Emperor Daizong of Tang

Emperor Daizong of Tang
唐代宗
Huangdi 皇帝
Khan of Heaven 天可汗
Emperor of the Tang dynasty
Reign18 May 762[1][2] – 10 June 779
PredecessorEmperor Suzong
SuccessorEmperor Dezong
Born11 November 726[1]
Luoyang, Tang China
Died10 June 779(779-06-10) (aged 52)[1]
Burial
Yuan Mausoleum (元陵)
ConsortsLady Cui of Boling
(m. 746; died 757)
Empress Zhenyi
(died 775)
Empress Ruizhen
(disappeared 759)
IssueSee § Family
Names
Family name: Lǐ (李)
Given name: Originally Chù (俶),
later Yù (豫) (changed in 758)
Era dates
Guǎngdé (廣德) 763–764
Yǒngtài (永泰) 765–766
Dàlì (大曆) 766–779
Posthumous name
Emperor Ruiwen Xiaowu (睿文孝武皇帝)
Temple name
Dàizōng (代宗)
HouseLi
DynastyTang
FatherEmperor Suzong
MotherEmpress Zhangjing
Tang Daizong
Chinese唐代宗
Literal meaning"Replacement Ancestor of the Tang"
Li Yu
Chinese李豫
Literal meaning(personal name)

Emperor Daizong of Tang (11 November 726 [3] – 10 June 779[4]), personal name Li Yu (name changed in 758 after being created crown prince), né Li Chu (Chinese: 李俶), was an emperor of the Chinese Tang dynasty.

Emperor Daizong was the eldest son of Emperor Suzong – the first emperor of the Tang dynasty to succeed as the eldest child. During the Anshi Rebellion (which Emperor Suzong's entire reign was dedicated to fighting), he served as a general of Tang and Huige joint operations that recaptured the capital Chang'an and the eastern capital Luoyang from the rebel state of Yan, and the Anshi Rebellion was finally put down early in his own reign, in 763. However, thereafter, the Tang state was plagued by warlords such as Tian Chengsi, Li Baochen, and Liang Chongyi who essentially governed their realms as independent states while only pledging nominal loyalty to the emperor. This would prove disastrous for future generations as subsequent Tang emperors were unable to remove or control these warlords and the central government's power was thus slowly eroded and diminished. The power of the warlords would not prevent the Tang western territories from being overrun by Tibetan invasions and eventually lost to the Tibetan Empire, which even managed to capture Chang'an in 763 for a short period before being expelled.

Emperor Daizong was credited for removing the corrupt eunuch Li Fuguo, who had placed him on the throne using their own power and political influence, later the rest of Emperor Daizong's reign would also see dominance by such individuals as the eunuchs Cheng Yuanzhen and Yu Chao'en, as well as the chancellor Yuan Zai. It is also worth noting that Emperor Daizong became the first Tang emperor to succeed to the throne as a result of maneuvers by eunuchs. Emperor Daizong was himself also said to be overly devout in Buddhism.

  1. ^ a b c Cite error: The named reference BT11 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ According to Daizong's biography in the Old Book of Tang, he assumed the throne on the jisi day in the 4th month of the 1st year of the Baoying era of Tang Suzong's/Daizong's reign. This date corresponds to 18 May 762 in the Gregorian calendar.(「(宝应元年四月)己巳,即皇帝位于柩前。」) Old Book of Tang, vol. 11.
  3. ^ According to Daizong's biography in the Old Book of Tang, he was born on the 13th day in the 12th month of the 14th year of the Kaiyuan era of Tang Xuanzong's reign. This date corresponds to 11 Nov 726 in the Gregorian calendar.(「开元十四年十二月十三日生于东都上阳宫。」) Old Book of Tang, vol. 11.
  4. ^ According to Daizong's biography in the Old Book of Tang, he died on the evening of the xinyou day in the 5th month of the 14th year of the Dali era of his reign. This date corresponds to 10 June 779 in the Gregorian calendar.(「(大历十四年五月)辛酉,...。是夕,上崩于紫宸之内殿。」) Old Book of Tang, vol. 11.

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