Gojong (Korean: 고종; Hanja: 高宗; 8 September 1852 – 21 January 1919), personal name Yi Jaehwang, later changed to Yi Hui, also known as the Gwangmu Emperor, was the penultimate Korean monarch. He ruled Korea for 43 years, from 1864 until his forced abdication in 1907, initially as the 26th king of Joseon, and then as the first emperor of the Korean Empire. His wife, Queen Min (commonly known as Empress Myeongseong), played an active role in politics until her assassination carried out by the Japanese.
Gojong oversaw the bulk of the Korean monarchy's final years. He was born into a distant branch of the ruling House of Yi (a descendant of Grand Prince Inpyeong, the third son of King Injo), and ascended to the throne at the age of 11, upon the death of his nominal uncle, the heirless King Cheoljong. His biological father, Grand Internal Prince Heungseon (widely known as Heungseon Daewongun), acted as regent until he reached the age of majority, although he continued holding power until 1874. At this time, Korea was under policies of strict isolationism. By contrast, Japan had been rapidly modernizing under the Meiji Restoration.
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