15 Facts About Emperor Lizong

Emperor Lizong died at age 59 in 1264 and was succeeded by his nephew Emperor Duzong.

Emperor Lizong spent his childhood in obscurity living away from the imperial court in Shaoxing, Zhejiang as a minor official.

One rainy day in his early teens, along with his younger brother Zhao Yurui, Emperor Lizong stood huddling under a bridge along with an official, Yu Tianxi, who was sent by Chancellor Shi Miyuan tasked to locate a suitable successor to the Song throne as the incumbent crown prince Zhao Xun has recently died at the age of 29.

When Ningzong died in 1224, Shi Miyuan told Emperor Lizong to enter the throne room and then ordered Zhao Hong, then the current crown prince into the room.

The result of Lizong becoming Emperor angered Zhao Hong who refused to bow until he was forced to by the palace commander.

The court of Emperor Lizong was dominated by consort clans, Yan and Jia, the eunuchs Dong Songchen and Lu Yunsheng, and his Co-Regent Empress Dowager Yang.

The Emperor Lizong was uninterested in governmental affairs, and for the first decade of his rule he delegated matters into the hands of his ministers, notably Shi Miyuan, who was the de facto ruler in his absence.

Emperor Lizong faced a minor rebellion led by the former crown prince Zhao Hong which was put down after two weeks; Zhao Hong himself was executed on the orders of Empress Dowager Yang.

Emperor Lizong discussed with Wuzhun about Zen Buddhism, and Dharma.

Notable events during Emperor Lizong's reign included the demise of the Jurchen-led Jin dynasty in 1234, which was obliterated by the joint forces of the Mongol Empire and the Song Dynasty.

The Jurchens had fought multiple wars with the Song Empire decades before it was conquered by the Mongols and although their ruler Emperor Aizong tried to make peace with the Song Dynasty to warn them that if the Mongols conquered the Jin Dynasty and they would attack the Song next, Emperor Lizong ignored the warning and the Jin dynasty fell in 1234.

Emperor Lizong met Zhao Yifu, who was a minister and a defender of Jiangnan.

Wen Tianxiang and Lu Xiufu passed the imperial examination where Emperor Lizong personally gave Wen first rank.

Quan Jiu was a grandniece of Emperor Lizong's mother making Quan a cousin of Zhao Qi.

Also in 1264, Emperor Lizong died sonless from an illness and was succeeded by his adopted son and biological nephew, Zhao Qi, known as Emperor Duzong after his death.