Mid-Joseon military official and State Councillor; Jeongsa merit subject of the 1623 Restoration (Prince Neungcheon; Chungmu-gong)
| Life | 1578 ~ 1658 |
| Era | 조선 |
| Clan | 능성 구씨 |
Gu In-hu (具仁垕, 1578-1658) of the Neungseong Gu clan was a military official of mid-Joseon, grandson of Left Consultant Gu Sa-maeng and a maternal cousin of King Injo. After passing the military examination in 1603 he served as a local magistrate and royal guard official, and for his part in the 1623 Restoration was enrolled as a Jeongsa merit subject and enfeoffed Lord of Neungcheon.
He guarded Injo during the Jeongmyo and Byeongja invasions, served as commander of the Royal Guards and the Military Training Command, and in 1644 was enrolled as a Yeongguk merit subject for exposing Sim Gi-won's plot. Under Hyojong he rose through Right State Councillor to Left State Councillor, and died in 1658. His posthumous name is Chungmu.
Gu In-hu (具仁垕, 1578-1658) of the Neungseong Gu clan was a son of Gu Seong and grandson of Gu Sa-maeng, a minister and Left Consultant. Because King Injo's mother Queen Inheon was a daughter of Gu Sa-maeng, he was a maternal cousin of Injo. He is recorded as adopted into the line of Gu Hoeng, and is described as a disciple of Kim Jang-saeng.
He is said to have passed the military examination in 1603 (36th year of Seonjo), though some sources record it as a civil examination. He served as magistrate of Gowon and Gapsan in 1611, as royal guard official in 1614 and as magistrate of Jindo in 1621, remaining largely in provincial and military posts during Gwanghae's reign.
When the Injo Restoration took place in 1623, he was in the provinces rather than at the scene, but is said to have been enrolled as a second-class Jeongsa merit subject and enfeoffed Lord of Neungcheon for his involvement in the plan from the beginning. He was appointed Commander of the Three Provinces' Navy that year or the next; sources differ on the date.
In 1627, when Injo took refuge on Ganghwa Island during the Jeongmyo invasion, he is said to have commanded naval forces against the Later Jin army. He then served as mayor of Hanseong, governor of Jeolla and chief of the capital police, and again as naval commander in 1633. In the 1636 Byeongja invasion he is said to have entered Namhan Fortress with 3,000 troops to guard the king.
After the Byeongja war he served as commander of the Royal Guards, chief of the Five Military Commands and in other posts. In 1644, as Royal Guards commander, he is said to have been enrolled as a first-class Yeongguk merit subject and raised to Prince Neungcheon for uncovering Sim Gi-won's conspiracy.
In 1653 (4th year of Hyojong) he became Right State Councillor after serving as Training Commander and minister of Works and Military Affairs, and went to Qing China as an envoy of thanks the next year. Around 1655 he is said to have lost office after defending Kim Hong-uk and angering the king, but was soon restored and became Left State Councillor. He died in 1658; his posthumous name is Chungmu (忠武).
His principal wife was of the Changwon Hwang clan, with later wives of the Jeonju Yi and Hamyang Bak clans. He adopted Gu O, and secondary sons such as Gu Hyeon and Gu Heum appear in the records. The location of his tomb could not be confirmed in the sources consulted.
The location of his tomb could not be confirmed in the sources consulted.
His great-grandfather was Gu Sun, his grandfather Gu Sa-maeng and his birth father Gu Seong; he is recorded as adopted into the line of Gu Hoeng. His wives are listed as of the Changwon Hwang, Jeonju Yi and Hamyang Bak clans, with an adopted son Gu O and secondary sons such as Gu Hyeon and Gu Heum.