Emperor Gaozong of Tang
Tang · 3rd ruler
唐高宗 Táng Gāozōng李治 Lǐ Zhì
Wade–Giles: T'ang Kao-tsung · Li Chih
Reigned 649–683 (34 years)
Reigned 34 years (649–683). Died at 56 (East Asian reckoning) of natural causes. 3rd ruler of Tang.
Facts
- Reign
- 15 July 649 – 27 December 683 (3rd ruler of Tang)
- Length of reign
- 34 years
- Born
- July 628
- Died
- 27 December 683
- Age at accession
- 22
- Age at death
- 56
- Cause of death
- Natural causesNatural death or illness (including old age)
- Path to the throne
- Designated heirSucceeded the previous ruler of the same regime, who had chosen the heir (by testament, naming a crown prince, etc.)
- Predecessor
- Emperor Taizong of Tang
- Successor
- Emperor Zhongzong of Tang
- Era names
- 永徽 Yǒnghuī (proclaimed 650)
- 顯慶 Xiǎnqìng (proclaimed 656)
- 龍朔 Lóngshuò (proclaimed 661)
- 麟德 Líndé (proclaimed 664)
- 乾封 Qiánfēng (proclaimed 666)
- 總章 Zǒngzhāng (proclaimed 668)
- 咸亨 Xiánhēng (proclaimed 670)
- 上元 Shàngyuán (proclaimed 674)
- 儀鳳 Yífèng (proclaimed 676)
- 調露 Tiáolù (proclaimed 679)
- 永隆 Yǒnglóng (proclaimed 680)
- 開耀 Kāiyào (proclaimed 681)
- 永淳 Yǒngchún (proclaimed 682)
- 弘道 Hóngdào (proclaimed 683)
Ages are given in East Asian reckoning (sui): a person is one year old at birth and gains a year at each New Year, so the figure is one or two years higher than the Western age.
Life
In brief
This Tang emperor made Lady Wu his empress, and the two were later called together the Two Sages. The historians of the Old Book of Tang judge that after his accession his heart was captured by the inner palace and he neglected the foundations of the state, so that an empress came to harm and his maternal uncle suffered false charges.
Road to the throne
He was the ninth son of Emperor Taizong of Tang, and his mother was Empress Wende of the Zhangsun clan. In 643, after the crown prince Chengqian was deposed and Tai, Prince of Wei, was also set aside, Taizong conferred with Zhangsun Wuji and others and made the Prince of Jin crown prince. The Zizhi Tongjian tells how Taizong once promised to make Tai, Prince of Wei, his heir and how Zhangsun Wuji pressed hard for the Prince of Jin, but this is not in the annals of the Old or New Book of Tang. When Taizong died in 649 he took the throne.
Reign and death
In 655 he demoted Chu Suiliang, who opposed him, deposed Empress Wang, and made the zhaoyi consort Wu empress. The Zizhi Tongjian writes that the zhaoyi killed her own daughter and made it look like the work of Empress Wang, but this story is not in the annals of the Old Book of Tang. The biographies of consorts in the Old Book of Tang say, within the same biography, both that the deposed Empress Wang was strangled and that her hands and feet were cut off and she was thrown into a wine jar. After Shangguan Yi was executed, the empress hung a screen behind the throne and took part in government, and the annals of the Old Book of Tang also write that Gaozong suffered from a wind ailment and could not attend to court business, so that the empress decided all affairs of state. When the crown prince Hong died in 675, the annals of the Old Book of Tang say only that he died, while the annals of the New Book of Tang write that the Heavenly Empress killed him. The Kaoyi commentary to the Zizhi Tongjian explains that because some books say he was poisoned and others do not, and the facts are unclear, its main text says only that people of the time suspected the Heavenly Empress of poisoning him. In 680 he deposed the crown prince Xian, reduced him to a commoner, and made Zhe, Prince of Ying, crown prince. In 683 he died in the Zhenguan Hall on the night of the day he proclaimed an amnesty for the change of era, and his testamentary edict ordered that major military and state matters not yet settled be decided by the Heavenly Empress.
Translated from the Japanese text of this site, which is written from the official histories. Years are given in the Western calendar; months are omitted because the histories use the Chinese lunar calendar.
