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Information about Western Xia

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Xia
Empire
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1038 – 1227 →
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Location of Western Xia
Location of Western Xia in 1142
CapitalXingqing
GovernmentMonarchy Western Xia, 1038]]|Empire }}
Emperor
 - 1038-1048Emperor Jingzong
 - 1226-1227Emperor Modi
History
 - Established1038
 - Surrendered to the Mongol Empire1227
Population
 - peak est.3,000,000 


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The Western Xia Dynasty (Chinese: 西夏; Pinyin: Xī Xià; literally "Western Xia") or the Tangut Empire was a state that existed from 1038 up to 1227 in what are now the northwestern Chinese provinces of Gansu, Shaanxi, and Ningxia. It was established in the 11th century by Tangut tribes. Occupying the area along the trade route between Central Asia and the West, the Tangut were neighbors to Northern China, which was ruled by Song China and later the Jurchen Empire.

Name

The Tanguts called their own state "phiow¹-bjij²-lhjij-lhjij²" which translates as "The Great State of the White and the Lofty" (大白高國). Since it was located in the west, the Chinese name is Xi-Xia (西夏), literally "Western Xia", and thus that name is often used in Sinological literature. The English name "Tangut" comes from the Mongolian name for the country, Tanggud or Tangghud (Taŋɣud).

Foundations

After coming under military pressure from the Tibetan Empire some Tangut tribes submitted to Tang China under Emperor Dezong in 799. The Tanguts who submitted were moved to the Ordos region near Ningxia, whereas those who stayed accepted Tibetan political dominance and became known in Chinese as Mi-yao.

The Tanguts remained loyal to the Tang during the revolt of Huang Chao but established de-facto independence when Tang fell in 906. They retained their de-facto independence throughout the Five Dynasties period. During this period, their chieftain had the title of Dingnan Jiedushi and nominally remained under the Five Dynasties. Emperor Mingzong of Later Tang made an unsuccessful attempt to conquer Dingnan in 932 after believing incorrectly that Dingnan was about to enter an alliance with Liao.

The foundation of a Tangut state as such goes back to the year 982 under Li Deming (李德明). However, it would not be until 1038 that the Tangut chieftain Li Yuanhao (李元昊), Li Deming's son, who also ordered the creation of a Tangut writing system and the translation of Chinese classics into Tangut, named himself emperor of Da Xia, and demanded of the Song emperor recognition as an equal. The Song court accepted the recognition of Li Yuanhao as 'governor', but not 'emperor', a title considered exclusive to the Song emperor. After intense diplomatic contacts, in 1043 the Tangut state accepted the recognition of the Song emperor as emperor in exchange for annual tribute, which implied tacit recognition on the part of the Song of the military power of the Tangut.

Early history

After Jingzong's death, Yizong became the emperor at the age of two. His mother became the regent and during Yizong's reign, Liao Dynasty launched an invasion of Western Xia, causing Western Xia to submit to Liao Dynasty as a vassal state. After Yizong's death, Huizong was put under house arrest by his mother, and she attacked Song Dynasty. The attack was a failure, and Huizong took back power from his mother. After Chongzong became emperor, his grandmother (Huizong's mother) became regent again and launched invasion of Liao Dynasty and Song Dynasty. Again, both campaigns ended in defeat and Chongzong took direct control of Western Xia. He ended wars with both Liao and Song and focused on domestic reform.

In 1115, Jurchen Jin Dynasty was set up and Liao emperor fled to Western Xia in 1123. Chongzong submitted to the Jin demand of the Liao emperor and Western Xia became a vassal state of Jin. After Jin Dynasty destroyed Northern Song Dynasty, Western Xia attacked and took several thousands square miles of land from Northern Song. Immediately following Renzong's coronation, many natural disasters occurred and Renzong worked to stabilize the economy.

The Tanguts and the Mongols

After Renzong's death, Huanzong came into power and Western Xia's power began to fail. Corruption was widespread and the economy began to falter. Western Xia also began to come under attack by Mongol Empire.

The Mongol Empire campaigned six times against the Tanguts (1202, 1207, 1209-10, 1211-13, 1214-19, 1225-26).

