House of Yi

House of Yi

Parent houseJeonju Yi clan
CountryJoseon
Korean Empire
Founded5 August 1392
(Joseon's founding)
FounderTaejo of Joseon
Current headYi Won
Yi Seok (disputed)
Final rulerSunjong of Korea
Titles
Deposition29 August 1910
Cadet branches125 cadet branches (approximately 105 extant) including:
WebsiteJeonju Lee Royal Family Association

The House of Yi, also called the Yi dynasty (also transcribed as the Lee dynasty), was the royal family of the Joseon dynasty and later the imperial family of the Korean Empire, descended from the Joseon founder Yi Seong-gye. All of his descendants are members of the Jeonju Yi clan.

After the Japan–Korea Treaty of 1910, in which the Empire of Japan annexed the Korean Peninsula, some members of the Jeonju Yi clan were incorporated into the Imperial House of Japan and the Japanese peerage by the Japanese government.[1][2] This lasted until 1947, just before the Constitution of Japan was promulgated.[3] The treaty was nullified in the Treaty on Basic Relations between Japan and the Republic of Korea.

With the Constitution succeeding to the Provisional Government,[4] the descendants of the Imperial Family continue to be given preference and constitute a favored symbol in South Korea. The July 2005 funeral of Yi Ku, former head of the royal household, attracted considerable media coverage. Yi Seok also caught attention as of the 100th anniversary of Korean independence[5] on March 1, 2019.

  1. ^ Japan-Korea Annexation Treaty  – via Wikisource. His Majesty the Emperor of Japan will accord to their Majesties the Emperor and ex-Emperor and His Imperial Highness the Crown Prince of Korea and their consorts and heirs such titles, dignity, and honor as are appropriate to their respective ranks, and sufficient annual grants will be made for the maintenance of such titles, dignity and honor.
  2. ^ 明治四十三年八月二十九日詔勅  (in Japanese) – via Wikisource. 前韓國皇帝ヲ册シテ王ト爲シ昌德宮李王ト稱シ……皇太子及將來ノ世嗣ヲ王世子トシ太皇帝ヲ太王ト爲シ德壽宮李太王ト稱シ……
  3. ^ 皇室令及附屬法令廢止ノ件  (in Japanese) – via Wikisource.
  4. ^ "Digital Chosunilbo (English Edition) : Daily News in English About Korea". The Chosun Ilbo. Archived from the original on 17 June 2008. Retrieved 11 January 2022.
  5. ^ "고종 장례 행렬 재현 및 만세 행진". MSN. Archived from the original on 2019-05-27. Retrieved 2022-03-02.