Emperor Ningzong
Emperor Ningzong of Song 宋寧宗 | |||||||||||||
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Emperor of the Song dynasty | |||||||||||||
Reign | 24 July 1194 – 17 September 1224 | ||||||||||||
Coronation | 24 July 1194 | ||||||||||||
Predecessor | Emperor Guangzong | ||||||||||||
Successor | Emperor Lizong | ||||||||||||
Born |
Zhao Kuo 19 November 1168 | ||||||||||||
Died | 17 September 1224 55) | (aged||||||||||||
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House | House of Zhao | ||||||||||||
Father | Emperor Guangzong | ||||||||||||
Mother | Empress Ciyi |
Emperor Ningzong of Song | |||||||
Traditional Chinese | 宋寧宗 | ||||||
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Simplified Chinese | 宋宁宗 | ||||||
Literal meaning | "Peaceful Ancestor of the Song" | ||||||
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Zhao Kuo | |||||||
Traditional Chinese | 趙擴 | ||||||
Simplified Chinese | 赵扩 | ||||||
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Emperor Ningzong of Song (19 November 1168 – 17 September 1224), personal name Zhao Kuo, was the 13th emperor of the Song dynasty in China and the fourth emperor of the Southern Song dynasty. He reigned from 1194 until his death in 1224. He was the second son and the only surviving child of his predecessor Guangzong. His mother Empress Li Fengniang may have to do something with the deaths of Ningzong’s half-siblings as she killed Ningzong’s stepmother Huang who was pregnant at the time.
Reign
He was noted for the cultural and intellectual achievements made during his reign. In particular, Zhu Xi wrote some of his most famous Neo-Confucianist works during this period. However, Emperor Ningzong was known for his aversion towards the spread of Neo-Confucianism in his imperial court due to the influence of his hawkish chancellor Han Tuozhou.
On the political side, however, Emperor Ningzong saw his government being plagued by rising inflation that threatened the economy and the military advances by the Jurchens from the north during the wars between the Song dynasty and Jurchen-led Jin dynasty.
In absence of a son, he adopted a relative named Zhao Xun in 1197 who was only 6 years old.[1]
Song Invasion of the Jin
The Jin were weakening because of natural disasters.[2] Ningzong’s chancellor Han Tuozhou continually provoked the weak Jin by launching raids. War against the Jin was officially declared on June 14, 1206 by Han Tuozhou .[3] The war was a disaster. Despite the Jin’s weakness due to the natural disasters, it had countered the attacks from the Song and even counter-attacked. To make things worse, Ningzong was not interested in the war effort[4] and morale was low. There was not enough supplies and many of the army deserted. Wu Xi (吳曦; d. 1207), the governor-general of Sichuan, defected to the Jin in December 1206.[5] This was bad, as Wu was holding the western front, however, Song loyalists assassinated Wu on March 29, 1207, before Jin troops could take control of the surrendered territories.[6] Fighting continued in 1207, but by the end of that year the war was at a stalemate. The Song was now on the defensive, while the Jin failed to make gains in Song territory.[7] The failure of Han Tuozhou's aggressive policies led to his demise. On December 15, 1207, Han was beaten to death by the Imperial Palace Guards.
Peace
A peace treaty was signed on November 2, 1208, and the Song tribute to the Jin was reinstated. The Song annual indemnity increased by 50,000 taels of silver and 50,000 packs of fabric.[8] The treaty also stipulated that the Song had to present to the Jin the head of Han Tuozhou, who the Jin held responsible for starting the war.[8] The heads of Han and Su were severed from their exhumed corpses, exhibited to the public, then delivered to the Jin finally ending the war.[9]
In 1210, The Mongols, formerly a Jin tributary, ended their vassalage and attacked the Jin in 1211.[10] In light of this event, the Song court debated ending tributary payments to the weakened Jin, but they chose to avoid antagonizing the Jin.[11] As the Mongols expanded, the Jin suffered territorial losses and attacked the Song in 1217 to compensate for their shrinking territory.[12] The Jin continued attacking the Song until they agreed to a peace treaty and the Jin returned home. However, the Song would never regain their lost land.
In 1220, his adopted heir Zhao Xun died from dysentery. Zhao Xun was only 29 years old.[1] Shi Miyuan decided when Ningzong died, another relative named Zhao Hong was to succeed him but Zhao Hong was never placed as heir-apparent and when Ningzong died, he was replaced by Zhao Yun, the future Emperor Lizong.[1]
He died in 1224 when he suddenly collapsed suddenly before dying. Ningzong may have been poisoned; it is also worth mentioning that Ningzong was physically weak as a nearly emaciated which suggested physical ailments of some gravity was shown in his official portrait.[1] He was succeeded by another relative named Zhao Yun as all of Ningzong’s children died young who later became Emperor Lizong.
Family
- Parents:
- Zhao Dun (光宗 趙惇; 1147 – 1200)
- Empress Li (慈懿皇后 李鳳娘; 1144 – 1200), personal name Fengniang
- Consorts and Issue:
- Empress Han (恭淑皇后 韓氏; 1165 – 1200)
- Zhao Jun (趙埈; 1196)
- Zhao Tan (趙坦; 1200)
- Empress Yang (恭聖皇后 楊桂枝; 1162 – 1232), personal name Guizhi
- Zhao Zeng (趙增; 1200 – 1201)
- Zhao Jiong (趙埛; 1202)
- Fourth rank consort Cao (婕妤 曹氏)
- Princess Yuping (玉屏公主)
- Lady Zhong (夫人 鍾氏)
- Zhao Qi (趙圻; 1207)
- Zhao Zhi (趙墌; 1207)
- Unknown
- Unnamed son
- Zhao Ji (趙垍; 1208)
- Zhao Zhi (趙坻; 1223)
- Princess Qi (祁公主)
See also
References
- 1 2 3 4 Davis, Richard L. "Troubles in Paradise: the Shrinking Royal Family in Southern Song" (PDF). National Palace Museum.
- ↑ Franke 1994, pp. 245–247.
- ↑ Franke 1994, pp. 247–248.
- ↑ Davis 2009, p. 791.
- ↑ Franke 1994, p. 248.
- ↑ Franke 1994, p. 248; Davis 2009, p. 805.
- ↑ Davis 2009, p. 805.
- 1 2 Franke 1994, p. 249.
- ↑ Davis 2009, p. 812.
- ↑ Franke 1994, pp. 251–252.
- ↑ Davis 2009, pp. 819–821.
- ↑ Franke 1994, p. 259.
- Toqto'a, ed. (1343). History of Song. Volumes 37–40: Biography of Emperor Ningzong.
Emperor Ningzong Born: 1168 Died: 1224 | ||
Regnal titles | ||
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Preceded by Emperor Guangzong |
Emperor of the Song Dynasty 1194–1224 |
Succeeded by Emperor Lizong |