Shi Chaoyi was the final emperor of the Yan state that was established in Anshi rebellion against the Chinese Tang dynasty.
17 Facts About Shi Chaoyi
1.
2.
Shi Chaoyi was the oldest son of Shi Siming, former subordinate of An Lushan, and he overthrew and then killed his father in a coup d'etat in 761 and took over as emperor.
3.
The second historical reference made to him was in 757, when Shi Siming, who was a childhood friend of An Lushan and who served under An Lushan during An Lushan's service as a Tang dynasty military governor and then as the emperor of his own rebel state of Yan, turned against An Lushan's son and successor An Qingxu and submitted to Emperor Suzong of Tang, along with the Fanyang region that he controlled.
5.
Shi Chaoyi left Shi Chaoyi in defense of Yecheng and returned to Fanyang.
6.
Rather, he created his wife, Lady Xin, empress, and favored her son, Shi Chaoyi Chaoqing, considering creating Shi Chaoyi Chaoqing crown prince.
7.
Shi Chaoyi captured Luoyang quickly, but was repelled in his attempt to attack the Tang capital Chang'an, as he was unable to capture Shan Prefecture.
8.
Meanwhile, by this point, Shi Chaoyi Siming was described to be cruel and prone to kill, terrorizing his army.
9.
In spring 761, Shi Chaoyi Siming began another attempt to attack Shan Prefecture, wanting to make it a springboard to attack Chang'an.
10.
Shi Chaoyi ordered his own servants to stay and watch the plastering.
11.
Shi Chaoyi agreed to take action, and Luo persuaded Shi Siming's guard commander General Cao to agree with the plot.
12.
That night, Luo led 300 soldiers and ambushed Shi Chaoyi Siming, binding him and then beginning a return to Luoyang with the troops.
13.
Shi Chaoyi claimed the Yan throne, and sent messengers to Fanyang to have Empress Xin and Shi Chaoqing killed.
14.
Shi Chaoyi was considered kind and humble, willing to listen to his advisors.
15.
Shi Chaoyi thus began to suffer a number of losses at the hands of Tang generals, and his attempts to counter by attacking Tang's Lu Prefecture and Songzhou ended in failure.
16.
Shi Chaoyi left Luoyang and fled, but his generals, including Zhang Xiancheng, Xue Song, Zhang Zhongzhi, Tian Chengsi, Li Huaixian, and Li Baozhong, successively turned against him when he turned to them for aid.
17.
Shi Chaoyi wanted to flee to the Xi or the Khitan, but on the way, in spring 763, he was intercepted by troops sent by Li Huaixian to capture him.