Yes, instances of Korean royalty marrying siblings, specifically half-siblings, occurred to consolidate power and maintain lineage.
Royal Marriages in Korean History
Royal marriages throughout history were often strategic, designed to build and maintain power. In Korea, this was no different. While outright sibling marriage was rare, unions between half-siblings did occur.
Examples of Half-Sibling Marriage
- King T'aejo of Goryeo: According to provided information, King T'aejo, the founder of the Goryeo dynasty, took 29 queens to forge alliances with aristocratic families. Interestingly, instead of marrying off his daughters to further these alliances, he married most of them (all but two) to their half-brothers. This strategy, aimed at consolidating power within the royal family, was also adopted by his successors.
Reasons for Royal Sibling Marriages
These marriages were often motivated by several factors:
- Maintaining Royal Bloodline: Marrying within the family ensured the purity of the royal lineage, preventing dilution by outside families.
- Consolidating Power: By marrying half-siblings, the king could prevent other powerful families from gaining too much influence through marriage to his daughters. This kept wealth and authority within the royal family.
- Political Stability: Internal marriages could help prevent succession disputes and maintain political stability by reducing the number of potential claimants to the throne.
