This person is Li Xian, the fourth emperor of the Tang Dynasty, Tang Zhongzong! People jokingly refer to Li Xian as the “Six Emperors Pill” because Li Xian’s father was Emperor Gaozong Li Zhi, his mother was Empress Wu Zetian, his younger brother was Emperor Ruizong Li Dan, his son was Emperor Shaozong Li Chongmao, his nephew was Emperor Xuanzong Li Longji, and he himself was also an emperor, making him one of the six emperors. But the life of Emperor Zhongzong of Tang, Li Xian, was filled with both good luck and bad luck! Below, the history encyclopedia editor will bring you a detailed introduction. Let’s take a look together!
It should be said that Li Xian was initially lucky. He was the third son born to Li Zhi and Wu Zetian, and did not have the opportunity to inherit the throne. Big brother Li Hong and second brother Li Xian surpass Li Xian in both talent and morality. But Li Hong died suddenly in 675, Li Xian was deposed in 680, and was forced to commit suicide afterwards. Thus, Li Xian, ranked third, became the Crown Prince of the Tang Dynasty.
In December of the first year of Hongdao (683 AD), Emperor Gaozong of Tang died of illness, and 28 year old Li Xian succeeded to the throne. However, Wu Zetian, who had already become the Empress Dowager, held complete control over the imperial court. Li Xian wanted to break free from his mother’s control, so he wanted to promote his father-in-law and form his own team. As a result, he was opposed by the prime minister. In a fit of anger, Li Xian said, ‘I can give the world to Wei Xuanzhen without hesitation. Do you still hesitate to serve me?’?
Afterwards, the prime minister reported this matter to Wu Zetian. Wu Zetian was furious and deposed Li Xian, who had only been emperor for 55 days, and demoted him to Prince Luling, exiled him to another place. Li Xian and his wife Wei Hou were successively placed under house arrest in Junzhou and Fangzhou, enduring hardships and living in constant fear. Li Xian only wanted to become a true emperor, but he had a conflict with his mother and almost lost his life.
It was not until 14 years later that Li Xian ended his exile and returned to Chang’an, where he was reinstated as the Crown Prince. But Li Xian is still in danger. His son Li Chongrun and daughter Li Xianhui were executed by Wu Zetian’s decree for privately discussing her male pet. It was not until 704 AD, when Prime Minister Zhang Jianzhi and others launched the “Divine Dragon Coup” and forced Wu Zetian to abdicate, that Li Xian ascended the throne again.
Li Xian broke free from the control of his mother this time, but he did not expect that he would still be a puppet, and the government would fall into the hands of his queen, Lady Wei. Empress Wei had a close relationship with Wu Sansi, and there were even rumors of rumors, but Li Xian ignored them and allowed the two to control the government. Empress Wei frequently usurped Li Xian, causing him to depose Crown Prince Li Zhongjun (not born of the Wei family) and establish her own daughter, Princess Anle, as the Crown Princess.
Princess Anle and her son-in-law do not take Crown Prince Li Chongjun seriously and even openly insult him, calling him a slave. In the end, Li Chongjun could no longer bear it and launched the “Jinglong Coup” in 707, but it ultimately ended in failure, and Li Chongjun was publicly displayed by the leader. Li Xian’s tragedy was not over yet. In 710 AD, Li Xian was poisoned by his own queen Wei Shi and daughter Princess Anle, and died.