During the reign
Number of times each event is recorded in the official histories. How each item is counted
- Era name changes
- 14
- General amnesties
- 17
- Empresses installed
- 2
- Crown princes deposed
- 2
- Personal campaigns
- 0
- Rebellions suppressed
- 4
- Rebellions faced
- 5
- Capital relocations
- 0
Emperors of Tang
- 1stEmperor Gaozu of Tang唐高祖 Táng Gāozǔ李淵 Lǐ Yuān618–626 · 8 years · Natural causes, age 70618–6268 yearsNatural causes, age 70
- 2ndEmperor Taizong of Tang唐太宗 Táng Tàizōng李世民 Lǐ Shìmín626–649 · 22 years · Disputed, age 52626–64922 yearsDisputed, age 52
- 3rdEmperor Gaozong of Tang唐高宗 Táng Gāozōng李治 Lǐ Zhì649–683 · 34 years · Natural causes, age 56649–68334 yearsNatural causes, age 56
- 4th, 6thEmperor Zhongzong of Tang唐中宗 Táng Zhōngzōng李顯 Lǐ Xiǎn684; restored 705–710 · 5 years · Assassinated, age 55684; restored 705–7105 yearsAssassinated, age 55
- 5th, 8thEmperor Ruizong of Tang唐睿宗 Táng Ruìzōng李旦 Lǐ Dàn684–690; restored 710–712 · 8 years · Natural causes, age 55684–690; restored 710–7128 yearsNatural causes, age 55
- 7thEmperor Shang of Tang唐殤帝 Táng Shāngdì李重茂 Lǐ Chóngmào710 · 17 days · Unknown, age 1771017 daysUnknown, age 17
- 9thEmperor Xuanzong of Tang唐玄宗 Táng Xuánzōng李隆基 Lǐ Lóngjī712–756 · 43 years · Natural causes, age 78712–75643 yearsNatural causes, age 78
- 10thEmperor Suzong of Tang唐肅宗 Táng Sùzōng李亨 Lǐ Hēng756–762 · 5 years · Natural causes, age 52756–7625 yearsNatural causes, age 52
- 11thEmperor Daizong of Tang唐代宗 Táng Dàizōng李豫 Lǐ Yù762–779 · 17 years · Natural causes, age 53762–77917 yearsNatural causes, age 53
- Li Chenghong李承宏 Lǐ Chénghóng763 · 12 days · Unknown76312 daysUnknown
- 12thEmperor Dezong of Tang唐德宗 Táng Dézōng李适 Lǐ Kuò779–805 · 25 years · Natural causes, age 64779–80525 yearsNatural causes, age 64
- 13thEmperor Shunzong of Tang唐順宗 Táng Shùnzōng李誦 Lǐ Sòng805 · 184 days · Natural causes, age 46805184 daysNatural causes, age 46
- 14thEmperor Xianzong of Tang唐憲宗 Táng Xiànzōng李純 Lǐ Chún805–820 · 14 years · Assassinated, age 43805–82014 yearsAssassinated, age 43
- 15thEmperor Muzong of Tang唐穆宗 Táng Mùzōng李恆 Lǐ Héng820–824 · 4 years · Natural causes, age 30820–8244 yearsNatural causes, age 30
- 16thEmperor Jingzong of Tang唐敬宗 Táng Jìngzōng李湛 Lǐ Zhàn824–827 · 2 years · Assassinated, age 18824–8272 yearsAssassinated, age 18
- 17thEmperor Wenzong of Tang唐文宗 Táng Wénzōng李昂 Lǐ Áng827–840 · 13 years · Natural causes, age 33827–84013 yearsNatural causes, age 33
- 18thEmperor Wuzong of Tang唐武宗 Táng Wǔzōng李炎 Lǐ Yán840–846 · 6 years · Natural causes, age 33840–8466 yearsNatural causes, age 33
- 19thEmperor Xuānzong of Tang唐宣宗 Táng Xuānzōng李忱 Lǐ Chén846–859 · 13 years · Natural causes, age 50846–85913 yearsNatural causes, age 50
- 20thEmperor Yizong of Tang唐懿宗 Táng Yìzōng李漼 Lǐ Cuǐ859–873 · 13 years · Natural causes, age 41859–87313 yearsNatural causes, age 41
- 21stEmperor Xizong of Tang唐僖宗 Táng Xīzōng李儇 Lǐ Xuān873–888 · 14 years · Natural causes, age 27873–88814 yearsNatural causes, age 27
- Li Yun李熅 Lǐ Yùn886–887 · 71 days · Executed886–88771 daysExecuted
- 22nd, 23rdEmperor Zhaozong of Tang唐昭宗 Táng Zhāozōng李曄 Lǐ Yè888–900; restored 901–904 · 16 years · Assassinated, age 38888–900; restored 901–90416 yearsAssassinated, age 38
- Li Yu李裕 Lǐ Yù900–901 · 50 days · Assassinated900–90150 daysAssassinated
- 24thEmperor Ai of Tang唐哀帝 Táng Āidì李柷 Lǐ Zhù904–907 · 2 years · Assassinated, age 17904–9072 yearsAssassinated, age 17