Emperor Taizu of
Song (r. 960–976) unified the empire by conquering other lands during his reign. He ensured administrative stability by promoting the civil service examination system of drafting state bureaucrats by skill and merit. The
Song court maintained diplomatic relations with
Chola India, the
Fatimid Caliphate of
Egypt,
Srivijaya, the
Kara-Khanid Khanate of
Central Asia, the
Goryeo kingdom in
Korea, and other countries that were also trade partners with
Japan.
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| Emperor Taizu of Song |
Emperor Taizong of
Song (939 – 997 CE), younger brother of first
Emperor Taizu, became the emperor in 976 and remained on throne until his death in 997. He adopted the policies previously enacted by
Emperor Shizong of the
Later Zhou dynasty, which include increasing agricultural production, broadening the imperial examination system, compiling encyclopaedias and expanding the civil service. He also reunified
China proper by conquering
Northern Han, the last kingdom in the
Five Dynasties and
Ten Kingdoms period.
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| Emperor Taizong of Song |
Emperor Zhenzong of
Song (968 – 1022 CE), was the third emperor of the
Song dynasty. He reigned from 997 to his death in 1022. He was the third son of
Emperor Taizong. He stressed the importance of
Taoism at his imperial court. In 1004, the
Khitans waged war against the
Song Empire.
Emperor Zhenzong, leading his army, struck back at the
Khitans. Despite initial successes, in 1005,
Emperor Zhenzong concluded the
Shanyuan Treaty. The treaty resulted in over a century of peace, but at the price of the
Song Empire agreeing to an inferior position to the
Liao Empire.
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| Emperor Zhenzong of Song |
Emperor Renzong of
Song (1010 – 1063 CE), reigned for about 41 years from 1022 to his death in 1063, and was the longest reigning
Song dynasty emperor. He was the sixth son of his predecessor,
Emperor Zhenzong. His reign marked the high point of
Song influence but was also the beginning of its slow disintegration. The official policy of the
Song Empire at the time was one of pacifism and this caused the weakening of its military. The
Tangut-led
Western Xia state took advantage of this deterioration and waged small scale wars against the
Song Empire near the borders.
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| Emperor Renzong of Song |
Emperor Shenzong of Song (1048 – 1085 CE), was the sixth emperor of the Song dynasty in China. He reigned from 1067 until his death in 1085. He sent failed campaigns against the Vietnamese ruler Lý Nhân Tông of the Lý dynasty in 1076. Emperor Shenzong's other notable act as emperor was his attempt to weaken the Tangut-led Western Xia state by invading and expelling the Western Xia forces from Gansu Province. The Song army was initially quite successful at these campaigns, but during the battle for the city of Yongle, in 1082, Song forces were defeated.
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| Emperor Shenzong of Song |
Emperor Zhezong of
Song (1076 – 1100 CE), was the seventh emperor of the
Song dynasty in
China. He reigned from 1085 until his death in 1100, and was succeeded by his younger brother,
Emperor Huizong, because his son died prematurely.
Emperor Zhezong was the sixth son of
Emperor Shenzong. He ascended the throne at the age of nine under the supervision of his grandmother,
Grand Empress Dowager Gao.
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| Emperor Zhezong of Song |
Emperor Huizong of
Song (1082 – 1135 CE), personal name
Zhao Ji, was the eighth emperor of the
Song dynasty in
China. Born as the 11th son of
Emperor Shenzong, he ascended the throne in 1100 upon the death of his elder brother. In 1126, when the
Jurchen-led
Jin dynasty invaded the
Song dynasty during the
Jin–Song Wars, Emperor Huizong abdicated and passed on his throne to his eldest son,
Emperor Qinzong, while he assumed the honorary title of
Taishang Huang (or "Retired Emperor").
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| Emperor Huizong of Song |
The following year, the
Song capital,
Bianjing, was conquered by
Jin forces in an event historically known as the
Jingkang Incident. The
Jurchen ruler was
Emperor Taizong. Emperor Huizong, along with
Emperor Qinzong and the rest of their family, were taken captive by the
Jurchens and brought back to the
Jin capital, Huining Prefecture in 1128.
Emperor Huizong died in
Wuguocheng after spending about nine years in captivity.
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| Emperor Taizong of Jin |
Emperor Qinzong of
Song (1100 – 1161 CE), was the ninth emperor of the
Song dynasty in
China and the last emperor of
The Northern Song Dynasty. In 1141, as the
Jin Empire normalised relations with the (
Southern)
Song Empire, he lived the rest of his life as a captive in the
Jin Empire, which used him as a hostage to put pressure on the empire. He died as a sick and broken man in 1161. He was 61.
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| Emperor Qinzong of Song |
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