High Priest of Metzetta

The High Priest of Metzetta is the leader of the Chulcheo religion. Traditionally a high ranking government official until the separation of state and religion under Emperor Daeku. Chulcheo priests are not restricted in having children and the position normally passes down through the generations; each High Priest is entitled to name his or her successor. Women can hold the position of High Priestess but are markedly less common than men. The first two High Priests were Emperors, the position was not separated from the monarch by default, though early High Priests are considered fictitious much like the early emperors. Their lineage is well documented thanks to the Metzettan obsession with genealogy.

History

As recounted in the Iyagi-seda, the first man born was Yang-jo, who was Metzetta's first Emperor. Yang's first child Wa succeeded him as Emperor; both Yang and Wa are counted in the traditional order of succession of the High Priests. Wa's second son Dangun was the first stand-alone High Priest after Wa divided the powers of the Emperor in 3, freezing out the positions of High Priest and War Chief; his first son Kitae took over as Emperor while his third son Jinbae became the new War Chief. Early Emperors' daughters often became shrine maidens at prestigious locations. Marriages between the High Priests and high-ranking clans, including the Imperial Family, were and remain common. Currently the office is controlled by the Zuzeonhwa Clan. Many of the early High Priests are only known through family trees included in the Iyagi-segye, having largely been skipped over in the intervening Iyagi-ingan.

Roles

The High Priest is the ultimate authority on Chulcheo. Other duties include crowning the Emperor and performing special rituals on important dates. As a physically active role, High Priests may retire and return to life as a normal, if highly-respected, priest, unlike Emperors who are expected to serve until death.

