1. Overview
Princess Doae of Goryeo was a Goryeo royal princess, the only daughter of King Jeongjong and Queen Yongmok. While her royal lineage is clear, historical records provide very limited information about her life, leaving many aspects unknown. This scarcity of documentation, common for royal women in historical accounts, underscores challenges in fully understanding their roles and experiences during the Goryeo Dynasty.
2. Biography
Princess Doae's life is largely undocumented, with historical records offering only sparse details about her birth, lineage, and the circumstances surrounding her family.
2.1. Early Life and Family Background
Princess Doae was born as the only daughter of King Jeongjong, the tenth monarch of Goryeo, and Queen Yongmok. Her birth date remains unrecorded. She belonged to the Wang clan of Kaesong, the imperial family of Goryeo. Her maternal family, the Yi clan of Buyeo, held significant status. Her mother, Queen Yongmok, was a daughter of Yi Peum-eon (이품언Yi Peum-eonKorean), who served as a Minister of Public Works (공부시랑Gongbusi-rangKorean). Despite Yi Peum-eon holding a relatively modest rank of Jeong4-pum (the fourth senior rank) during his time, both of his daughters became queens. This suggests that the Yi clan of Buyeo might have been a powerful family, or that his daughters possessed exceptional qualities such as remarkable beauty, enabling them to marry into the royal family. Princess Doae was also a niece of King Deokjong, Jeongjong's predecessor and elder brother, and a maternal niece of his fourth consort, who was also of the Yi clan.
2.2. Life and Limited Records
Beyond her lineage and her parents' identities, very little is known about Princess Doae's life. Existing historical documents contain no significant accounts of her activities, any marriages, or notable events she participated in. This lack of detailed records highlights a common limitation in the study of historical figures, particularly royal women, whose lives were often not extensively documented unless they played a direct role in political succession or significant public affairs. The scarcity of information means that her personal experiences, influence, and daily life remain largely a mystery.
3. Death and Posthumous Title
Princess Doae passed away in 1057, during the eleventh year of King Munjong's reign. Following her death, she was granted the posthumous title of Doae (悼哀DoaeKorean). The characters comprising her posthumous title carry significant meaning: 悼DoKorean translates to 'mourn' or 'grieve', while 哀AeKorean means 'sorrow' or 'pity'. The combination of these characters suggests a sense of profound sadness or lamentation associated with her passing, which is consistent with the general sentiment surrounding the death of a royal family member.
4. Family
Princess Doae's immediate and extended family members were central figures in the Goryeo royal court. Her lineage connected her to several generations of Goryeo monarchs and influential maternal clans.
| Relationship | Name | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Paternal Grandfather | King Hyeonjong (8th monarch) | Reigned 1009-1031 |
| Paternal Grandmother | Queen Wonseong | |
| Father | King Jeongjong (10th monarch) | Reigned 1034-1046 |
| Maternal Grandfather | Yi Peum-eon | Minister of Public Works (공부시랑Gongbusi-rangKorean) |
| Mother | Queen Yongmok | From the Buyeo Yi clan |
5. Assessment
The historical assessment of Princess Doae is profoundly shaped by the extreme paucity of existing records. While her royal status as the daughter of King Jeongjong and Queen Yongmok is clear, the absence of details about her birth, specific life events, or accomplishments leaves her largely in the shadows of Goryeo history. This lack of documentation is a common challenge for historians studying women of the Goryeo Dynasty, whose lives were frequently underrecorded compared to their male counterparts, limiting a comprehensive understanding of their roles and influences.
Her posthumous title, 도애DoaeKorean, meaning 'mourn' and 'sorrow', further emphasizes the melancholic and perhaps truncated nature of her existence in the historical narrative. Without more information, it is difficult to determine if this title reflected specific circumstances of her death, her perceived character, or simply a general expression of grief for a deceased royal princess. From a modern perspective, the minimal information available on Princess Doae serves as a reminder of the historical biases in record-keeping, where the lives of individuals, particularly women, who did not directly engage in political or military power struggles, were often overlooked, thereby obscuring their potential contributions and experiences within the broader societal fabric.