남이 南怡
General and Minister of War who distinguished himself against Yi Si-ae and the Jurchens; executed after Yu Ja-gwang's accusation; posthumous title Chungmu
| Life | 1441 ~ 1468 |
| Era | 조선 전기 |
| Clan | 의령 남씨 |
Life & career
Nam I (南怡) was an early Joseon military officer and royal in-law from Uiryeong, with the posthumous title Chungmu. His birth is given as 1441 or 1443 depending on the source, and he was executed in the tenth lunar month of 1468 at about age 25. His grandfather was Nam Hwi (Lord Uisan), a son-in-law of Taejong, and his grandmother Taejong's fourth daughter Princess Jeongseon; his father was Nam Bin and his father-in-law the Left State Councillor Gwon Ram. He was also a great-great-grandson of Chief State Councillor Nam Jae.
He passed the military examination in 1460 and the Balyeong examination in 1466, and in 1467 fought in the vanguard against Yi Si-ae's rebellion, becoming a first-class Jeokgae merit subject. He then campaigned against the Jianzhou Jurchens, killing Li Manzhu and his son for a second-class military merit, and rose to Minister of War at the end of King Sejo's reign. Under King Yejong, criticism from Han Myeong-hoe, Sin Suk-ju and others got him dismissed and moved to commander of the royal guard.
Yu Ja-gwang, who had also served in the same campaign, is said to have envied him and accused him of treason after overhearing a remark about a comet. Nam I was jailed and in 1468 beheaded and displayed together with Gang Sun and others, and his mother was executed with him. Before the Imjin War the case was regarded as a real conspiracy, but later unofficial histories, notably the Yeollyeosil gisul, recorded it as a fabrication by Yu Ja-gwang. In 1818 (Sunjo 18) his rank was restored at the petition of Right State Councillor Nam Gong-cheol.
Family and Youth
He grew up in a house descended from Lord Uisan Nam Hwi and Princess Jeongseon. His father-in-law Gwon Ram was Left State Councillor, and his first wife of the Andong Gwon died young. He passed the military examination in 1460, but with two birth years given, his exact age is uncertain.
Yi Si-ae and the Jurchen Campaign
In 1467 he distinguished himself in the vanguard against Yi Si-ae and became a first-class merit subject; in the Jianzhou campaign he is recorded as killing Li Manzhu and his son. For this he became Minister of War at the end of Sejo's reign.
The Trial and Rehabilitation
After being sidelined by Han Myeong-hoe and Sin Suk-ju just after Yejong's accession, he was executed on Yu Ja-gwang's accusation. Views of the case shifted from a real conspiracy to a fabricated one, and his rank was restored in 1818 at Nam Gong-cheol's petition.
Commemoration
He is enshrined at Gubong Seowon in Changnyeong and at shrines in Seoul, and a memorial rite for General Nam I is said to be held. Schedules may vary, so please check beforehand.
Grave
His tomb is at Namjeon-ri, Bibong-myeon, Hwaseong, Gyeonggi. The grave on Namiseom in Chuncheon is tied to legend, and whether he was actually buried there is unconfirmed.