List of High Priests

High Priests and Priestesses of Metzetta

No.	Name	Lived	Served	Clan	Notes
Imperial High Priests
1	Emperor Yang-jo (양조)	2353 BC - 2278 BC	2333 BC - 2278 BC	Imperial Clan	The office of High Priest did not exist independently of the Emperor initially but they are still counted in the traditional order of succession. Presumed legendary.
2	Emperor Wa (와)	2330 BC - 2238 BC	2278 BC - 2238 BC	Imperial Clan
Legendary High Priests
3	Dangun (단군)	2307 BC - 2241 BC	2238 BC - 2241 BC	Imperial Clan	First non-Emperor to hold the position. Presumed legendary. Married a priestess and had two daughters; Misun and Eun. The last High Priest mentioned by name in the Iyagi-seda.
4	Misun (미순)	2286 BC - 2216 BC	2241 BC - 2220 BC	Imperial Clan	First woman to hold the position. Presumed legendary. Married into the Zuzeonhwa Clan and had six children; Jeontugi, Maechunbu, Undong, Juin, Hyunjoo and Hiah. First High Priest to retire rather than die in office. Known from the Iyagi-segye.
5	Zuzeonhwa Jeontugi	2263 BC - 2194 BC	2220 BC - 2194 BC	Zuzeonhwa Clan	First of the High Priests not to belong directly to the Imperial Family. The Zuzeonhwa Clan would go on to be heavily associated with the position. Presumed legendary. Married a priestess and had three sons; Joon, Tyae and Myu.
6	Zuzeonhwa Joon	2244 BC - 2179 BC	2194 BC - 2179 BC	Zuzeonhwa Clan	Presumed legendary. Married a priestess and had two children; Hana and Boon.
7	Zuzeonhwa Boon	2224 BC - 2143 BC	2179 BC - 2145 BC	Zuzeonhwa Clan	Presumed legendary. First male to retire rather than die in office. Died childless and nominated his nephew through his sister Hana as his successor.
8	Jaenan Cheogul	2203 BC - 2125 BC	2145 BC - 2135 BC	Jaenan Clan	Presumed legendary. Married Empress Chyun's daughter Lona and had three daughters; Hing, Misun and Juin.
9	Jaenan Hing	2179 BC - 2100 BC	2135 BC - 2106 BC	Jaenan Clan	Presumed legendary. Married a distant cousin from the Zuzeonhwa Clan, returning the position to their hands. She had four sons; Baelgul, Byankul, Jin and Dangun.
10	Zuzeonhwa Baelgul	2161 BC - 2083 BC	2106 BC - 2083 BC	Zuzeonhwa Clan	Presumed legendary. Married a priestess and had one son; San.
11	Zuzeonhwa San	2132 BC - 2065 BC	2083 BC - 2068 BC	Zuzeonhwa Clan	Presumed legendary. Married a prostitute and had three children; Jin, Tyae and Zong.
12	Zuzeonhwa Jin	2112 BC - 2043 BC	2068 BC - 2045 BC	Zuzeonhwa Clan	Presumed legendary. Married a priestess and had two daughters; Hiah and Chyun.
13	Zuzeonhwa Hiah	2088 BC - 2029 BC	2045 BC - 2029 BC	Zuzeonhwa Clan	Presumed legendary. Married Emperor Joja's son Jindo and had one daughter; Hyunjoo.
14	Chyun Hyunjoo	2069 BC - 1998 BC	2029 BC - 2001 BC	Imperial Clan	First instance of a High Priestess taking over from another High Priestess. Presumed legendary. Married into the Pyeolhae Clan and had five children; Hiah, Byanpae, Sik, Tak and Pang.
15	Pyeolhae Byanpae	2046 BC - 1996 BC	2001 BC - 1998 BC	Pyeolhae Clan	Presumed legendary. Married a priestess and had one son; Rindo.
16	Pyeolhae Rindo	2023 BC - 1949 BC	1998 BC - 1949 BC	Pyeolhae Clan	Presumed legendary. Married a priestess and had four children; Byankul, San, Misun and Tyae.
17	Pyeolhae Byankul	1998 BC - 1908 BC	1949 BC - 1920 BC	Pyeolhae Clan	Presumed legendary. Died childless and nominated his nephew through his brother San as his successor.
18	Pyeolhae Namu	1970 BC - 1914 BC	1920 BC - 1914 BC	Pyeolhae Clan	Presumed legendary. Married a woman of leisure and had two children; Hunrae and Kitae.
19	Pyeolhae Kitae	1946 BC - 1889 BC	1914 BC - 1889 BC	Pyeolhae Clan	Presumed legendary. Married a priestess and had two children; Undong and Juri.
20	Pyeolhae Undong	1927 BC - 1866 BC	1889 BC - 1866 BC	Pyeolhae Clan	Presumed legendary. Married a priestess and had three daughters; Pang, Jun and Chyun.
