House of Zhao
Encyclopedia
House of Zhao, also known as House of Chao (Pinyin: Zhao; Wade–Giles: Chao; Traditional Chinese: 趙; Simplified Chinese: 赵), was the imperial family of Song Empire.
The House of Zhao originated from Zhuo Jun Zhao Shi (Wade–Giles: Chuo Jun Chao Shi; Traditional Chinese: 涿郡趙氏; Simplified Chinese: 涿郡赵氏;)，which is a very old and well-known family in China with a long history since Spring and Autumn Period (simplified Chinese: 春秋时代; traditional Chinese: 春秋時代; pinyin: Chūn qiū shí dài)。The founder of the Song Empire ── Zhao Kuangyin (Wade–Giles: Chao Kuangyin; Traditional Chinese: 趙匡胤, Simplified Chinese: 赵匡胤; pinyin: Zhào Kuāngyìn), also known as Song Taizu was born in a family with military tradition. His father Zhao Hongyin (趙弘殷) moved from Zhuo Jun to Luoyang
(Traditional Chinese: 洛陽, Simplified Chinese: 洛阳)。Zhao Kuangyin also had a elder brother Zhao Guangji, two younger brothers: Zhao Guangyi (His successor, the second emperor of Song Empire) and Zhao Guangmei, and two younger sisters.
However, with great accomplishment, ambition, and followers' loyalties and supports, Zhao Kuangyin eventually replaced Zhou Gong Di during a peaceful military coup, and became new ruler of the new kingdom Song. With years' efforts, Zhao Kuangyin conquered rest of the kingdoms in the north and south, and finally reunited China, and found great Song Empire. In order to prevent same military coup to happen again, Zhao Kuangyin fired all of his generals, and sent them home safely. This caused the overall military weakness of Song later.
Zhao Guangyi reigned for seventeen years and died suddenly and suspiciously in 976 at the age of forty-nine. His brother Zhao Guangyi ─ also known as Song Taizong became new emperor of Song Empire. There was a saying that Zhao Kuangyin was murdered by his brother Zhao Guangyi; and Zhao Kuangyin's two princes also died in same way.
(Jin) (Chinese: 女真), and Tangut (Chinese: 黨項). On March 20, 1127, the capital of Song ─ Dongjin (literally Eastern Capital, now Kaifeng
) fell into Jurchen's hands. After several days' looting and raping, the grand emperor Song Huizong, the emperor Song Qinzong, the empress of Song Qinzong, the grand empress Song Huizong, the consorts, most princes and princess, and other nobles were all captured, enslaved, and forced to walk to Jurchens' land. This miserable historical event was called Jingkang Incident
(simplified Chinese: 靖康之难; traditional Chinese: 靖康之難). Many of these nobles died from illness, hunger, tortures, and rapes during the journey or after arriving in Jurchens' land. Some of them commits suicide to prevent from torturing and raping.
Song Huizong's ninth son, and Song Qinzong's ninth brother ─ Zhao Gou, also known as Song Gaozong, escaped from this disaster, and crowned to be the new emperor of Song in the south, and the capital was Hangzhou
(renamed as Lin'an at the time). Song Gaozong's only son died very young, then Song Gaozong was forced to give his crown to his great ancestor Zhao Guangyi's elder brother Zhao Kuangyin's descendants. The royal lineage now went back to Zhao Kuangyin's line.
In 1234, Song allied with Mongol, fought against Jurchens to revenge for Jingkang Incident
(simplified Chinese: 靖康之难; traditional Chinese: 靖康之難). Jurchens were finally defeated by both Song and Mongol. After the successful conquest of Jurchen, Song and Mongol's alliance quickly broke up, and turned into enemies of each other.
committed suicide with eight-year-old Emperor Huaizong of Song at sea after the Battle of Yamen
against the Mongols with Song remnants. The Song empire ended. The classic China was considered to be ended at the same time. China was under the Mongolian Borjigin
clan-established Yuan Dynasty
's rule under the for nearly one hundred years, until the rise of the Ming Dynasty
founded by the House of Zhu
.
Song Taizong 太宗
Song Zhenzong 真宗
Song Renzong 仁宗
Song Yingzong 英宗
Song Shenzong
神宗
Song Zhezong 哲宗
Song Huizong 徽宗, also a great artist.
