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(Liu) Song / Sung (Anterior) Dynasty (Sixteen
Kingdoms China)
AD 420 - 479
The
'Sixteen
Kingdoms' period of Chinese history was the result of internecine
feuding very shortly after China had only just been reunified following
the bitter, highly destructive wars of the
'Three
Kingdoms' period. The division was largely caused by the 'Succession
Civil Wars' between 301-307 and the increasing belligerence of two rival
kingdoms, both of which claimed the imperial title kingdom from the ruling
Western Jin
dynasty.
In the face of increasing military conflict the Jin imperial regent became
the supreme power in all but name. In 310 that regent, Sima Yue, abandoned
both the capital of Luoyang and the emperor, such was his increasingly
desperate focus on defending the dynasty from its enemies. However, beset
on all sides by stronger enemies he fell ill and died the following year.
Luoyang and Emperor Sima Chi were captured by rival
Han
Zhao forces in the same year. The final Western Jin emperor, Sima Ye,
was also captured, in 316, and then executed. Prince Sima Rui inherited
the Jin title and ensured the continuity of the dynasty by withdrawing
south of the River Huai to survive as the
Eastern
Jin while Han Zhao governed a large swathe of the north.
The (Liu) Song dynasty or kingdom was the replacement for and successor
of the Eastern Jin. Therefore, as the inheritor of the claim to the
imperial title it was not counted as one of the sixteen kingdoms of
this period. Liu Yu, the Jin regent who had already ensured the
assassination of his emperor, An Ti, subsequently forced the emperor's
puppet successor to give way to him and then murdered him to ensure
the demise of the entire Jin dynasty. Liu Yu was left in command as
the first emperor of the (Liu) Song dynasty.
Due to their position in relation to the other 'Sixteen Kingdoms' of
this period, the dynasty has sometimes been referred to as the Southern
Song, but this name more properly (and usually) refers to the later
Song
(Southern) dynasty. The addition of 'Liu' to this particular Song
dynasty name is designed to remove any confusion. Like its predecessor,
this dynasty largely concerned itself with internal squabbles rather
than making any serious attempt to recapture the north. |
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(Information by Peter Kessler, with additional information from The
Origin of the Turks and the Turkish Khanate, Gao Yang (Tenth Türk
Tarih Kongresi, Ankara 1986), from Türkiye halkının kültür
kökenleri: Giriş, beslenme teknikleri, Burhan Oğuz (1976),
from The Turks in World History, Carter Vaughin Findley (Oxford
University Press 2005), from The Origins of Northern China's
Ethnicities, Zhu Xueyuan (Beijing 2004), from Ethnogenesis in
the tribal zone: The Shaping of the Turks, Peter Benjamin Golden
(2005), from Shiliuguo Chunqiu (Spring and Autumn Annals of the Sixteen
Kingdoms), Cui Hong (Sixth Century Compiler, although not all of his
work survives), and from External Link:
Kidarites (Encyclopaedia Iranica).) |
420 |
Liu Yu, the
Eastern
Jin regent who had already ensured the assassination of Emperor An Ti,
now forces his puppet successor to give way to him, Emperor Gong steps down,
handing full power to Liu Yu. The former emperor is still murdered for his
pains to ensure that the Jin can never pose a threat to the new emperor.
With the Jin gone, Liu Yu's new (Liu) Song dynasty succeeds it, with him
as Emperor Wu until illness claims him two years later. |
420 - 422 |
Liu Yu / Wu Ti |
Replaced the
Eastern
Jin as the new imperial claimant. |
423 - 424 |
Liu Yifu / Shao /
Chebing |
Son. Deposed and murdered. |
423 - 424 |
On hearing of the death of Emperor Wu, the forces of
Northern Wei
cross the Yellow River to launch a major attack on the northern territories.
They capture Huatai and then Luoyang. (Liu) Song forces manage to secure the
Shangdong Peninsula but, when they lose Hualo, all control of the Yellow
River is gone. Northern Wei consolidates its gains rather than pressing
further.
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The fracturing of the north into a mosaic of states and borders
had gradually been reversed by the Northern Wei until they
dominated at the time of this map, around AD 460 (click or tap
on map to view full sized)
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423 - 424 |
As Crown Prince Liu Yifu, Liu Yu's son had been
suspected of being unfit for the office of emperor, but the old usurper had
died of illness before he could reach a decision on replacing him. After
less than two years on the throne as Emperor Shao, his advisors are now even
more certain of his unsuitability. He is arrested from his bed and demoted
in position as Prince of Yingyang. His younger brother replaces him as
emperor while he is soon assassinated. |
424 - 453 |
Liu Yilong
/ Wen Ti |
Brother. Assassinated by the crown prince. |
439 |
This is the end of the
'Sixteen
Kingdoms of the Five Barbarians' period and the start of the 'Northern
& Southern Dynasties' period in which south faces off against north
(the latter in the form of the
Northern Wei).
Emperor Wen generally proves to be a stable and effective ruler when it
comes to internal matters. Later in his reign, his ill-conceived methods for
recapturing the lost northern territories weakens his position however. His
son and crown prince launches a coup to usurp him. |
453 |
Liu Shao 'Prime
Murderer' |
Son and usurper. Killed by his brother, Liu Jun. |
453 - 464 |
Liu Jun
/ Hsiao-wu Ti / Xiaowu Ti |
Brother. |
464 - 466 |
Liu Ziye
/ Qianfei Ti |
Son. Violent and immoral. Assassinated. |
466 |
The assassination in the imperial court of Emperor Qianfei
by his brother, Liu Zixun results in a temporary division of the imperial
lands. Despite Liu Zixun having the spoken support of much of the court, it
is his uncle who proves to be militarily canny enough to secure sole rule.
Despite being outnumbered and holding only the capital at Jiangkang, Liu Yu
defeats the forces of Liu Zixan before Liu Zixan is executed.
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This four Zhu coin was issued during the reign of Emperor Wu Ti,
founder of the Liu Song dynasty following his murder of two of
the preceding Eastern Jin emperors
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466 |
Liu Zixun |
Brother. Claimed the throne but quickly defeated &
executed. |
466 - 473 |
Liu Yu
/ Ming Ti |
Uncle and rival. Quickly quelled Liu Zixun. |
473 - 477 |
Liu Yu
/ Fei Ti / Houfei |
Son. Murdered by his own general. |
477 - 479 |
Liu Zhun
/ Shun Ti |
Brother. Puppet. Deposed and replaced. |
479 |
General Xiao Daocheng has already murdered the arrogant
and harsh Emperor Houfei and replaced him with his more malleable brother.
Then he ensures he is granted the title duke of Qi, which is quickly
succeeded by that of prince of Qi. Now he decides to dispense entirely with
the (Liu) Song emperors. He seizes the throne by forcing the twelve year-old
emperor to hand the throne to him. Then Liu Zhun is murdered by his own
guards (a short time later) and the Liu clan in general is slaughtered. Xiao
Daocheng's new
Southern Qi dynasty now controls all of southern China. |
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