Emperor Xiangzong of Western Xia (1170–1211), born Li Anquan (), was the seventh

emperor An emperor (from la, imperator, via fro, empereor) is a monarch, and usually the sovereignty, sovereign ruler of an empire or another type of imperial realm. Empress, the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife (empress consort), ...

of the Tangut-led

Western Xia dynasty The Western Xia or the Xi Xia (), officially the Great Xia (), also known as the Tangut Empire, and known as ''Mi-nyak''Stein (1972), pp. 70–71. to the Tanguts and Tibetans, was a Tangut-led Buddhist imperial dynasty of China tha ...

of China, reigning from 1206 to 1211. He launched attacks on the Jin dynasty, but eventually surrendered to the Mongol Empire under Genghis Khan.

Reign

Li Anquan was a nephew of the Emperor Renzong. After the death of his father, Renyou, Li Anquan requested Huanzong to allow him inherit father's title. After Huanzong disagreed and bestowed upon him a title of Prince of Zhenyi commandery (镇夷郡王), Li Anquan has been harbouring an intention to seize the imperial throne. Emperor Xiangzong came into power after a coup d'état with his first cousin Huanzong's birth mother, Empress Luo against Huanzong. Many historians regarded him as incompetent. Xiangzong attacked the Jin dynasty, destroying the years of peace between these two countries. He tried to become an ally of the Mongol Empire, but Genghis Khan regarded Western Xia as a roadblock to China and repeatedly invaded Western Xia. Eventually, Li Anquan surrendered to the Mongols, gave his daughter, Chaka, in marriage to Genghis, and paid tribute of camels, falcons, and textiles. In 1211, Xiangzong's nephew Lǐ Zūnxū initiated a coup d'état against Xiangzong and took power. Xiangzong died a month later.

Family

Father: Li Renyou, Prince of Yue (越王李仁友) Consorts and issue: Daughter: # Princess Char (察合皇后, mn, Чар хатан). Married Genghis Khan in 1209.

References

1170 births 1211 deaths Western Xia emperors 13th-century Chinese monarchs 13th-century Tangut rulers 12th-century Tangut people {{China-royal-stub