User:HuangdiOfSongChina/Zhao Hong

Zhao Hong (1207 – 1225) was one of the three adopted crown princes of the childless Emperor Ningzong. He was a descendant of Emperor Taizu through Zhao Defang and thus had a better claim to the throne than Zhao Xun and Zhao Yuju. Zhao Hong liked and was skilled at the piano. Shi used this fact to later discover Hong’s plot. It is said by some historians that he was driven by power and wanted the throne.

Early life
He was the 8th-generational-descendant of Emperor Taizu from his son, Zhao Defang. This made Zhao Hong a closer cousin of Ningzong than his rival Zhao Yuju and the now deceased Zhao Xun as both of them were from the branch of Zhao Dezhao.

Discovery
In 1220, Zhao Xun died from dysentery. The Chancellor Shi Miyuan was sent by Ningzong to locate another heir for the throne and discovered Zhao Hong in 1221 who was adopted by Ningzong and was named as Crown Prince the same year.

Crown Prince
Initially, Hong had a good relationship with Shi but Hong soon grew resentful and dissatisfied with Shi’s actions and planned to depose Shi when he took the throne. Hong then recorded Shi’s actions and is reported to have said “Shi Miyuan should be allocated eight thousand miles.”

In 1223, Shi Miyuan discovered that Hong was planning to remove Shi from power after Ningzong died. It is suggested that Shi placed a piano-playing courtesan in the crown prince's company, and through her learned of the heir apparent's plot to remove Shi from power after attaining the throne. This frightened Shi who thought about it day and night but luckily for Shi, Hong was not aware of the plot.

Deposition
When Emperor Ningzong suddenly collapsed and then died in 1224, Shi wished to appoint a minor prince named Zhao Guicheng as the new heir out of fear that Hong might depose him. Around this time, Zhao Hong had his only child, a son named Zhao Quan but Quan was most likely stillborn ending Zhao Hong’s own line of succession. Shi forced Empress Dowager Yang to issue an edict deposing Zhao Hong and elevating Zhao Guicheng to Crown Prince. Shi also felt that Hong had lacked judgement, temperament, and responsibility while Zhao Guicheng was superior in intellect and temperament. Shi and Yang were first-hand witnesses to Guangzong’s insanity and therefore, did not want Zhao Hong on the throne as he might be unstable and incompetent. In September 17, 1224, Zhao Guicheng who would later change his name to Zhao Yun took the throne as the Baoqing Emperor and would be known as Emperor Lizong after his death. The deposed Zhao Hong was then exiled to Huzhou after refusing to bow to the New Emperor out of anger.

Death
Zhao Hong died in 1225 as he was fighting for the throne so he was strangled to death by assassins possibly sent by Shi.

Genghis Khan
In the Genghis Khan wikipedia article, a man named Zhao Hong reports in his travelogue that the Mongols he questioned did not know and had never known their ages. This may have been the Crown Prince but, it is likely a different Zhao Hong.

Family

 * Parents:
 * Zhao Xiqu (趙希瞿), 7th great-grandson of Zhao Defang, the son of Zhao Kuangyin
 * Consorts and Issue:
 * 1) Unknown
 * 2) Zhao Quan (趙銓; 1224)