1. Xiao Baojuan, ne Xiao Mingxian, commonly known by his posthumously demoted title of Marquess of Donghun, courtesy name Zhizang, was an emperor of the Southern Qi dynasty of China, during the Northern and Southern dynasties period.
21 Facts About Xiao Baojuan
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Xiao Baojuan was a violent ruler who executed high-level officials at his whim, and this drew several major rebellions, the last of which, by his general Xiao Yan, overthrew him and eventually his dynasty, with Xiao Yan establishing the Liang dynasty.
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Xiao Baojuan is known as the Marquess of Donghun because Xiao Yan demoted him to that title after he was killed in a siege of the capital Jiankang.
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Xiao Baojuan was born in 483, when his father Xiao Luan was a mid-high-level official and the Marquess of Xichang, as the cousin of Emperor Wu.
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Xiao Baojuan was Xiao Luan's second son, and his mother Liu Huiduan was Xiao Luan's wife.
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In 498, during the rebellion of the retired general Wang Jingze, despite the fact that Wang's army was some distance away from the capital Jiankang, Xiao Baojuan mistook a fire as a sign that Wang's army was near the capital and changed into a jumpsuit to try to flee, but subsequently Wang's army was defeated.
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Xiao Baojuan himself was anxious to exercise imperial authority, but often spent his time in games with his close associates, whom he often awarded money.
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Xiao Baojuan created his wife Crown Princess Chu empress, and created his only known son Xiao Song, by his concubine Consort Huang, crown prince.
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Xiao Baojuan immediately had Jiang Shi and Jiang Si arrested and executed.
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Xiao Yaoguang, in fear, feigned illness and resigned, but subsequently feared that Xiao Baojuan would execute him anyway, and started a rebellion, putting the palace under siege.
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Xiao Baojuan's forces, commanded by Xiao Tanzhi and two other generals, Zuo Xingsheng and Cao Hu, counterattacked, and put Xiao Yaoguang's headquarters under siege, capturing and executing him.
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Xiao Baojuan liked to visit many places outside the palace, but did not like to have people see his face, and so would first send guards to expel people from their homes and business before heading to the location.
13.
Xiao Baojuan sent the generals Cui Huijing and Xiao Yi to try to recapture Shouyang.
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Xiao Baojuan persuaded Xiao Baojuan's brother Xiao Baoxuan to join him, and in just 12 days they reached the capital and put the palace under siege.
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Cui declared Xiao Baojuan be deposed as Prince of Wu.
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However, Cui, believing that victory was at hand, did not carry out the campaign diligently, and Xiao Baojuan sent messengers to recall Xiao Yi to try to save the capital.
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Xiao Baojuan favored his concubine Consort Pan Yunu, awarding her and her father Pan Baoqing with many things.
18.
Xiao Baojuan sent the general Liu Shanyang to attack Xiao Yan, but, in fear of a surprise attack from Liu Shanyang, Xiao Yingzhou, the chief of staff for Xiao Baojuan's brother Xiao Baorong, who served as the titular governor of Jing Province, instead joined Xiao Yan and surprised and killed Liu Shanyang.
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Meanwhile, Xiao Baojuan Yingzhou had Xiao Baojuan Baorong declared emperor.
20.
Around the new year 501, Xiao Baojuan's associates told him that, in their opinion, it was because Wang Zhenguo and Zhang Ji were not wholehearted that Xiao Yan's army could not be defeated.
21.
Xiao Baojuan was posthumously demoted to the title of Marquess of Donghun.