju Hwangbo clan, also known as Queen Taemok, was a Goryeo princess as the only daughter of King Taejo and Queen Sinjeong, also the younger sister of King Daejong who became a queen consort through her marriage with her half older brother, King Gwangjong. She was also the mother of most his children and the first Goryeo queen to use her maternal surname, Hwangbo.
She was born in 925, while her marriage is believed to have taken place between 937 and 943. In 956, when Gwangjong proclaimed the law of slaves' emancipation, she strongly opposed it and begged him earnestly, but Gwangjong ignored and rejected her pleas. Daemok's opposition to the law stemmed from the Hwangbo clan, whose interests she was trying to protect; however, in Gwangjong's eyes, her maternal family was only one of the noble families to be removed.
Her death is presumed to have occurred after 975 but before 1002, when King Mokjong gave her a posthumous name. She was enshrined in Heolleung tomb along with her husband.

Posthumous names

  • In April 1002, name An-jeong was added.
  • In March 1014, name Seon-myeong was added.
  • In April 1027, name Ui-jeong and Sin-gyeong were added.
  • In October 1056, name Gong-pyeong was added.
  • In October 1253, name Jeong-ye was added to her posthumous name too.

Family

In popular culture

Queen Daemok is often portrayed as an antagonist when the stories are based on Gwangjong's reign period.