Their founder was Yi Han [ko]. He was Minister of Works (사공; 司空) during the Silla Dynasty and became the ancestor of a prestigious and powerful clan that held influence from the Unified Silla period to the Goryeo period.[2] On the other hand, there were records that he was an immigrant from China. This is because the Jeonju Yi clan's record named Wansan Sillok said that Yi Han originally lived in China, but he later came to Silla. Moreover, another record named Origin of Yi Clan (이씨 득성의 유래; 李氏得姓之由來) said that Yi Han was originally a descendant of the Tang dynasty's imperial family and lived in Jeonju after he came to Silla.[3]
Yi Han's descendant, Yi Seong-gye, seized power in a military coup and founded Joseon in 14th century.[2]
# denotes that the king was deposed and never received a temple name.
^Those who were listed were not reigning monarchs but posthumously recognized; the year following means the year of recognition.
^Only the crown princes that didn't become the king were listed; the former year indicates when one officially became the heir and the latter one is that when one died/deposed. Those who ascended to the throne were excluded in the list for simplification.
^The title given to the biological father, who never reigned, of the kings who were adopted as the heir to a precedent king.
^The de jure monarch of Korea during the era was the Emperor of Japan, while the former Korean emperors were given nobility title "King Yi" instead.
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