본 논문의 목적은 조선 초기 대군들의 이혼 사례를 통해 당시 대군부인의 지위를 고찰하는 것이다. 조선 초기에 이혼을 한 대군은 세종의 아들인 임영대군과 영응대군, 그리고 예종의 아들이자 성종의 사촌 동생인 제안대군이다. 그런데 영응대군과 제안대군은 이혼한 전처와 재결합하기 위해 재혼한 후처와 다시 이혼함으로써 각기 두 번의 이혼을 하였다. 여기에 태조의 세자 방석의 경우와 세종의 세자 문종의 2번에 걸친 이혼을 포함하면 조선 초기 왕의 적자들의 이혼 비율은 꽤 높은 편이었다.
당시 왕실에서의 이혼은 혼인 당사자들보다는 가장인 왕과 왕실 어른들에 의해 주도되었다. 이혼을 결정할 권리를 갖고 있는 왕은 신하들에게 그 여부를 묻고 있지만 신하들이 반대해도 결국은 일방적으로 며느리인 대군의 처를 내쫓았다.
이혼 사유는 주로 ‘병’과 ‘불순부모(不順父母)’였다. 임영대군의 첫 번째 부인 남씨, 영응대군의 전처 송씨, 후처 정씨, 제안대군의 전처 김씨는 모두 병을 이유로 쫓겨났다. 그러나 사실 영응대군의 후처 정씨의 이혼사유는 불명확했으며, 제안대군의 후처 박씨의 이혼 사유는 불순이었다. 마음이 바뀐 대군들은 전처와 재결합하기 위해 이혼 사유를 만들어 냈다. 사실 병의 경중은 출처에 큰 문제가 되지 않았고, 불순부모도 명분에 지나지 않았다. 이혼 당시 처에게는 모두 자식이 없었는데, 무자(無子)가 출처의 직접적인 사유는 아니었으나 그것을 용이하게 만들었다.
한편 왕실 이혼은 여성에게 매우 불평등한 것이었지만, 여러 대신들의 논의를 거친 뒤에야 가능했다. 대군들이 첫 번째 부인들과 이혼하는 데에는 대신들의 반대가 별로 없었다. 왕의 뜻을 따랐다. 그러나 재혼한 후처와의 이혼에 대해서는 대신들과 대간들이 적극 반대하였다. 그 이유는 이혼 사유가 불분명하고, 특히 전처와 재혼하기 위해 후처를 출처(黜妻)하는 것은 불가하다고 생각했기 때문이다. 그러나 후처와의 이혼을 막지 못했다.
조선 초기 대군들의 이혼사례에서 나타나는 특징은 다음과 같다. 첫째, 모든 사례에서 당시 대군부인들은 모두 일방적으로 출처를 당했다. 출처 사유는 칠거지악이며, 이것은 대군의 처들에게도 자주 남용이 되었다. 대군 부인은 모두 결혼한 지 몇 년 되지 않은 10대의 나이에 출처되었다. 둘째, 대군들의 이혼은 국가의 수장이자 왕실의 가장인 왕의 결정을 통해 이루어졌다. 그러나 형식적으로는 왕이 대신들과 의논을 하였다. 셋째, 대군들은 왕의 아들, 왕의 삼촌, 왕의 사촌이라는 종친으로서의 특권을 가지고 있었기 때문에 그들의 일방적인 출처가 더욱 용이하였다. 이혼 문제에 있어서 대군부인들의 지위는 매우 낮았다. 넷째, 출처될 시점에서 대군과 부인 사이에는 모두 자식이 없었다. 다섯째, 대부분 대군부인들은 당대 권력가의 딸들이었기 때문에 출처된 후에도 경제적으로 넉넉하게 살았다. 대부분 재혼하지 않고 평생 친정 조카와 함께 살았으며, 자신의 재산을 조카에게 상속하였다.
대군부인들은 혼인을 통해 정1품의 부부인(府夫人)이라는 높은 외명부 품계를 받았지만, 이혼과 동시에 그 지위를 잃었다. 즉 왕실의 강력한 권력 앞에서는 나약한 존재였다. 시부모의 뜻이나 변심한 남편들에 의해 출처 당하기 쉬웠다.
This study was to review the status of princes's wives through the divorce case of princes in early Joseon. Divorced princes in early Joseon were Imyoung and Youngeung princes, as sons of King Sejong, and Jaean prince, son of King Yeajong as well as cousin of King Sungjong at the same time. However, Imyoung and Youngeung princes were divorced with their second wife for remarried again with their ex-wife, so they divorced twice each other. Therefore, three princes were divorced 5 times. Those divorce rating was very high in other to include Bangsuk who was a crown prince of King Taejo as well as Mungong who was a crown prince of King Seajong . Royal divorces at that time were led by the party of the king and the royal family than man and wife themselves. King had right to decide even if he was asking about divorce to his servants or if the servants were opposed to divorce, and eventually, the king drove out the wives of the princes, which were the one-sided. Commonalities that appear in the divorce cases of the princes in early Joseon as follows. First, the wives of princes were driven unilaterally. the wives were kicked out because of disease or impure parents as a one of ‘Chilgegiak(七去之惡)’. The wives of princes were driven out in ten young age, which had not been married a few years. Second, the princes, as a king’s son, a king’s uncle, and a king’s cousin had the privilege of Jongchin. Therefore, it was rationalized unilaterally pushing a clearance, and status of the wives of princes in the divorce was very low. There was no marital child when wives were evicted. Finally, the wives who were daughters of powerd person, most of wives had lived with nephews without remarrying and their property were inherited to nephews. Even though, the wives received ‘Bubuin Oimyungbu(外命婦) pumgae(品階)’ of Jeung1pum(正 1品) through marriage, they were weak in front of the King's family and powerful of husband family. The wives were kicked out by father-in-law or mother-in-low as well as easy to cast out by husband who changed their mind.
This study was to review the status of princes's wives through the divorce case of princes in early Joseon. Divorced princes in early Joseon were Imyoung and Youngeung princes, as sons of King Sejong, and Jaean prince, son of King Yeajong as well as cousin of King Sungjong at the same time. However, Imyoung and Youngeung princes were divorced with their second wife for remarried again with their ex-wife, so they divorced twice each other. Therefore, three princes were divorced 5 times. Those divorce rating was very high in other to include Bangsuk who was a crown prince of King Taejo as well as Mungong who was a crown prince of King Seajong . Royal divorces at that time were led by the party of the king and the royal family than man and wife themselves. King had right to decide even if he was asking about divorce to his servants or if the servants were opposed to divorce, and eventually, the king drove out the wives of the princes, which were the one-sided. Commonalities that appear in the divorce cases of the princes in early Joseon as follows. First, the wives of princes were driven unilaterally. the wives were kicked out because of disease or impure parents as a one of ‘Chilgegiak(七去之惡)’. The wives of princes were driven out in ten young age, which had not been married a few years. Second, the princes, as a king’s son, a king’s uncle, and a king’s cousin had the privilege of Jongchin. Therefore, it was rationalized unilaterally pushing a clearance, and status of the wives of princes in the divorce was very low. There was no marital child when wives were evicted. Finally, the wives who were daughters of powerd person, most of wives had lived with nephews without remarrying and their property were inherited to nephews. Even though, the wives received ‘Bubuin Oimyungbu(外命婦) pumgae(品階)’ of Jeung1pum(正 1品) through marriage, they were weak in front of the King's family and powerful of husband family. The wives were kicked out by father-in-law or mother-in-low as well as easy to cast out by husband who changed their mind.
