WI: Danjong never becomes king of Korea

AeroTheZealousOne

AeroTheZealousOne

Monthly Donor
In OTL A.D. 1452, King Munjong of Korea dies due to a period of illness, and his sun, Danjong, takes the throne. King Danjong rules (with the help of a regent, he's young) until 1455, when a coup forces him to abdicate and have his uncle, Sejo, crowned King. Ministers and scholars who served under the reign of King Sejong plotted to put Danjong back on the throne, but Sejo caught wind of the plot, had them executed, and the former king poisoned.

My question is, to be more specific: "What if Danjong dies before he can become King?" A similar question would be "What if he wasn't born?" How do you think this would affect the future of the Joseon Dynasty, rather, the future of Korea? Would the Six Martyred Ministers (사육신) and others purged still be around for a little while longer? Who would (most likely) succeed King Munjong?
 
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AeroTheZealousOne

AeroTheZealousOne

Monthly Donor
Obergruppenführer Smith said:
Sejo wouldn't have needed to do the coup in the first place, since he would be the heir.
Click to expand...

Not completely certain about how the succession laws work led in Joseon Dynasty Korea*, but yes, Sejo inheriting from Munjong would end up butterflying away the coup, not to mention the executions of all those scholars and officials, seeing that Danjong was never king/never born/take your pick, and that there is no reason to put a dead or nonexistent person on the throne.

* I am aware it is, generally, from father to most elderly living son, but I would assume that in the event of the current King not having and offspring and dying, then a close relative (like a brother) would inherit after the King's death.
 

Obergruppenführer Smith

Banned
Basically strict agnatic primogeniture, at least in purpose. So if the heir does not have a son, then to the brothers, and if there are no brothers, than the closest male relative, starting from uncles.
 
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