Song Qinzong 欽宗
Song Xiaozong 孝宗
Song Guangzong
光宗
Song Ningzong 寧宗
Song Lizong 理宗
Song Duzong 度宗
Song Gongzong 恭宗
Song Duanzong 端宗
Song Huaizong
懷宗
The Origin
Luoyang
Luoyang is a prefecture-level city in western Henan province of Central China. It borders the provincial capital of Zhengzhou to the east, Pingdingshan to the southeast, Nanyang to the south, Sanmenxia to the west, Jiyuan to the north, and Jiaozuo to the northeast.Situated on the central plain of...
(Traditional Chinese: 洛陽, Simplified Chinese: 洛阳)。Zhao Kuangyin also had a elder brother Zhao Guangji, two younger brothers: Zhao Guangyi (His successor, the second emperor of Song Empire) and Zhao Guangmei, and two younger sisters.
Rise of Family
Zhao Kuangyin's military career started in Hou Han. However, he quickly changed his stance, and went for his new leader Zhou Shizong, which was the enemy of Hou Han. He also persuaded his father Zhao Hongyin (趙弘殷), who was a military general of Hou Han, to serve for Zhou Shizong ─ Chai Rong. This caused the decline and collapse of Hou Han. With Zhou Shizong's trust, Zhao Kuangyin was assigned to the guardian of the new little seven-year-old Emperor Zhou Gong Di before Zhou Shizong's death.However, with great accomplishment, ambition, and followers' loyalties and supports, Zhao Kuangyin eventually replaced Zhou Gong Di during a peaceful military coup, and became new ruler of the new kingdom Song. With years' efforts, Zhao Kuangyin conquered rest of the kingdoms in the north and south, and finally reunited China, and found great Song Empire. In order to prevent same military coup to happen again, Zhao Kuangyin fired all of his generals, and sent them home safely. This caused the overall military weakness of Song later.
Zhao Guangyi reigned for seventeen years and died suddenly and suspiciously in 976 at the age of forty-nine. His brother Zhao Guangyi ─ also known as Song Taizong became new emperor of Song Empire. There was a saying that Zhao Kuangyin was murdered by his brother Zhao Guangyi; and Zhao Kuangyin's two princes also died in same way.
Decline: Jingkang Incident
Nevertheless, Song still thrived under Zhao Guangyi's reign. But the threats of Northern Nomadic tribes, such as Khitans (Chinese: 契丹), JurchensJurchens
The Jurchens were a Tungusic people who inhabited the region of Manchuria until the 17th century, when they adopted the name Manchu...
(Jin) (Chinese: 女真), and Tangut (Chinese: 黨項). On March 20, 1127, the capital of Song ─ Dongjin (literally Eastern Capital, now Kaifeng
Kaifeng
Kaifeng , known previously by several names , is a prefecture-level city in east-central Henan province, Central China. Nearly 5 million people live in the metropolitan area...
) fell into Jurchen's hands. After several days' looting and raping, the grand emperor Song Huizong, the emperor Song Qinzong, the empress of Song Qinzong, the grand empress Song Huizong, the consorts, most princes and princess, and other nobles were all captured, enslaved, and forced to walk to Jurchens' land. This miserable historical event was called Jingkang Incident
Jingkang Incident
The Jingkang Incident , the Humiliation of Jingkang , or The Disorders of the Jingkang Period took place in 1127 when invading Jurchen soldiers from the Jin Dynasty besieged and sacked Bianjing , the capital of the Song Dynasty of China...
(simplified Chinese: 靖康之难; traditional Chinese: 靖康之難). Many of these nobles died from illness, hunger, tortures, and rapes during the journey or after arriving in Jurchens' land. Some of them commits suicide to prevent from torturing and raping.
Hangzhou
Hangzhou , formerly transliterated as Hangchow, is the capital and largest city of Zhejiang Province in Eastern China. Governed as a sub-provincial city, and as of 2010, its entire administrative division or prefecture had a registered population of 8.7 million people...
(renamed as Lin'an at the time). Song Gaozong's only son died very young, then Song Gaozong was forced to give his crown to his great ancestor Zhao Guangyi's elder brother Zhao Kuangyin's descendants. The royal lineage now went back to Zhao Kuangyin's line.
In 1234, Song allied with Mongol, fought against Jurchens to revenge for Jingkang Incident
Jingkang Incident
The Jingkang Incident , the Humiliation of Jingkang , or The Disorders of the Jingkang Period took place in 1127 when invading Jurchen soldiers from the Jin Dynasty besieged and sacked Bianjing , the capital of the Song Dynasty of China...
