Queen Sinà Âi (; 6 October 1337 â 25 November 1391), of the Cheongju Han clan, was the first wife of Yi Sà Ânggye (future King Taejo of Joseon). She was the mother of King Jeongjong and King Taejong.
She was firstly given the title of Consort Chà Âl () in 1393. After her second son (Yi Bang-gwa) became king, she was posthumously honored as Queen Sinà Âi (). In 1899, after the founding of the Korean Empire, she was elevated as Sinà Âi, the Dignified Empress ().
The future Queen Sinà Âi was born during King Chungsuk of Goryeo's 5th year of reign on 6 October 1337. Born into the Cheongju Han clan, Lady Han was the fifth child within ten siblings to Han Gyeong and his wife, Lady Sin of the Sangnyeong Shin clan.
In some sources, she is noted as a member of the Anbyeon Han clan, which was founded by Han Ryà Ân (), a ninth-generation descendant of Han Ran (), the progenitor of the Cheongju Han clan.
In 1351, when she was 15 years old, she was arranged to marry Yi SÃ Ânggye who was two years older than her. She later gave birth to six sons and two daughters from 1354 to the 1370s. While Yi SÃ Ânggye (later Yi Tan) was traveling through the battlefield, Lady Han took care of the household affairs in his hometown and helped out.
During the Goryeo Dynasty, aristocratic men were allowed two wives; one wife was known as the kyà Ângch'à  (), the capital wife, while the other wife was known as the hyangch'à  (), the countryside wife. In Kaegyà Âng (modern-day Kaeseong), Yi Sà Ânggye welcomed Lady Kang, a daughter of Kang Yun-seong, from the noble Goksan Kang clan, as his second (kyà Ângch'à Â) wife in 1370. Lady Kang would later become Queen Hyeon.
In 1388, during the 14th year of King U of Goryeo's reign, Lady Han stayed in Jaebyeok-dong, Pocheon, and fled back to Dongbuk-myeon with her children and remaining family under the guidance of her fifth son Yi Pangwà Ân. This eventually led her to be concerned about the threat of her life and she later died on 25 November 1391 at the age of 54. Her tomb is called Chenà Âng and is located in present-day Kaesong, North Korea.
A year after Lady Han's death, her husband established the Joseon period; thus having her husband become king and her children become princes and princesses.
During King Taejo's 2nd year of reign in 1393, she was posthumously given the title of Queen Chà Âl (). In 1398, during the first year of reign of her second eldest son, King Jeongjong, Lady Han was honored as Queen Sinà Âi ().
After the death of Queen Hyeon in 1396, Queen Sinà Âi's fifth son, Yi Pangwà Ân, eventually led a coup d'etat with his wife, Princess Jeongnyeong's encouragement, while King Taejo was in mourning for his second wife. This event led to the deaths of Chà Âng Tojà Ân and his supporters, as well as the late Queen Sindeok's two sons: Yi Pangbà Ân, Grand Prince Muan and Yi Pangsà Âk, Grand Prince Uian. This incident became known as the First Strife of Princes.
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