Yang Tong, known in traditional histories by his princely title of Prince of Yue or by his era name as Lord Huangtai, known by his posthumous name as the Emperor Gong of Sui, courtesy name Renjin, was an emperor of China's Sui dynasty.
14 Facts About Yang Tong
1.
2.
Yang Tong was the second of three sons of Yang Zhao, Emperor Yang's son and crown prince.
3.
However, Emperor Yang did not create any son of Yang Zhao crown prince to replace Yang Zhao, but left the matters of succession ambiguous between them and Yang Zhao's younger brother Yang Jian the Prince of Qi.
4.
In spring 617, Yang Tong sent the generals Liu Changgong and Pei Renji against Li Mi and Zhai, but Liu and Pei were defeated.
5.
In summer 617, with his forces repeatedly defeated by Li Mi's, Yang Tong sent the official Yuan Shanda to Jiangdu to seek aid from Emperor Yang, but Emperor Yang, believing in the prime minister Yu Shiji's assessments that the situation was not as severe as Yuan Shanda was claiming, initially refused to send aid.
6.
Emperor Yang Tong finally did order the generals Pang Yu and Huo Shiju to lead the troops from the Chang'an region to aid Luoyang, and Pang and Huo were able to force Li Mi away from Huiluo, allowing Luoyang to regain some of its food supply, although by fall 617 Li Mi had recaptured Huiluo.
7.
In fall 617, Emperor Yang Tong sent the general Wang Shichong and several generals in other outlying areas to lead their troops to aid Luoyang.
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Wang Shichong 8.
Soon, news of Emperor Yang Tong's death arrived at Chang'an and Luoyang.
9.
Yang Tong posthumously honored his father Yang Zhao as an emperor, and honored his mother Consort Liu as empress dowager.
10.
Wang then met Yang Tong and pledged his loyalty, swearing that all he intended was to save himself and save the empire.
11.
Yang Tong took Wang inside the palace to meet Empress Dowager Liu, and Wang swore before her as well.
12.
Nevertheless, from this point, all power was in Wang's hands, and Yang Tong himself was powerless.
13.
Wang Shichong agreed, and he sent his nephew Wang Renze the Prince of Tang and his servant Liang Bainian to force Yang Tong to drink poison.
14.
Yang Tong made one last plea, pointing out that Wang Shichong had previously promised to keep him alive.