In 1206, Xiangzong (Li An-chuan) initiated a coup d'etat against Huanzong and killed him, installing himself as emperor. In 1207 Li An-ch'uan submitted to the Mongols, and gave his daughter to Genghis Khan in marriage. Xiangzong then began a decade-long campaign against Jin Empire, significantly weakening both empires. Also during Xiangzong's reign, corruption rose to new heights, and normal peasants were very poor. The Western Xia army was also untrained and ill-equipped. Xiangzong abdicated after Shenzong started a coup d'etat and seized power, and Xiangzong died in the same year, 1211.

The Mongols asked their allies and tributaries for military aid in the campaign against the Islamic countries in 1216, although the Tangut emperor Shenzong was willing, his court and in particular his general Aša-gambu recommended against it. When Genghis Khan returned from his campaign the new emperor Xianzong pled with him, but the general Aša-gambu challenged Genghis Khan. The emperor Xianzong died during the fighting and was succeeded by Modi (Li Xian), the last of the Tangut rulers. Modi sued for peace, which was accepted, but he was then executed by Tolui the son of Genghis, and the Tangut state was fully incorporated into Mongolian administration. (cf. Kwanten 1974)

Rulers of Western Xia

Temple Name Posthumous Name Personal Name Reign Dates
Jǐngzōng 景?Wǔlièdì 武烈帝Lǐ Yuánhào 李元?1038-1048
Yìzōng 毅?Zhāoyīngdì 昭英?Lǐ Liàngzuò 李諒?1048-1067
Huìzōng 惠?Kāngjìngdì 康靖?Lǐ Bǐngcháng 李秉?1067-1086
Chóngzōng 崇?Shèngwéndì 聖文帝Lǐ Qiánshùn 李乾?1086-1139
Rénzōng 仁?Shèngzhēndì 聖禎?Lǐ Rénxiào 李仁?1139-1193
Huánzōng 桓?Zhāojiǎndì 昭簡?Lǐ Chúnyòu 李純?1193-1206
Xiāngzōng 襄?Jìngmùdì 敬穆?Lǐ Ānquán 李安?1206-1211
Shénzōng 神?Yīngwéndì 英文?Lǐ Zūnxū 李遵?1211--1223
Xiànzōng 獻?noneLǐ Déwàng 李德?1223--1226
Mòdì 末帝noneLǐ Xiàn 李?1226-1227

References

  • Kwanten, Luc. "Chingis Kan's Conquest of Tibet, Myth or Reality". Journal of Asian History 8.1 (1974): 17-23.

See also

The Song Dynasty (Chinese: 宋朝; Pinyin: Sòng Cháo; Wade-Giles: Sung Ch'ao) was a ruling dynasty in China between 960–1279 AD; it succeeded the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms era, and
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Gregorian calendar 1227
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Ab urbe condita 1980
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ԹՎ ՈՀԶ
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Mongol Empire, also known as the Mongolian Empire (Mongolian: Монголын Эзэнт Гүрэн, Mongolyn Ezent Güren
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11st century - 12nd century - 13rd century
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Yinchuan (Simplified Chinese: 银川; Traditional Chinese: 銀川; Pinyin: Yínchuān
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Emperor Jingzong of Western Xia (? - 1048), born Li Yuanhao (Chinese: 李元昊), was the first emperor of the Western Xia Empire located in northwestern China, reigning from 1038 to 1048. He was the eldest son of the Tangut ruler Li Deming.
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Emperor Modi of Western Xia was the last emperor of Western Xia and reigned from 1226 to 1227.

Faced with the threat of Mongols, Modi and his officials rallied around the capital Zhongxing, trying to use its large walls to fight the Mongol cavalries.
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The Xia Dynasty (Chinese: 夏朝; Pinyin: xià cháo; Wade-Giles: hsia-ch'ao), ca.
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Zhou Dynasty (Chinese: ; Pinyin: Zhōu Cháo; Wade-Giles: Chou Ch`ao; 1123 BC to 256 BC[1]) preceded by the Shang Dynasty and followed by the Qin Dynasty in China.
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Zhou Dynasty (Chinese: ; Pinyin: Zhōu Cháo; Wade-Giles: Chou Ch`ao; 1123 BC to 256 BC[1]) preceded by the Shang Dynasty and followed by the Qin Dynasty in China.
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Zhou Dynasty (Chinese: ; Pinyin: Zhōu Cháo; Wade-Giles: Chou Ch`ao; 1123 BC to 256 BC[1]) preceded by the Shang Dynasty and followed by the Qin Dynasty in China.
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