21	Pyeolhae Pang	1899 BC - 1839 BC	1866 BC - 1840 BC	Pyeolhae Clan	Presumed legendary. Married into the Migyung Clan and had two sons; Kwangsun and Bitgaram.
22	Migyung Kwangsun	1874 BC - 1811 BC	1840 BC - 1811 BC	Migyung Clan	Presumed legendary. Married a priestess and had one son; Mogsu.
23	Migyung Mogsu	1843 BC - 1781 BC	1811 BC - 1781 BC	Migyung Clan	Presumed legendary. Married a priestess and had five daughters; Daesa, Juri, Jun, Hanyeo and Hing.
24	Migyung Daesa	1824 BC - 1745 BC	1781 BC - 1745 BC	Migyung Clan	Presumed legendary. Married into the Zuzeonhwa Clan and had three children; Eobu, Alemdaun and Gunin.
25	Zuzeonhwa Eobu	1796 BC - 1714 BC	1745 BC - 1730 BC	Zuzeonhwa Clan	Presumed legendary. Married a priestess and had two children; Nongjangju and Hanyeo.
26	Zuzeonhwa Nongjangju	1771 BC - 1703 BC	1730 BC - 1710 BC	Zuzeonhwa Clan	Presumed legendary. Married a priestess and had one son; Ssyeong.
27	Zuzeonhwa Ssyeong	1744 BC - 1660 BC	1710 BC - 1672 BC	Zuzeonhwa Clan	Presumed legendary. Married a dancer and had one daughter; Hanyeo.
28	Zuzeonhwa Hanyeo	1724 BC - 1658 BC	1672 BC - 1658 BC	Zuzeonhwa Clan	Presumed legendary. Married Empress Oli's daughter Soomin and had two sons; Gunin and Jin.
29	Zuzeonhwa Gunin	1703 BC - 1652 BC	1658 BC - 1652 BC	Zuzeonhwa Clan	Presumed legendary. Died childless and nominated Princess Moon's eldest son Hagja, his cousin, as his successor.
30	Ssuseol Hagja	1711 BC - 1647 BC	1652 BC - 1647 BC	Ssuseol Clan	Presumed legendary. Married a minor princess and had three sons; Gom, Mogsu and Undong.
31	Ssuseol Gom	1690 BC - 1631 BC	1647 BC - 1631 BC	Ssuseol Clan	Presumed legendary. Married a priestess and had six daughters; Joseonga, Zowe, Yeri, Zong, Jeonyleong and Boseog.
32	Ssuseol Joseonga	1665 BC - 1616 BC	1631 BC - 1616 BC	Ssuseol Clan	Presumed legendary. Married into the Pyeolhae Clan and had four sons; Eobu, Jeontugi, Hagja and Namu.
33	Pyeolhae Eobu	1647 BC - 1592 BC	1616 BC - 1598 BC	Pyeolhae Clan	Presumed legendary. Married a priestess and had three children; Simrae, Hana and Jiggong.
34	Pyeolhae Jiggong	1625 BC - 1543	1598 BC - 1543 BC	Pyeolhae Clan	Presumed legendary. Married a priestess and had one son; Jido.
35	Pyeolhae Jido	1601 BC - 1528 BC	1543 BC - 1528 BC	Pyeolhae Clan	Presumed legendary; Married a priestess and had two daughters; Yolisa and Micheru
36	Pyeolhae Yolisa	1575 BC - 1510 BC	1528 BC - 1510 BC	Pyeolhae Clan	Presumed legendary. Married a minor prince and had two children; Moon and Hagja.
37	Oli Hagja	1544 BC - 1470 BC	1510 BC - 1470 BC	Imperial Clan	Presumed legendary. Married a priestess and had three sons; Angjoje, Saem and Gi.
38	Oli Angjoje	1511 BC - 1449 BC	1470 BC - 1449 BC	Imperial Clan	Presumed legendary. Married a priestess and had two children; Jilla and San.
39	Oli San	1484 BC - 1408 BC	1449 BC - 1408 BC	Imperial Clan	Presumed legendary. Married a priestess and had one son; Tongri.
40	Oli Tongri	1451 BC - 1371 BC	1408 BC - 1379 BC	Imperial Clan	Presumed legendary. Married a court musician and had two children; Manshik and Moon.
41	Oli Manshik	1422 BC - 1363 BC	1379 BC - 1363 BC	Imperial Clan	Presumed legendary. Married a priestess and had three children; Sangsanglyeog, Jin and Bitgaram.
42	Oli Jin	1400 BC - 1313 BC	1363 BC - 1322 BC	Imperial Clan	Presumed legendary. Married a priestess and had one daughter; Jilla.
43	Oli Jilla	1369 BC - 1309 BC	1322 BC - 1309 BC	Imperial Clan	Presumed legendary. Married into the Zuzeonhwa Clan and had four children; Geonchugga, Mogsu, Minrae and Angjoje.
44	Zuzeonhwa Geonchugga	1345 BC - 1271 BC	1309 BC - 1280 BC	Zuzeonhwa Clan	Presumed legendary. Married a priestess and had one son; Balwa.
45	Zuzeonhwa Balwa			Zuzeonhwa Clan	Presumed legendary. Married a priestess and had two children; Sangin and Kang.
46	Zuzeonhwa Kang			Zuzeonhwa Clan