Father-in-law of Yejong and Injong and maternal grandfather of Injong; the powerful minister who staged the Yi Ja-gyeom rebellion of 1126 and fell
| Life | 1050 ~ 1127 |
| Era | 고려 중기 |
| Clan | 인천 이씨 |
Yi Ja-gyeom (李資謙, 1050-1127) was a powerful minister of mid-Goryeo from Incheon, grandson of Yi Ja-yeon and son of Yi Ho. His wife is recorded as a daughter of Choe Sa-chu of the Haeju Choe, a grandson of Choe Chung. He entered office by hereditary privilege but was pushed out for a time after the scandal around his sister the Lady Janggyeong and the fall of his cousin Yi Ja-ui. His second daughter entered Yejong's harem in 1107, became consort in 1108 and bore the future Injong in 1109, restoring his fortunes.
When Yejong died he backed the grandson Injong and purged royal relatives who sought the throne. After the accession he married his third and fourth daughters to Injong as well, received the titles Duke of Hanyang (1122) and Duke of Joseon (1124), had his birthday called Insu-jeol and styled himself 'administrator of state affairs', demanding honours close to those of a king. The Goryeosa describes in harsh terms the land seizures and bribery of his sons and retainers.
When Injong and his aides plotted his removal, Yi and Cheok Jun-gyeong rose in arms in 1126, purged opponents and burned the palace. Injong then won over Cheok, and Yi lost power, was exiled to Yeonggwang in South Jeolla and died in 1127. The story that he ate dried yellow croaker in exile and named it gulbi ('not yielding') is the traditional origin of Yeonggwang gulbi, though it is largely legend. The affair is seen as a sign of the strain on Goryeo's aristocratic order and shows both the glory and the fall of the Incheon Yi as in-laws of the throne.
His second daughter became Yejong's consort and bore Injong, restoring his power; after backing Injong's accession he married two more daughters to him.
He rebelled with Cheok Jun-gyeong against Injong's attempt to remove him, but when Cheok switched sides he was exiled to Yeonggwang and died in 1127.
The tale that he named dried croaker 'gulbi' (not yielding) in exile is the traditional origin of Yeonggwang gulbi, but is safest treated as legend.
He died in exile at Yeonggwang; the location of his tomb was not confirmed.
His daughters became consorts of Yejong and Injong (including Queen Sundeok), and his youngest son Uijang was a monk. Yi Ja-ryang was his younger brother and Yi Ja-ui and Yi Ja-hyeon his cousins.