Taejo named a child heir — his fifth son took the throne over two dead brothers

In 1392 Yi Seong-gye overthrew the Goryeo dynasty and founded Joseon. His fifth son, Yi Bang-won, had done much of the political work that made the new dynasty possible. Yet when it came time to arrange the succession, Taejo and his chief minister Jeong Do-jeon named Taejo's eighth son, Yi Bang-seok, as crown prince. The choice was deliberate: a young heir would leave real power with the ministers.

Yi Bang-won read the appointment as a denial of his contribution. In 1398, while Taejo was in mourning for Queen Sindeok, Yi Bang-won struck. His forces entered the palace and eliminated Jeong Do-jeon, the crown prince Yi Bang-seok, and Yi Bang-beon, another younger brother. The event became known as the First Strife of Princes. Horrified, Taejo abdicated in favour of his second son, Jeongjong.

The arrangement still did not satisfy Yi Bang-won. In 1400 he defeated his older brother Bang-gan in the Second Strife of Princes and forced Jeongjong to abdicate. Yi Bang-won took the throne as Taejong. The succession plan designed to keep power with ministers had instead produced two coups, two dead princes, and a king who ruled because he had taken what his father had refused to give him.