Yi Ŭimin

Yi Ŭi-min (Korean: ; Hanja: Template:Category handler; died 7 May 1196) was a military general who dominated the Goryeo government prior to the Mongol Invasions. When his rival, Commander Kyŏng Tae-sŭng, died, Yi Ŭi-min rose to power in the supreme military council, Jungbang. His rule came to an end in 1196 on the 7th day of the 4th lunar month when he was assassinated by General Ch'oe Ch'ung-hŏn.

Biography

Background

Yi Ŭi-min was born of slave status, and his father Yi Sŏn (; Template:Category handler) was a salt trader and his mother a temple servant of the cheonmin class. According to the History of Goryeo, he was as tall as 8 ch'ŏk or 1m 90 cm and possessed remarkable physical strength. Yi's bongwan was from Gyeongju.

Military

Yi entered the capital defense command (; Template:Category handler), where his outstanding Subak technique was noticed by King Uijong and he was promoted to the byeoljang (; Template:Category handler). In 1170, he got a position of the jungrangjang (; Template:Category handler) by the reward of joining the Goryeo warrior rebellion (Template:Category handler).

In 1173, Kim Po-dang had attempted to reinstate Uijong who had been dethroned against the political power of Chŏng Chung-bu. As a result, Yi had been ordered to return Uijong from his place of exile, Geoje, by rebel forces, only to kill him on his way back in Gyeongju. Yi killed Uijong by snapping off his spine with his bare hands. He was said to have burst into a big laughter upon hearing the sound of Uijong's spine breaking. He then rolled up the dead body of Uijong in a blanket and dumped it in a lake. Afterwards, Yi Ŭi-min was promoted to general (; Template:Category handler) in recognition for killing Uijong.

He then made it to the top post, supreme general (; Template:Category handler), for the credit of putting down the Revolt of Cho Wi-chong, Governor of Pyongyang in 1174.

At 1179, when Kyŏng Tae-sŭng, who had an opposite political position against Chŏng Chung-bu took the government and pushed away Chŏng's people, Yi's power in the government significantly decreased, and his past murder of Uijong became the pretext that Kyŏng would use to eliminate him.

Yi had been in fear of an assassination attempt by Kyŏng, thus he had placed guards everywhere in around his house. One day, he heard a rumor that Kyŏng was killed. This rumor proved to be wrong though as in fact it had been Heo Seung, a close friend of Kyŏng, who had died, not Kyong himself. As a result of aware of it, Kyŏng gave warning of Yi still more, Yi who was seized with fear, ran away to Gyeongju on the pretext of illness.

Dictator

When Kyŏng died by disease in 1183, King Myeongjong called Yi in to Gaegyeong. Not believing the death of Kyŏng, Yi refused the king's request several times, but finally came to the Gaegyeong after realizing Kyŏng's death.

Yi who was commissioned as a susagongjwabokya (; Template:Category handler) by Myeongjong had gotten a position of a dongjungseomunhapyeongjangsa panbyeongbusa (; Template:Category handler) in 1190 additionally.

Yi who seized the political power, not only took bribes but also extorted private houses and lands. His family also committed many evil deeds. Especially his two sons, Yi Chi-yŏng and Yi Chi-gwang who were called as "ssangdoja" (쌍도자, 雙刀子; meaning 'twin swordsmans') by repute.

Death and family's downfall

In 1196, having his chickens snatched away by Yi Chi-yŏng, Yi's son, Ch'oe Ch'ung-su went to his brother Ch'oe Ch'ung-hŏn to seek help. Ch'oe Ch'ung-su persuaded Ch'oe Ch'ung-hŏn to carry out a plot to kill Yi together.

Yi turns down King Myeongjong's request to accompany him to Bojesa temple (; Template:Category handler) by making an excuse about his ill physical condition and sneaks out to a Mita Mountain cottage. Hearing it, the Ch'oe brothers made their way to the cottage and killed Yi, ambushing him when he comes out of the cottage and was about to climb on a horse.

Having successfully carried out the assassination, the Ch'oe brothers immediately head to Gaegyeong, where they exposed the head of Yi on the street and called up troops with help from general Baek Jon-yoo. Hearing the news, the Myeongjong at the Bojesa temple hurried his way back to Gaegyeong.

Yi's sons Chi-sun and Chi-gwang battled against the Ch'oe brothers only to run away in the end after having struggled on the defensive.

As they flee, the Ch'oe brothers led their troops to the palace to ask the Myeongjong to allow them to put down the remaining insurgents loyal to Yi. With their authority granted by the Myeongjong, the Ch'oe brothers closed up the castle gates to deter fleeing and went on to detain Yi's followers one by one. Meanwhile, they had general Han Hu capture and kill Yi Chi-yŏng amid his frolick with Kisaengs.

After this, Ch'oe Ch'ung-hŏn killed all families and relatives of Yi Ŭi-min, and even sent people to every regions of the nation, wiping out all followers and slaves of Yi's. The two surviving sons of Yi Ŭi-min, Yi Chi-sun and Yi Chi-gwang, returned to Ch'oe Ch'ung-hŏn to beg for mercy and their pardon, but Ch'oe killed both of them, eradicating the last of Yi's clan.

Family

• Father: Yi Sŏn (Template:Category handler)
• Mother: Lady Sŏng (Template:Category handler)
• Wife: Lady Ch'oe (Template:Category handler)
  • Yi Chi-yŏng (Template:Category handler; ? – 1196), first son
  • Yi Chi-sun (Template:Category handler; ? – 1196), second son
  • Yi Chi-gwang (Template:Category handler; ? – 1196), third son
  • Lady Yi (Template:Category handler), first daughter
  • Lady Yi (Template:Category handler), second daughter

In popular culture

• Portrayed by Lee Deok-hwa in the 2003–2004 KBS1 TV series Age of Warriors.