(simplified Chinese: 靖康之难; traditional Chinese: 靖康之難). Jurchens were finally defeated by both Song and Mongol. After the successful conquest of Jurchen, Song and Mongol's alliance quickly broke up, and turned into enemies of each other.
The Fall of the Empire
On March 19, 1279, the prime minister Lu XiufuLu Xiufu
Lù Xiùfū , courtesy title Junshi , was a statesman and military commander during the final years of the Chinese Song Dynasty...
committed suicide with eight-year-old Emperor Huaizong of Song at sea after the Battle of Yamen
Battle of Yamen
The naval Battle of Yamen took place on 19 March 1279 and is considered to be the last stand of the Song Dynasty against the invading Mongol-controlled Yuan Dynasty...
against the Mongols with Song remnants. The Song empire ended. The classic China was considered to be ended at the same time. China was under the Mongolian Borjigin
Borjigin
Borjigin , also known as the Altan urug , were the imperial clan of Genghis Khan and his successors....
clan-established Yuan Dynasty
Yuan Dynasty
The Yuan Dynasty , or Great Yuan Empire was a ruling dynasty founded by the Mongol leader Kublai Khan, who ruled most of present-day China, all of modern Mongolia and its surrounding areas, lasting officially from 1271 to 1368. It is considered both as a division of the Mongol Empire and as an...
's rule under the for nearly one hundred years, until the rise of the Ming Dynasty
Ming Dynasty
The Ming Dynasty, also Empire of the Great Ming, was the ruling dynasty of China from 1368 to 1644, following the collapse of the Mongol-led Yuan Dynasty. The Ming, "one of the greatest eras of orderly government and social stability in human history", was the last dynasty in China ruled by ethnic...
founded by the House of Zhu
House of Zhu
Zhu was the family name of the emperors of the Ming Dynasty. The House of Zhu ruled China from 1368 until the Manchu Conquest of 1644....
.
Northern Song
Song Taizu 太祖Song Taizong 太宗
Song Zhenzong 真宗
Song Renzong 仁宗
Song Yingzong 英宗
Song Shenzong
Emperor Shenzong of Song
Emperor Shenzong of Song was the sixth emperor of the Chinese Song Dynasty. His personal name was Zhao Xu...
神宗
Song Zhezong 哲宗
Song Huizong 徽宗, also a great artist.
Song Qinzong 欽宗
Southern Song
Song Gaozong 高宗Song Xiaozong 孝宗
Song Guangzong
Emperor Guangzong of Song
Emperor Guangzong 宋光宗 was the 12th Emperor of Song China. He was born with the name Zhao Dun 趙惇. His temple name means "Bright Ancestor"....
光宗
Song Ningzong 寧宗
Song Lizong 理宗
Song Duzong 度宗
Song Gongzong 恭宗
Song Duanzong 端宗
Song Huaizong
Emperor Bing of Song
Emperor Bing of Song was the last emperor of the Southern Song Dynasty of China. He was also known as Lord Perpetual-Nation ....
懷宗
See also
- Song DynastySong DynastyThe Song Dynasty was a ruling dynasty in China between 960 and 1279; it succeeded the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period, and was followed by the Yuan Dynasty. It was the first government in world history to issue banknotes or paper money, and the first Chinese government to establish a...
- Song Taizu
- Song Taizong
- Song Huizong
- Zhao MengfuZhao MengfuZhao Mengfu courtesy name Ziang , pseudonyms Songxue , Oubo , and Shuijing-gong Dao-ren , was a prince and descendant of the Song Dynasty, and a Chinese scholar, painter and calligrapher during the Yuan Dynasty.He was recommended by the Censor-in-chief Cheng Jufu to pay an audience...
- Royal HouseRoyal HouseA royal house or royal dynasty consists of at least one, but usually more monarchs who are related to one another, as well as their non-reigning descendants and spouses. Monarchs of the same realm who are not related to one another are usually deemed to belong to different houses, and each house is...
- Royal FamilyRoyal familyA royal family is the extended family of a king or queen regnant. The term imperial family appropriately describes the extended family of an emperor or empress, while the terms "ducal family", "grand ducal family" or "princely family" are more appropriate to describe the relatives of a reigning...