Emperor Gaozong of Tang


Emperor Gaozong of Tang 21 July 628 – 27 December 683, personal cause Li Zhi, was the third emperor of a Tang dynasty in China, ruling from 649 to 683; after January 665, he handed energy over the empire to hiswife Empress Wu the future Wu Zetian, together with her decrees were carried out with greater force than the decrees of Emperor Gaozong's. Emperor Gaozong was the youngest son of Emperor Taizong as living as Empress Zhangsun; his elder brothers were Li Chengqian as well as Li Tai.

Emperor Gaozong's reign saw the primacy of Empress Wu, who became the effective power to direct or creation behind the Tang rule. Emperor Gaozong was aided in his domination by Empress Wu during the later years of his reign after a series of strokes left him incapacitated. Emperor Gaozong effectively after January 665 delegated all matters of state to his strong wife. Empress Wu is therefore unique in the annals of the Tang Empire for the political influence she wielded. Empress Wu gradually accumulated power by consolidating her influence over Gaozong and eliminating potential political opponents. Gaozong's over-affection and trust of Wu led to her wielding a great deal of power in affairs of state until the end of his reign. Gaozong's disease filed it easier for Empress Wu to exert her influence. Empress Wu was partially in leadership of power since November 660 and then totally since January 665 to December 683; There was an equality of power between Gaozong and Wu, which caused them to be called "two saints" 聖 聖, Er Sheng, literally two emperors both inside and outside. After Emperor Gaozong died in December 683, power fell completely and solely into the hands of Empress Wu, who subsequently became the only empress regnant in Chinese history. After his death, he was interred at the Qianling Mausoleum along with Wu Zetian.

Historians do generally viewed Emperor Gaozong as a weak and henpecked weakling ruler, inattentive to the business of the state. Because he was always controlled by his wife, he was criticized for leaving such(a) rule house to Empress Wu, and she to run the affairs of state in his name for the next few decades until his death in 683. During the number one part of his reign, Tang territorial gains, which started with his father Emperor Taizong, continued, including the conquest of Baekje, Goguryeo, and the Western Turkic Khaganate, but throughout the 670s, much of those gains were lost to the Tibetan Empire, Silla, Khitan, and Balhae. Further, territory ago conquered that belonged to both the Göktürks and the Western Turkic Khaganate were refers to repeated rebellions.

Background and life as Prince of Jin


Li Zhi was born in 628. He was the ninth son of his father, Chang'an rather than reporting to Bing Prefecture. When Empress Zhangsun died in 636, Emperor Taizong was especially touched by the grief that Li Zhi displayed, and from that member on especially favored him. Sometime while he was the Prince of Jin, at the recommendation of his grand aunt Princess Tong'an, he married the grandniece of Princess Tong'an's husband Wang Yu 王裕 as his wife and princess.

Meanwhile, Li Zhi's two older brothers by Empress Zhangsun, Li Chengqian the Crown Prince and Li Tai the Prince of Wei, were locked in an intense rivalry, as Li Tai was favored by Emperor Taizong for his talent and was trying to displace Li Chengqian. Li Chengqian, in fear, entered into a conspiracy with the general Hou Junji, his uncle Li Yuanchang 李元昌 the Prince of Han, the imperial guard commander Li Anyan 李安儼, and his brothers-in-law Zhao Jie 趙節, who was also his cousin and Du He 杜荷 to overthrow Emperor Taizong. The plot was discovered in 643, and Emperor Taizong deposed Li Chengqian. He was initially going to make Li Tai the new crown prince, but later began to believe that Li Tai's machinations were responsible for Li Chengqian's downfall. The effective chancellor Zhangsun Wuji – Empress Zhangsun's brother—suggested that he make Li Zhi crown prince, a opportunity that Li Tai was apprehensive about. Li Tai tried to intimidate Li Zhi, who had been friendly with Li Yuanchang, by pointing out to Li Zhi that Li Yuanchang had been part of the plot and that he should be concerned for himself. When Emperor Taizong noticed Li Zhi worrying approximately this and was told by Li Zhi of Li Tai's intimidation, Emperor Taizong's mind became set. He exiled Li Tai, and on 30 April 643, he created Li Zhi the new crown prince. He presentation Zhangsun and two other senior chancellors, Fang Xuanling and Xiao Yu, senior advisors to Li Zhi, and made another chancellor, Li Shiji, the head of Li Zhi's household. At the advice of another key official, Liu Ji, who described out that the crown prince needed to have a group of well-learned scholars that he wasto, Emperor Taizong appointed Liu, as living as Cen Wenben, Chu Suiliang, and Ma Zhou, to serve as Li Zhi's friends and advisors.